The Tuscaloosa Bell in the 20th & 21st Century

1. In 1920, the bell housing developed a crack requiring demolition.
2. Alexander Ingram in his letter of January 6, 2005, provided a link to the 20th and 21st Century bell history.  See his letter imaged below.
3. In 1934, First United’s new pastor Clare Purcell began the bell resurrection process.
   1. A memorial tablet was restored to the wall of the church.
   2.  A very humorous discussion among two very young boys at its restoration of the tablet will bring on a chuckle.  See the image on page 46 labeled “I dunno,. . . “ from a letter dated February 28th, 1934.
   3. After several years the Amaranth Class of the church raised sufficient funds to restore the bell to a tower.
4. June 24, 1952, after a long hiatus the bell was located in a new tower.
   a.  The bell is rung at 10:45 a.m to call worshippers to the 11:00 service.
   b.   In 1981, Evelyn and Edward Stickney, authors and publishers of “The Bells of Paul Revere, his sons and grandsons,” visited the First United Methodist Church, following up on their initial inquiry of 1975.
   c.  1984, a replica of the Revere Bell was presented to the church during the Bi-centennial year to ring as the choir marches to the sanctuary.
5. In 1986 a static electronic system was installed to set the tone and limit movement preserving the bell for the future.
6. In 1991, 2.3 million dollars was raised to renovate the First United Methodist church including a tower for the Revere Bell.
   a.  August 29, 1993, the bell was enhanced with an automatic ringer presented by Haynes and Laura Jane Smith and their brother and sister-in-law, Hulet and Virginia Smith, of Decatur and his sister Jane Hawkins of Birmingham.
   b.  To promote ease of use the bell was enhanced with a programmable controller to easily function at weddings, funerals and other special events as well as regular worship.
7. September 14, 1995, the DAR approved placement of a marker hung on January 25, 1996.
    “The Revere Bell has the ring of history.  It recalls the many years the Church has been in service to this community, this      state,   and the whole world.  It reminds us of our past and our goodly heritage.”  Mrs. Vaughn M Stewart, State Historian ASDAR
8. On October 14, 2018, the First United Methodist Church will celebrate its 200th anniversary.  The bell and its donors will have special mention.​

​Return to the main page for the Tuscaloosa Bell, by clicking on this line.
Other links:
​​Joshua B. Leavens, last will and testament is available by clicking on this line.
Revere Family records of the 1828 bell(s), delivered.
St John Jr., genealogy based on his trustee's written instructions.
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Back to Joshua B. Leavens and St John Jr, Tuscaloosa Bell Donors