Rev. Albert Pettenger 1850-1928

PETTENGER, BUCKMASTER, UPHAM, STAHL, WALTON, KIRKENDALL, STRAUSBAUGH

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/14/2018 at 10:09:52

8 November 1928 - West Branch Times

Rev. Albert Allen Pittenger was born in Harrison county, Ohio, August 3, 1850, and died in Marion, Grant county, Indiana, Oct. 18, 1928; thus his age was 78 years, two months and 15 days.

He was twice married, first to Miss Della M. Buckmaster, of near Monroe, Adams county, Ind., on Nov. 7, 1882. She died in 1896. He was again married April 5, 1903, to Mrs. Rilla A. Upham of DeSoto, Wis. Through these 20 years she has been his faithful and efficient helper in the work of the ministry.

Rev. Pittenger was one of a large family of children, four of whom have preceded him in death. He is survived by three brothers and four sisters, John W. of Marion, William of Monroe, Ind., Harvey of Jewett, Ohio, Mrs. Amada Stahl of Cambridge, O., Mrs. Martha Walton of Denver, Col., Mrs. Lizzie Kirkendall of Bowerston, O., and Mrs. Eva Strausbaugh of Candiz, Ohio.

He was a graduate of Scio College, Ohio, in the class of 1875. He first entered the ministry in the North Indiana Conference of the M.E. church. He was a real Methodist itinerant. After spending a number of years in the North Indiana conference, he transferred to the North Dakota Conference, later to the West Wisconsin Conference and still later to the Northwest Iowa Conference. He was a member of the latter conference at the time of his death.

Because of failing health, he retired from the active ministry in 1923, and settled at West Branch, Iowa. Not content to be idle, he took up some supply work near at hand and was so engaged most of the time during his residence in West Branch. He moved to Marion three years ago in order that he might be near his people. As a minister he was faithful to his task, always a man of one job. To him nothing was so important as preaching the Gospel of Christ. The record of his appointments show that he must have served through the years some very difficult and trying charges. It was a pleasure to talk to him concerning the experiences of his long ministerial career.

He was an ardent advocate of prohibition, and was a leader in that reform wherever he served a pastorate. He earnestly desired to live until November 6th, that he might cast his vote for Herbert Hoover, having lived some years in West Branch and having visited frequently the house in which Hoover was born, and knowing well the story of the early life of this now great world character, he said, "I am anxious to crown my service as a American citizen by voting for this great defender of the Constitution."

Funeral services were held in the chapel of the First Methodist Episcopal church Saturday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, Rev. Frank K. Doagherty in charge. The body was laid to rest in the I.O.O.F. cemetery at Marion, Ind.