Henry Wight

Henry Wight (1752-1837, commonly known as “Parson” Wight) was originally from Medfield, Massachusetts. He was a student at Harvard during the Revolution, and took a break in his studies to serve in the war. In 1785, he moved to Bristol and became the pastor of the Congregational Church. In 1785, Reverend Wight organized the first Independence Day celebration in Bristol, a tradition which would continue into the modern Bristol 4th of July Parade. With his first wife Alice, Henry had three children: John Burt, Henry, and Adeliza. After Alice’s death, Henry remarried in 1799 to Clarissa Leonard. Henry and Clarissa had four children: Alice Burrington, Abigail Alden, Charlotte DeWolf, and Martha Gibbs. A house built as a parsonage for Reverend Wight still stands at the northwest corner of the intersection of Bradford and High Streets. During his long career in Bristol, Reverend Wight kept a diary of everyday occurrences in town. He was a witness for many pension applications and wills of other Revolutionary War veterans.