Pulpit
At first glance, the piled-up stones look like just that, merely a heap of stones from long ago. And yet, taking a closer look, they form an encircling wall suitable for an aspiring preacher to stand inside. You can see this pulpit, known as Parkhurst’s Pulpit, near 10 Robin Hill Road. Legend tells us, young John Parkhurst (1789 – 1875) stood keeping an eye on his father’s cows. With animals around him on the slope of the hill as an audience, he would practice his speaking.
Sword
John, at age 16, went off to join the Minutemen at Concord Bridge and Bunker Hill. Later they marched to Ticonderoga where he gained possession of a British sword, still in the Historical Society’s collection. John went to school in Chelmsford and then on to Harvard, intending to become a Unitarian minister. He later changed his mind and accepted the Baptist ministry instead.
In 1821, John became pastor of the First Baptist Church in South Chelmsford. In 1845 he left that church to become pastor of the new Central Baptist Church. He took part in local affairs such as town meetings and the dedication of the Revolutionary War Monument. He remained with the new church, which first met in the Classical Academy building, until 1868.
Conclusion
Rev. Parkhurst lived for many years with his wife and 11 children at what is now 147 Robin Hill Road. In this pasture, he learned to speak with the earnest, sometimes blazing style that later defined him.
Reference:
We credit Eleanor Parkhurst, whose newspaper article provided the foundation for this blog post.