John Parkhurst (lexicographer)
John Parkhurst (1728–1797) was an English academic, clergyman and biblical lexicographer.
Life
The second son of John Parkhurst (1701–1765) of Catesby House, Northamptonshire, he was born in June 1728. His mother was Ricarda, second daughter of . He was educated at Rugby School and Clare Hall, Cambridge, where he proceeded B.A. 1748, M.A. 1752, and was elected Fellow. Soon after he had taken orders the death of his elder brother made him heir to considerable estates at Catesby and Epsom, Surrey. For some time he acted as curate for a friend, but received no preferment. He gave the family living of Epsom in 1785 to Jonathan Boucher, though he knew him only by reputation.
Parkhurst led a life of literary retirement and study. In early life he became a disciple of John Hutchinson and was influenced by his principles of biblical exegesis. He spent the latter part of his life at Epsom, where he died on 21 February 1797. His monument by John Flaxman in Epsom church carried an inscription by his friend William Jones of Nayland.
Works
His Hebrew grammar and lexicon contributed to the tradition of study of unpointed Hebrew through to Samuel Sharpe. From his Greek lexicon he discarded accents and smooth breathings. Both his lexicons contain theology alongside general information.
He published:
A posthumous letter, on the confusion of tongues at Babel, is in the Gentleman's Magazine, August 1797.
Family
Parkhurst married, first, in 1754, Susanna (died 1759), daughter of John Myster of Epsom; by her he had two sons, who died before him, and a daughter (died 25 April 1813), married to the Rev. James Altham. He married secondly, in 1761, Millicent (died 27 April 1800, aged 79), daughter of James Northey of London, by whom he had one daughter, married (1791) to the Rev. Joseph Thomas.
References
"Parkhurst, John (1728-1797)". Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900 . London: Smith, Elder & Co.
Notes
- Attribution
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