Charles Henry Parkhurst
Encyclopedia
Charles Henry Parkhurst (April 17, 1842 – September 8, 1933) was an American clergyman and social reformer, born in Framingham, Massachusetts
. Although scholarly and reserved, he preached two sermons in 1892 in which he attacked the political corruption of New York City
government. Backed by the evidence he collected, his statements led to both the exposure of Tammany Hall
and to subsequent social and political reforms.
. Parkhurst did not attend a formal school until he was twelve. Despite this, he showed a strong interest in education and graduated from Amherst
in 1866. He became principal of the high school in Amherst in 1867. He married Ellen Bodman on November 23, 1870, she was one of his former students. Parkhurst studied theology
at Halle in 1869, and became a professor at the Williston Seminary in Easthampton, Massachusetts
, in 1870-1871.
After further studies in Leipzig
in 1872-1873, he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He was pastor of a congregational church at Lenox, Massachusetts
, from 1874 until 1880, when he was called to the Madison Square Presbyterian Church, New York City (1906)
from 1880 to 1918.
Society for the Prevention of Crime in 1891, and he challenged the methods of the city police department. He inaugurated a campaign against the political and social corruption of Tammany Hall. The hall had begun innocently as a social club, but had drifted into politics and graft
. It acquired a lock on elections in the city, and its bosses protected crime and vice in Manhattan
and surrounding boroughs. Grand jury investigations were ineffective, despite the appeals of social reformers. Few in Parkhurst's congregation recognized that Tammany Hall, the police, and organized crime were interconnected.
On February 14, 1892, he challenged Tammany Hall from the pulpit. Pointing to the hall’s political influence and their connection with the police, he noted that men fed upon the city while pretending to protect it saying,
"While we fight iniquity, they shield and patronize it; while we try to convert criminals, they manufacture them..."
When the municipal grand jury asked him for hard evidence, Parkhurst personally hired a private detective and, with his friend John Erving, went to the streets in disguise to collect proof of the corruption. From the pulpit on March 13, 1892, he preached a sermon backed with documentation and affidavit
s. Parkhurst’s campaign led to the appointment of the Lexow Committee
to investigate conditions, and to the election of a reform mayor in 1894. Although Tammany Hall did publicly clean house, it remained influential on the both the political front and in organized crime until the 1950s.
His first wife, Ellen Bodman, died on May 28, 1921. He married Eleanor Marx on April 18, 1927 in Los Angeles
. He died on September 8, 1933 by sleepwalking
and walking off the porch roof in his Ventnor, New Jersey home.
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
. Although scholarly and reserved, he preached two sermons in 1892 in which he attacked the political corruption of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
government. Backed by the evidence he collected, his statements led to both the exposure of Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
and to subsequent social and political reforms.
Early years
He was born on a farm on April 17, 1842 in Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
. Parkhurst did not attend a formal school until he was twelve. Despite this, he showed a strong interest in education and graduated from Amherst
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
in 1866. He became principal of the high school in Amherst in 1867. He married Ellen Bodman on November 23, 1870, she was one of his former students. Parkhurst studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Halle in 1869, and became a professor at the Williston Seminary in Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton is the second largest city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is on the southeastern edge of an area called the Pioneer Valley near the five colleges in the college towns of Northampton and Amherst, MA...
, in 1870-1871.
After further studies in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in 1872-1873, he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He was pastor of a congregational church at Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Set in Western Massachusetts, it is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census. Where the town has a border with Stockbridge is the site of Tanglewood, summer...
, from 1874 until 1880, when he was called to the Madison Square Presbyterian Church, New York City (1906)
Madison Square Presbyterian Church, New York City (1906)
Madison Square Presbyterian Church was a Presbyterian church in Manhattan, New York City, located on Madison Square Park at the northeast corner of East 24th Street and Madison Avenue. It was designed by Stanford White in a High Renaissance architectural style, with a prominent central dome over a...
from 1880 to 1918.
Later life
Interested in municipal affairs, Parkhurst was elected president of the New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Society for the Prevention of Crime in 1891, and he challenged the methods of the city police department. He inaugurated a campaign against the political and social corruption of Tammany Hall. The hall had begun innocently as a social club, but had drifted into politics and graft
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
. It acquired a lock on elections in the city, and its bosses protected crime and vice in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and surrounding boroughs. Grand jury investigations were ineffective, despite the appeals of social reformers. Few in Parkhurst's congregation recognized that Tammany Hall, the police, and organized crime were interconnected.
On February 14, 1892, he challenged Tammany Hall from the pulpit. Pointing to the hall’s political influence and their connection with the police, he noted that men fed upon the city while pretending to protect it saying,
"While we fight iniquity, they shield and patronize it; while we try to convert criminals, they manufacture them..."
When the municipal grand jury asked him for hard evidence, Parkhurst personally hired a private detective and, with his friend John Erving, went to the streets in disguise to collect proof of the corruption. From the pulpit on March 13, 1892, he preached a sermon backed with documentation and affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
s. Parkhurst’s campaign led to the appointment of the Lexow Committee
Lexow Committee
Lexow Committee . The name given to a major New York State Senate probe into police corruption in New York City. The Lexow Committee inquiry, which took its name from the Committee's chairman, State Senator Clarence Lexow, was the widest-ranging of several such commissions empaneled during the...
to investigate conditions, and to the election of a reform mayor in 1894. Although Tammany Hall did publicly clean house, it remained influential on the both the political front and in organized crime until the 1950s.
His first wife, Ellen Bodman, died on May 28, 1921. He married Eleanor Marx on April 18, 1927 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He died on September 8, 1933 by sleepwalking
Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family. Sleepwalkers arise from the slow wave sleep stage in a state of low consciousness and perform activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness...
and walking off the porch roof in his Ventnor, New Jersey home.
Selected Works
Parkhurst was published in a number of magazines, and was the author of- The Forms of the Latin Verb, Illustrated by Sanscrit (Boston, 1870)
- The Blind Man's Creed, and other Sermons (New York, 1883)
- The Pattern in the Mount, and other Sermons (New York, 1885)
- Our Fight with Tammany (New York, 1895; reprinted in 1970)
- The Sunny Side of Christianity (New York, 1901)
- My Forty Years in New York (New York, 1923).
Quotations
- "Sympathy is two hearts tugging at one load."
- "All great discoveries are made by men whose feelings run ahead of their thinking."