131 year old bell at tolls at Christ Episcopal Church

On Sept. 1, 2002, the secretary at Christ Episcopal Church in Monticello, printed out 2,996 names. She cut the sheets of names and placed them in a basket.
The big yellow buses arrived shortly and silent, reverent school children piled out. Each child took a name from the basket, entered the Church and rang the tolling bell once. Once for the person whose name was printed on their paper. They memorialized their person. The Church bell rang solemnly all day.
The bell at Christ Episcopal Church was hung in the bell tower in 1887. It was made by the McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore, MD., which still manufactures bells. Christ Church has the original McShane catalogue in the files. The catalogue advertised "Bells of 100 pounds weight and upwards have springs attached to them to prevent the clapper from resting on the bell after the blow has been given. An Exceedingly disagreeable, jarring sound is thus avaided (sic), and the bell is enabled to give out a tone full and clear."
This year, the bell tower in the Church began to leak. Joe Davis the Junior Warden shimmied up the tower to inspect. He photographed the bell which is engraved "To the glory of God the offering of John Bradley, Esq. of New Haven Conn. and others. Christ Church Monticello 1887+."
John Bradley was the owner of one of the largest plantations in Jefferson County. The Plantation was located north of Lake Miccosukee.
Church vestry notes describe the Civil War a dark period. During that dark period, the Confederacy raised revenue by issuing war bonds. Records indicate that John Bradley purchased $10,000 worth, which was a large sum in those days.
By 1862, the number of families needing assistance grew to 260 and some of John Bradleys contributions were 600 bushels of corn. The original Church built in 1840, burned. Construction on the new Church did not begin until after the dark period, and the current Church was built in 1885.
The bell is a heavy thing. Younger Acolytes are drawn up into the air when they ring the bell for service. The lovely bell has helped children fly for 131 years. The bell rings out mournful sorrow for fallen Americans. The bell rings out joy for the beginning of a Sunday service. The great gift from John Bradley still reverberates in the heart of Monticello.