The following is a partial list of bells cast by George Holbrook and his heirs believed to be still in existence, although bells followed by an asterisk (*) may not be. It is arranged in chronological order. The text in CAPITALS followed by a date is what we are told appears on the bell. Other references are in brackets [ ]. A footnote appears at the end of each item indicating our source for that individual reference. These notes appear at the end of the list.

Bells Cast in Brookfield

• Taunton, MA, First Parish Church, Unitarian/Universalist, FOR TAUNTON I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL. AND TO THE GRAVE I SUMMONS ALL. GEORGE HOLBROOK. BROOKFIELD MASSACHUSETTS 1804¹
• Taunton, MA, Old Colony Historical Society, formerly Bristol Academy G. HOLBROOK BROOKFIELD 1806 PRESENTED BY C. MINOT FAIRHAVEN¹
• Still River, MA, Historical Society (formerly Baptist Church), GEORGE HOLBROOK BROOKFIELD 1807¹
• Lebanon, CT, Lebanon Congregational Church [1807]*²
• East Windsor (Warehouse Point), CT, ( with a Holbrook tower clock), First Congregational Church, 1810 G. HOLBROOK ^3,4
• Leomenster, MA, (with Holbrook tower clock) *⁴
• Palmer, MA, in front of the Town House [made in Brookfield, date unknown]⁵

Bells Cast in Medway

• Millis, MA, The First Church of Christ, ( Congregational) [1816], believed to be no longer in existence³
• Milford, MA, The First Congregational Church, CAST BY GEORGE, H, HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASSACHUSETTS 1819⁶
• Mendon, MA, First Parish Church, GEO H HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1820⁷
• Chepachet, RI, Chepachet Free Will Baptist Church, Chepachet Meeting House GEO H HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1822⁸
• Durham, NH, Community Church of Durham, G H HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1823¹
• Canterbury, CT, First Congregational Church [Purchased 1824]*²
• New York, NY, The Brick Presbyterian Church, CAST BY G.H. HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1824¹
• Cohasset, MA, First Parish Church, Unitarian, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1825¹
• Milton, MA, The First Parish in Milton, CAST BY G. H. HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1825¹
• Concord, MA, First Parish Unitarian/Universalist Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1826¹
• Springfield, MA, First Church in Springfield, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1826¹
• West Springfield, MA, Mt. Orthodox Lodge (Old White Church), CAST BY G H HOLBROOK MEDWAY¹
• East Windsor (Warehouse Point), CT, St. John's Episcopal Church [1827]*²
• West Roxbury, MA, Theodore Parker Unitarian Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1827¹

• Holbrook bell, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA Click on photo to enlarge.

  Charlottesville, VA, University of Virginia, FOUNDED FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CAST BY G.H. HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1827^5,8
• Abington, CT, Abington Congregational Church [Recast, 1828]*²
• Milton, MA, First Congregational Church, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK. MEDWAY MASS 1828¹
• North Attleboro, MA, First Congregational Church, CAST BY GEORGE HANDEL HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1828¹
• Portsmouth, NH, Middle Street Baptist Church, CAST BY GEORGE HANDEL HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1828¹
• Los Angeles, CA, Old Plaza Church [Cast 1828]*⁴
• Santa Barbara, CA, Santa Barbara Mission [probably cast 1828]*⁴
• San Gabriel, CA, San Gabriel Mission [Cast 1828]* (six, the largest bearing the inscription below) CAST BY G.H. HOLBROOK, EAST MEDWAY MASS 1828^4,9
• Old Monterey, CA, Installed in mission which burned; fate of bell unknown⁹
• Woodstock, CT, First Congregational Church, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK, MEDWAY, MASS 1829^2,10
• Burlington, VT, University of Vermont, CAST BY G.H. HOLBROOK. MEDWAY MASS 1830¹
• Litchfield, CT, The First Congregational Church [purchased 1831]*²
• Providence, RI, The Cathedral of St. John, Episcopal [1832]¹¹
• West Boylston, MA, The First Congregational Church, CAST BY GEORGE. HANDEL. HOLBROOK. MEDWAY MASS 1832^1,3
• Millis, MA, Main Street, CAST BY G.H. HOLBROOK MEDWAY, MASS 1832³
• Sturbridge, MA, Wells Clock Museum, Old Sturbridge Village, from the Whitingsville Mill, Whitingsville, MA, GEO H. HOLBROOK, MASS 1833^8,12
• Greenville, RI, Greenville Baptist Church, [No date; the East Medway inscription suggests it was cast in 1834 or later] CAST BY G.H. HOLBROOK, EAST MEDWAY MASS.¹³
• Duxbury, MA, First Parish Church, Unitarian, [date ground off; the East Medway inscription suggests it was cast in 1834 or later] CAST BY GEORGE HANDEL HOLBROOK, EAST MEDWAY MASS. ¹
• West Medway, MA, The Second Congregational Church (Community Church), CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK E. MEDWAY MASS 1834^1,3
• Plymouth, NH, Plymouth Congregational Church, CAST BY GEORGE H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1834¹
• Leicester, MA, Federated Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1834¹
• Hagerstown, MD, Washington County Historical Society, formerly in the City Hall, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1835¹
• Westford, MA, First Parish Church (Parish House), CAST BY G. H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1835¹
• Pembroke, NH, The First Congregational Church, CAST BY G.H.HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1837¹
• Boone, IA, Owned by Neil Goeppinger, G H H MASS 1837¹⁴
• Westwood, MA, The First Parish of Westwood, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK, EAST MEDWAY, MASS 1835¹
• Medway, MA, Village Church, [1838],( with Holbrook tower clock installed in 1850)⁴
• Dover, MA, The Dover Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1839¹
• Amherst, NH, The Congregational Church, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1839¹
• Canton, CT, The Canton Community Baptist Church, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1839¹⁵
• Brandon, VT, The Brandon Baptist Church [1839]¹⁶

• Holbrook bell, Newfane, VT Click on photo to enlarge.

  Newfane, VT, Windham County Historical Society, formerly in the Williamsville Universalist Church CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1841¹
• Sterling, MA, Old Meeting House, now at Silver Ranch, Jaffrey, NH, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1841^1,3
• Charlestown, NH, South Parish Unitarian Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1842¹
• Windsor, VT, South Congregational Church, CAST BY G.H.HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1842¹
• Halifax, MA, Halifax Congregational Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1842¹
• Woodbury, CT, St. Paul's Episcopal Church [1842]*²
• Putney, VT, Putney Federated Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1842¹
• Lempster, NH, Town Hall, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK MEDWAY MASS 1844¹
• Pascoag, RI, The Community Baptist Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1844¹⁷
• Shirley, MA, The First Parish Church, CAST BY G.H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1845¹
• Haverhill, MA, The First Baptist Church, CAST BY G.H.HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1845¹
• Gorham, ME, Gorham Academy, CAST BY G.H.HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1846¹
• Boscawen, NH, Boscawen Congregational Church, CAST BY G.H.HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1847¹
• Greenfield, NH, The Union Congregational Church, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1848¹
• Rochdale, MA, Town of Rochdale by fire station, CAST BY G H HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1851¹
• Rowley, MA, First Church of Rowley (Congregational), CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY, MASS 1851¹
• Sudbury, MA, The First Parish of Sudbury, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY, MASS. 1851¹
• Worcester, MA, First Unitarian Church, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK EAST MEDWAY MASS 1853¹
• Millis, MA, Church of Christ (Congregational) [1854]³
• Westford, MA, The First Parish Church of Westford, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK. EAST MEDWAY. MASS 1856¹
• Milford, MA, Milford Town Hall [1859]¹⁸
• Antrim, NH, The First Presbyterian Church, HOLBROOK & SON. EAST MEDWAY MASS 1865¹
• Sherborn, MA, First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist, HOLBROOK BELL COMPANY 1866¹⁹
• Yarmouth, ME, First Parish, Congregational, HOLBROOK & SON EAST MEDWAY MASS 1867¹
• Medfield, MA, First Parish of Medfield, CAST BY GEORGE H. HOLBROOK & SON EAST MEDWAY MASS 1868¹
• Lynn, MA, The First Church of Christ in Lynn, Congregational, HOLBROOK & SON E.......... MASS THE GI T OF MIRIAM WHITON. OPDYKE AD 1870¹
• Sterling, MA, The First Church in Sterling, CAST BY HOLBROOK & SON EAST MEDWAY MASS 1872¹
• Keene, NH, The First Congregational Church, G.H.HOLBROOK & SON EAST MEDWAY MASS. 1873¹
• Bourne, MA, HOLBROOK & SON, 1875³
• Ashland, MA [1878]¹⁹

Holbrook Tower Clock, United Church of Chelsea, Chelsea, VT Click on photo to enlarge.

Tower and Clock United Church of Chelsea, Chelsea, VT Click on photo to enlarge.

Holbrook Clock and Striking Works United Church of Chelsea, Chelsea, VT Click on photo to enlarge.

Holbrook Bell, 1840 United Church of Chelsea, Chelsea, VT Rev. David E. Smith, photographer Click on photo to enlarge.

Holbrook Bells With Tower Clocks

• East Windsor (Warehouse Point), CT, First Congregational Church, G. HOLBROOK 1810^3,4
• Medway, MA, Village Church, [1838], ( clock installed in 1850)⁴
• Holliston, MA, Clock installed in 1832, bell installed earlier⁴
• East Woodstock, CT, 1834⁴
• Amherst, MA, Amherst College (clock installed 1834, bell installed earlier)⁴
• West Townsend, MA, First Baptist Church (clock installed 1834, bell, same year or before)⁴
• Chelsea, VT, Congregational Church, 1840; now United Church of Chelsea⁴
• Maine, (Two bells installed with Holbrook tower clocks, locations unknown to us)⁴

1. A list of Holbrook bells prepared by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Stickney of Bedford, MA, experts on Revere Bells.
2. From Kelly, J. Frederick, Early Connecticut Meetinghouses, New York, Columbia University Press, 1948.
3. From a list of Holbrook bells prepared by Priscilla Howker of The Medway Historical Society.
4. From Shelley, Frederick, "The Holbrook Dynasty," National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors Bulletin, February, 1996.
5. From Conversation with Frederick Shelley, March, 1997.
6. From Rev. Paul Sanderson, Interim Pastor, First Congregational Church, Milford, MA., who climbed the steeple, fought off pigeons, and observed the inscription, March 1997.
7. From information supplied by The First Parish Church, Mendon, MA, in March 1997.
8. Bell observed, 1997 or later.
9. From Speare, Eva A., Historic Bells in New Hampshire pp. 33-37.
10. From historical materials supplied by Rev. James Harrison, pastor, First Congregational Church, Woodstock, CT.
11. From The Rev. Canon George N. Sayles, The Cathedral of St. John, Providence, RI.
12. From materials supplied by Frank White, Curator of Mechanical Arts, Old Sturbridge Village.
13. From Marian Hardman, Historian of the Greenville Baptist Church, Greenville, RI.
14. From a letter of Neil W. Goeppinger, March 11, 1997, and a telephone Conversation in March 1997.
15. From a letter by Barbara Kay, Clerk, Canton Community Baptist Church, April 22, 2002.
16. From a telephone conversation, March 1997, with George Matthew, Music Director; The First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, CT, and organist at the Brandon Baptist Church, Brandon, VT.
17. From Milton Barrows, member, Pascoag Community Baptist Church, Pascoag, RI.
18. Source Unknown.
19. From a letter by Betsy Johnson, Curator, Sherborn Historical Society, Sherborn, MA, September 3, 2001.
20. From The Milford Daily News, January, 1931, shared with us by Priscilla Howland of the Medway Historical Society.

Acknowledgments

We wish especially to acknowledge the contributions of Edward Stickney to this list. Mr. Stickney and his wife, Evelyn Stickney, are the country's leading experts on the bells of Paul Revere. He sent us a list of fifty Holbrook bells, which forms the heart of the list presented here. We also wish to give special acknowledgment to the contributions of Priscilla Howker of the Medway Historical Society who also sent us more than a dozen additional references.

In addition, we wish to thank the following people who have also helped us locate information about Holbrook bells: Milton Barrows of the Pascoag Community Baptist Church, Pascoag, RI; Paul Curran,Trustee, Milford, MA library; Neil Goeppinger of Boone, IA; Marian Hardman, Historian of the Greenville Baptist Church, Greenville, RI; Rev. James Harrison, Pastor, First Congregational Church, Woodstock, CT; Betsy Johnson, Curator, Sherborn Historical Society, Sherborn, MA; Barbara Kay, Clerk, Canton Community Baptist Church, Canton, CT; George Matthews, Music Director, The First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, CT and organist at The Brandon Baptist Church, Brandon, VT; Rev. Paul Sanderson, First Congregational Church, Milford, MA; The Rev. Canon George N. Sayles, The Cathedral of St. John, Providence, RI; Frederick Shelley, author, Early American Tower Clocks; Frank White, Curator of Mechanical Arts, Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA; Robert Wilder, historian, of Brookfield, MA.

Any additions, corrections, or further information on Holbrook Bells will be greatly appreciated. Please write to The Chepachet Free Will Baptist Church, 1213 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, RI, 02814, or use our Contact Us form to send your comments.

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1213 Putnam Pike - PO Box 148 • Chepachet, RI 02814 • (401) 568-3771
All photographs, unless otherwise noted, courtesy of Marilyn J. Brownell. All rights reserved.