1941 – 1947
We honor the legacy of Erford Wilson Poole, our 16th president of the New Bedford Port Society, who faithfully led our congregation from 1941 to 1947 during a time of global uncertainly and local resilience.
Born on July 20, 1876 in Tyringham, Massachusetts, Poole lived a life marked by service and devotion. At age 26, he married Gertrude Hawes, beginning a partnership rooted in shared faith and community values In 1917, amid the call of duty, he enlisted in the military out of Fairhaven, serving through the end of World War 1.
Even in his later years, Poole’s commitment to civic life never waned- he joined the Masonic Order in 1965, the same year he passed away and was laid to rest in Dartmouth.
We are grateful for his leadership, and we remember him not only as a president of the Seamen’s Bethel, but as a servant of both country and congregation.