James Freeman Clarke (1810-1888) was born in Hanover, New Hampshire, and died in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a scholar, social reformer, and Unitarian minister. He graduated from Harvard College in 1829 and from Harvard Divinity School in 1833. In 1841, he founded the Church of the Disciples in Boston, based on his vision of an egalitarian church organization where everyone participated in administration and worship, regardless of wealth. Clarke served his Church from 1841 until 1888, except for a sabbatical from 1850 to 1854. In addition to preaching, he wrote essays and published many books and pamphlets on Christianity and its principles.

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