The present-day Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) was created in 1961 through the consolidation of two separate American denominations.  The Unitarians and the Universalists had been “dating” for about thirty years before they finally “tied the knot.”

While consolidation was ultimately approved by more than 80% of congregations in both denominations, the Universalist churches here in Bradford county overwhelmingly opposed it.

The Rev. Harry K. Means, minister of the North Branch churches (which included Athens and Sheshequin) from 1956 to 1961, was a leader in the national Universalist “anti-merger” movement.  His influence undoubtedly shaped the local resistance to consolidation.

Harry Means was born in Iowa in 1919.  By his own account, he was a descendant of William Means, the “founder” of Towanda, the county seat of Bradford county.  After his parents divorced, he moved with his mother to Philadelphia, where he lived from at least 1930 to the 1950s.  He was probably a member of the Church of the Messiah (Universalist) in Philadelphia.

Means graduated from the theological school at Tufts College in Boston and was licensed to preach in 1956, when he was 37 years old.  After doing supply preaching for the North Branch churches for a few months, he was called as their settled minister in November, 1956.

At this time, the Athens congregation, though still an official organization on paper, was homeless, having sold its building in 1948.  The members, numbering about ten, attended services in Sheshequin.

By 1956 the Unitarians and Universalists were getting serious about consolidation.  As acting State Superintendent of the Universalist churches in Pennsylvania, Harry Means participated in several denominational meetings in 1957 at which the subject was discussed.

In the spring of 1959, the first of two congregational plebiscites was held.  All Universalist congregations were asked to vote on whether to proceed with the proposed consolidation process.  Three of the four North Branch congregations voted “no.”  Only Athens voted “yes,” though by a slim margin; 56% of members – probably 5 out of 9 – approved.

A draft constitution for what would become the UUA was approved at a joint assembly in Syracuse, NY, in the fall of 1959.  In the spring of 1960, a second congregational plebiscite on consolidation was held.  This time, all four North Branch congregations voted “no.”  According to Mazie Campbell, she and her husband Herbert were the only Athens members who voted “yes.”

Nevertheless, the opponents of consolidation were a small minority in both denominations, and it was clear that the union was inevitable.  Undaunted, Harry Means began to marshal his troops to join the organized rebellion.

Stay tuned for more in Part 2!