David Clarkson (minister)
parson

David Clarkson (1622 – 14 June 1686) was an English ejected minister.
Early life
The son of Robert Clarkson, he was born at Bradford, Yorkshire, where he was baptised on 3 March 1622. His brother, William Clarkson, held the sequestered rectory of Adel, Leeds, and died not long before the Restoration. His sister was married to Sharp, uncle of Bishop John Sharp and father of Thomas Sharp, the ejected minister.
He was educated at Clare Hall, Cambridge, and by virtue of a warrant from the Earl of Manchester was admitted fellow on 5 May 1645, being then B.A. Clarkson had pupils until 26 March 1650, among them John Tillotson, who succeeded him in his fellowship about 27 November 1651.
Career
Clarkson obtained the perpetual curacy of Mortlake, Surrey, and held it till his ejection by the Uniformity Act 1662. After two decades of covert movement he became, in July 1682, colleague to John Owen as pastor of an independent church in London, and on Owen's death in the following year he succeeded him as sole pastor. In 1685 he was at The Vache with Edward Terry, Samuel Cradock and Hester Fleetwood.
Death
David Clarkson died rather suddenly on 14 June 1686, and his funeral sermon was preached by William Bates.
Works
Clarkson published:
The Practical Divinity of the Papists proved destructive to Christianity, 1672.
The public source identifies “David Clarkson (minister)” as parson. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around David, Clarkson and minister.
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