Stand in the middle of Concord’s North Bridge with the Minute Man statue on your right and the British soldiers’ grave on your left. Place your hands on the rough wooden handrail in front of you; slightly to the left, you will see The Old Manse through the trees. Peer down into the Concord River that Ralph Waldo called “the dark stream which seaward creeps” and brace yourself: this tale is about to get rough.
Americans have a deep reverence for those who perished in military service. Communities remember those who died during their service by providing free military gravestones, placing flags on graves, and erecting monuments or memorials. The soldiers who died during the Revolutionary War were America’s first veterans. Here in Concord, there has been a long-standing tradition each Memorial Day of reading the names of those who died in service. Until 2023, only one name was read for the Revolutionary War: Reverend William Emerson. For as long as anyone could remember, he was the only person remembered by the town for dying during his service in the Revolutionary War.
The holiday season is here; time for awkward family gatherings! And if you were Concord resident Phebe Bliss Emerson, you might find yourself in the middle of one.
Born in 1741, Phebe was the second child of the Reverend Daniel Bliss. Her family lived in Concord, MA, where Rev. Bliss was the pastor of the Congregational Church from 1738-1764. Rev. Bliss’ fire and brimstone sermons left his parishioners quaking, crying, and praying for salvation.
