7. Reverend John Browne

Browne performed as a brave chaplain serving his country during the French and Indian War. He was not only a spiritual leader, but a prominent and vocal town leader who supported the Revolutionary War. During his tenure as the minister 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. Some years after his settlement in Cohasset, he added the "e" to his name which his descendants have retained.