Notes on Brewster's North Church Poem

It may not be top-notch poetry, but this little chestnut tells a quick history of Portsmouth from a unique perspective. Charles W. Brewster (1802-1869) is remembered today for his two-volume collected essays about the history of his native New Hampshire town, "Brewster's Rambles". Shy and unassuming in person, Brewster rarely traveled beyond the few city blocks of downtown Portsmouth. He worked there for 50 years as a newspaper writer and editor.

In "The Vane of the North Church" Brewster uses a simple poetic form to tell his familiar history. The personified weather vane, set to come down after more than a century atop the highest point in the city, recalls a few historic moments it has seen. In that time, the city had changed from a British colony to a member of the United States. New Hampshire's original State House had been built in the center of Market Square and removed. Washington, Jones, Langdon and a series of famous North Church ministers had come and gone. Ben Franklin had installed his famous lightning rod. The "heathens" on the Isles of Shoals had been tamed by Rev. Tucke. Brewster even references the famous voyage of Cap. James Cook, whose famous ship HM Endeavour has been reconstructed and scheduled to tour the city as part of the city's 375th Anniversary Celebration, the logo of which depicts the famous steeple.

Today the North Church steeple is again in the news. The 150-foot spire has grown weak, discolored and is badly in need of costly renovation. At this writing, the church has a number of architects studying the problems. --- JDR

History of the North Church

The first church was a Meeting House erected near the junction of South and Marcy Streets about 1657. In 1671, under the name of "The Church of Christ in Portsmouth", the church was formally organized.

The first building was erected on the present site in 1714. It was a three-decker, in the second gallery of which worshiped slaves and servants. Noted worshippers in this edifice were General William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, John Langdon, a signer of the Constitution of the United States, Daniel Webster and John Paul Jones.

Some parishioners preferred to remain at the former location where they incorporated themselves into the South Parish, now the Unitarian Church. The older organization retained its original name, but by custom it assumed the name of the First or North Parish in Portsmouth under which title, it was formally incorporated in 1791.

About this time the so-called schism developed in New England Congregationalism. In an endeavor to avoid the loss of church property through such a division, and to provide more adequately for the administration of trust funds, a corporation known as "North Church of Portsmouth" was formed in 1816 by action of the legislature.

The building was renovated in 1837 and changed to a two-story structure. Because fashions were changing around it, the building was torn down and the present edifice constructed and ready for dedication on November 1, 1855.
- Text courtesy of the North Church

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