Call Number: ARC.050
Extent: 8.0 Linear feet, in 16 manuscript boxes
The Rev. John Howard Melish (1874-1969) was pastor at the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, Brooklyn, New York (1904-1949), while his son, the Rev. William Howard Melish (1910-1986), was associate rector at the same church from 1938 to 1957. The bulk of this collection covers 1947-1958, a period of time during which the two clergymen, with the support of parish congregants, struggled to remain attached to the Church of the Holy Trinity despite efforts by the church vestry and the Episcopal Bishop of Long Island to remove them. In the midst of the Cold War era, the Melishes’ removal was sought because of, at least in part, the son’s role as Chairman of the National Council for Soviet-American Friendship. The bulk of the collection consists of clippings maintained by William Howard Melish, but also includes correspondence, notes, and other documents from Melish and his supporters, including congregant Anna May Mason. The collection also includes an audiotape of William Howard Melish’s remarks at the 1963 memorial service held for W. E. B. Du Bois in Ghana.
Names:
- Mason , Anna May
- Du Bois, W. E. B., 1868-1963
- Fletcher, Joseph F.
- Melish, John Howard, b. 1875
- Melish, William Howard, 1910-
- Miller, Arthur, 1915-2005
- Wager, Ralph Edmond, 1881-1979
- White, Bouck, 1874-1951
- Church of the Holy Trinity (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
- Melish Defense Committee
- National Council of American-Soviet Friendship (U.S.)
- Touchet, Francis H.
Places:
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — Church history
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) — History — Archival resources.
- Brooklyn Heights (New York, N.Y.) — Intellectual life
Subjects:
- Anti-communist movements — United States — History — 20th century
- Church controversies — New York (State) — New York
- City churches — New York (State) — New York
- City clergy — New York (State) — New York
- Cold War — Religious aspects
- Cold War — Social aspects — New York (State) — New York.
- Cold War — Social aspects — United States
- Episcopalians United States
- Episcopalians — New York (State) — New York
Types of material:
- audiotapes
- Church bulletins
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Correspondence
- Journals (periodicals)
- Legal documents
- Photographs
- Sermons
I am doing research on an Episcopal priest, John Bishop Thomas, whose book was reviewed (very favorably) by J. Howard Melish in 1917-18. He appears to have been a controversial figure in the University of the South at Sewanee, TN. Was there correspondence between the two of them?
Eugene TeSelle, Professor Emeritus, Vanderbilt University
Thanks for your question, Professor TeSelle. In consulting the full finding aid for the collection, there does not appear to be any correspondence from John Howard Melish in the collection; the bulk of the materials are from the mid 20th century. If you click on the View Full Finding Aid link at the bottom of the post, you will be able to see the full finding aid for the collection, if you have not done so already.