7. Reverend John Browne

Browne served as a brave chaplain serving his country during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. He was not only a spiritual leader, but a prominent and vocal town leader who supported the Revolutionary War. During his tenure as the Reverend of the First Parish Church, he fearlessly read the proposed Declaration of Independence aloud from the pulpit. In his unwavering commitment to the cause, Browne stored a cache of rebel arms under the pulpit, always ready to defend his community against the British threat. Another gun was discovered during the 1986 renovation of the church's south wall confirming Browne's heroic legacy and his unwavering dedication to the cause of American independence.