William Howard Melish

The Reverend William Howard Melish (11 May 1910 – 15 June 1986) was a 20th-century American Episcopalian and social leader, driven from his Brooklyn church by the Episcopalian bishop of Long Island in the 1950s during McCarthyism in a decade-long controversy due to his association with the USSR and CPUSA.

Background William Howard Melish was born on May 11, 1910, in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Dr. John Howard Melish and Marguerite McComas. He studied at Harvard University and then studied for the priesthood at Jesus College, Cambridge, and at the Episcopal Theological School. US Senator Joseph McCarthy investigated Melish as chairman of the council. In 1957, Bishop James P. DeWolfe of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island closed the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn in 1957 and ousted Melish, who had taken over from his father in 1949. The bishop closed the church until a new congregation claimed it as "St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church." On March 26, 1958, the Supreme Court of Kings County, New York, heard Rector, Holy Trinity v. Melish. Hubbell and Davies represented the plaintiffs; Raphael H. Weissman and Hubert T. Delaney represented Melish. The supreme court found in favor of the plaintiffs. The case received press coverage, including Life magazine.

Later life

After his ouster, Melish and his wife both visited the Soviet Union six times.

In 1969, Melish became rector of Grace Episcopal Church Complex (Queens) for a decade until he retired in 1979. He then returned to his Brooklyn church as an assisting priest until he died.