William (Billy) Foster Milne,  Became America's First Boy Scout upon moving to Barre, Vermont, USA .
He had been involved in the fledgling scouting movement in his native Scotland and noticed this movement was not yet started in the United States.
Shortly after his arrival in Barre he became a member of the First Baptist Church on Washington Street.
As time went on he became the Secretary of the Sunday School Association there.
He met and became friends with one of the Sunday School teachers by the name of James Grearson, who had members of his class enrolled in an organization called the "Boys Brigade". Billy asked Mr. Grearson if he could provide a better alternative program than simply doing marching and drills. In 1940, Grearson recalled this event in a letter in the Vermont Historical Society:
"December 26, 1940
It is with some degree of pleasure and satisfaction that I state my connection to the work of organizing the first Boy Scout Troop in America.
I was at the time, and still am, a member of the First Baptist Church of Barre. Among other activities in the church, I was a teacher of a fine class of boys. It was from this class of boys that membership in the first boy scout troop was made up.
I well remember the night, in the late Summer of 1909, when my good friend, "Billy" Milne (as we called him) asked if I would not like to have him help with the boy's class. I gladly accepted his offer and it was then he told me about an organization for boys in the old country.
We continued working with the boys while waiting for materials which "Billy" had sent to Scotland for.
You already know the rest of the story, not only the beginning, but the accomplishments of this wonderful organization throughout the world.
James W. Grearson"



A Brief History of How Scouting Began in Vermont & America image
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