America's Oldest Fourth of July Celebration!
Bristol Fourth of July
Past Patriotic Speakers
The Oldest Continuous Celebration in the United States. Patriotic Exercises is the foundation for our claim. Each year a Patriotic Speaker or Speaker of the Day is chosen by the Committee to speak to our community to kick off July 4th.
2000-Present
2022 - Louis P. Cirillo
2021 - Major Margaret Lero Larson
2020 - Capt. Mark Turner
2019 - Ryber Ferris
2018 - Dick Devault
2017 - Col. Andrew James Drake
2016 – Robert G. Flanders, Jr.
2013 – Rear Admiral Robert O. Wray, Jr.
2011 – Brig. Gen. Rick Baccus
2010 – Rev. Daniel B. Randall
2009 – Edward O. Cyr, M.S.N.
2008 – Dr. William F. Bundy
2007 – Dr. Patrick T. Conley
2006 – Senator Jack Reed
2005 – Paul Fletcher
2004 – Anthony J.Dennis
2003 – Rear Adm. Barbara McGann
2002 – David Foehr
2001 – Anthony J. Santoro
2000 – Gen. Michael T. Byrnes (Ret)
1990-1999
1999 – Hon. Frank J. Williams
1998 – Jerome M. Donovan
1997 – Corn. Linda Borges-DuBois
1996 – Lt. Col. Anthony D. Nastri
1995 – Porter A. Halyburton
1994 – Richard V. Simpson
1993 – William Sweeney
1992 – Mario Mancieri
1991 – Manuel C. “Manny” Correira
1990 – W. DeWolf Fulton
1989 – Joseph Caromile
1988 – Robert Arruda
1987 – Joseph Januario
1986 – Roswell S. Bosworth, Jr.
1985 – The Rev. Walter Rudy
1984 – Judge Eugene Cochran
1983 – RWC President Will. Rizzini
1982 – Dr. William Crausman
1981 – Robert L. daC. Bernard
1980 – Louis P. Alfano, Jr.
1979 – Joseph G. Kinder
1978 – BGen. Raymond A. Thomas
1977 – Judge Anthony J. Dennis
1976 – Chief Justice Jos. Bevilacqua
1975 – RADM Lucien Capone, Jr.
1974 – Bishop Louis E. Gelineau
1973 – Judge J.R. Weisberger
1972 – Gen. Robert E. Cushman, Jr.
1971 – Edward Travers
1970 – Dr. Werner A. Baum
1969 – Roswell S. Bosworth
1968 – Dennis J. Roberts
1967 – RADM Means Johnston, Jr.
1966 – Monroe E. Toevs
1965 – Mort Blender
1964 – Judge Edward Plunkett
1963 – Judge Arthur Carrellas
1962 – Senator Claiborne Pell
1961 – Senator John 0. Pastore
1960 – George T. Howe
1959 – Justice J.R. Weisberger
1958 – Judge Robert E. Quinn
1957 – Brig. Gen. A.K. Sibley
1956 – Joseph F. Bruno, Colt School
1955 – Capt. William L. Eagleton
1954 – Lt. Col. B.W. McLean, USMC
1953 – Hon. John Muccio, US Amb.
1952 – Dr. You Chan Yang
1951 – Gov. Dennis J. Roberts
1951 – Capt. Richard Visser, USN
1950 – Senator Edward L. Leahy
1949 – RADM H.S. Kendall, USN
1948 – VADM John D. Price, USN
1947 – U.S. Senator J.H. McCrath
1946 – Commodore Paul Theiss, USN
1945 – Asst. Justice Capatosto
1944 – Judge M.A. Sullivan
1943 – Capt. Gilbert C. Hoover
1942 – Dr. Lucas A. Whipple
1941 – Judge John P. Hartigan
1940 – Judge M.A. Sullivan
1939 – Governor W.M. Vanderbilt
1938 – John W. Haley
1937 – John Scanlon
1936 – Asst. Justice A. Capatosto
1935 – Judge Alexander G. Churchill
1934 – Hon. Felix Hebert
1933 – Hon. Francis B. Condon
1932 – Hon. Ray Rawlings
1931 – Hon. M.A. Sullivan
1930 – Judge A.A. Capatosto
1929 – Asst. Att. Gen. J.F. Hughes
1928 – Att. Gen. Charles Sisson
1927 – Bishop Louis C. Sanford
1926 – Hon. Richard W. Jennings
1925 – Hon. Leo M. Harlow
1924 – Mrs. Ray Cox Flint
1923 – Senator McGrane
1922 – Rev. Luciano R. Capone
1921 – Sen. Herbert M. Sherwood
1920 – Asst. Att. Gen. A.A. Capatosto
1919 – Rev. F.S. Penfold
1918 – Hon. LeBaron B. Coltl
1917 – M. Louis DeSadeleer
1916 – Col. H. Anthony Dyer
1915 – Rev. Jamuel Lindsay
1914 – Lt. Gov. Roswell Burchard
1913 – Rev. A. Clark McGilton
1912 – Hon. Geo. O’Shaunnessy
1911 – Rev. A.C. Lamed
1910 – Governor Aram J. Pothier
1909 – James F. Lavander
1908 – Edward Lawrence Leahy
1907 – Rev. John McVay
1906 – William A. Kennedy
1905 – Rev. Samuel Smith Drury
1904 – Rev. i.F. Downing
1903 – Col. Frank T. Eastern
1902 – Rev. Wilenoir Hood
1901 – William T. O’Donnell
1785-1899
1899 – Henry W. Hayes
1898 – Hon. Orrin F. Bosworth
1897 – Irving H. Gamwall
1896 – Rev. A.W. Kingsley
1895 – William F. O’Donnell
1894 – Rev. S.D. Moxley
1893 – Samuel Morris, Jr., Esq.
1892 – Orrin F. Bosworth, Esq.
1891 – Rev. S.D. Moxiey
1890 – Rev. W.F. Davis
1889 – Theron H. Carter
1888 – Samuel Norris, Jr., Esq.
1887 – Rev. S. Hamilton Dayl
1886 – Hon. Henry J. Coggeshall
1885 – Gen. Horatio Rogers
1884 – Col. Daniel R. Ballou
1883 – Samuel Norris, Jr., Esq.
1882 – Col. George T. French
1881 – Rev. Edwin F. Jones
1880 – no record
1879 – Hon. James C. Collins
1878 – LeBaron B. Colt, Esq.
1877 – Hon. Francis Brinley
1876 – Rev. James D’Wolf Perry
1875 – Col. Henry H. Robinson
1874 – LeBaron B. Colt, Esq.
1873 – Hon. N.F. Dixon, Jr., Esq.
1872 – Rev. William Miller
1871 – Rev. James P. Lane
1870 – Rev. G.L. Westgate
1869 – John C. Pegram, Esq.
1868 – Rev. George L. Locke
1867 – Rev. J.J. Peck
1866 – Rev. Mark Tafton
1865 – Hon. Sidney Dean
1864 – Rev. William Stowe
1863 – Rev. S.F. Upham
1862 – Hon. Frances Minor
1861 – Thomas W. Bickness, Esq.
1860 – Rev. David H. Ela
1859 – Charles Blake, Esq.
1858 – John Turner, Esq.
1857 – Rev. Dr. S.K. Sweetman
1856 – Asa Arnold, Esq.
1855 – James T. Brady, Esq.
1854 – Thomas Shepard, Esq.
1853 – E.P. Whipple, Esq.
1852 – Rev. J.W. Smith
1851 – Rev. J.C. Richmond
1839-50 – no records avialable
1838 -Dr. Silas Holmes
1837 – Rev. Dr. Henry Wight
1836 – Russell Bullock
1827-35 – Rev. Dr. Henry Wight
1826 -Walter W. Dalton
1822-25 – Rev. Dr. Henry Wight
1821 – Professor John D’Wolf, Jr.
1820 – Joseph W. Torry, Esq.
1816-19 – Rev. Dr. Henry Wight
1815 – Rev. Barnabas Bates
1785-1814 – Rev.Dr. Henry Wight*