Rev. Oscar E. Pflueger served as minister of Simeon Lutheran Church, Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 1889-1902.
Oscar E. Pflueger was born 11 March 1861, a son of James L. Pflueger and Elizabeth Pflueger. He was educated at Muhlenberg College and Philadelphia Seminary and was ordained in 1887.
On 14 June 1887, Rev. Pflueger married Ella C. Leopold, a daughter of Rev. O. Leopold of Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.
Rev. Pflueger was first called to serve Beavertown Parish, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, and then came to the Lykens Valley Charge, 1 July 1889. At that time the charge consisted of churches at Berrysburg (St. John); Gratz (Simeon); Rife (Zion); Elizabethville (Salem); and Jackson Township (St. Jacob). On the occasion of his first sermon in the charge, he was accompanied by his father-in-law, Rev. Leopold. During the pastorate of Rev. Pflueger, St. John’s at Berrysburg separated from the charge and became a self-sustained congregation.
While serving the Lykens Valley Charge, Rev. Pflueger alternately preached in German and English. He also began an annual paper entitled The Parish Record which was printed each July starting in 1890, his first anniversary with the charge. It contained information from all churches in the parish – baptisms, funerals, marriages, officers, important meetings, etc. The paper was provided at a nominal cost to members who wished to receive it. Funds realized beyond the cost of printing were used to improve the parsonage (located in Elizabethville). The Parish Record ended when Rev. Pflueger resigned.
Improvements made to the parsonage included running water, brick and board walks, sod-laying, and wall-papering. The work was done by Rev. Pflueger himself.
Rev. Pflueger’s resignation was effective 31 October 1902, after he served thirteen years and four months. During his ministry he presided over 567 baptisms, 443 confirmations, 276 funerals, and 141 weddings.
In addition to Rev. Pflueger’s duties in the charge, he was also secretary of the Danville Conference from 1891-1896; president of the same from 1897-1902; secretary of the board of presidents of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, 1898-1902; trustee of Muhlenberg College; contributor to the General Council of Sunday School Literature, 1902-1904; delegate to the General Council, 1901; and with Rev. Dr. S. E. Ohsenford, published the Memorial Volume of the Danville Conference. Up to the time of his calling, he was the youngest pastor to serve in the Lykens Valley Charge.
Rev. Pflueger left the charge when he received a call to Womelsdorf Parish, Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was serving at that place at the time of his sudden death from heart failure on 22 July 1913. He is buried in the cemetery near Christ Church, Allentown.
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A biography of Rev. Oscar Pflueger appeared in a Gratz history published in 1997.
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