Ira Franklin Bergstresser Papers

Ira Franklin Bergstresser (1872-1942) was an Evangelical Church pastor in the East Pennsylvania Conference.

He was born December 1, 1872 in Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. to Abrahm T. and Susannah L. Bergstresser.

In 1900, he married Carrie Grace Newhart. They had four children. Carrie Bergstresser died in 1926, and Franklin married Katie B. Marxen in 1928.

His education was first in the public schools and later at the Academy at Springtown. He attended the Normal School in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, after which he taught school. Later, he received a B.S. from Illinois Wesleyan University, and in 1941 received the doctor of divinity degree from Albright College.

Bergstresser was licensed to preach in 1896 by the East Pennsylvania Conference. In 1898 he was ordained Deacon and later Elder by Bishop Thomas Bowman, and served the following appointments: Berlinsville Circuit, Hegins and Reiner City, Pottsville, Slatington, Allentown (Ebenezer), Bangor, Lebanon, Pen Argyl, Allentown (Salem), Bethlehem (St. John), and Mohnton.

He also served the conference in various other capacities. He was a member of the Board of Examiners; served as assistant secretary of the conference; and later as its secretary. He was president of the Conference Missionary Society for eight years, and served as a member of the Conference Church Extension Society. He was secretary of the Forward Movement in his conference. In 1933 he was elected District Superintendent and stationed on the Eastern district. In 1935, his conference elected him to membership on the Board of Trustees of Albright College, and in this connection he served as member of the Committee on Administration for the Evangelical School of Theology.

From 1920 to 1928 he was the delegate from his conference to the General Board of Missions. He was a delegate to the General Conferences of 1919, 1922, 1926, 1930, 1934, and 1938. For twelve years he was a member of the executive committee of the Board of Church Extension. In 1926, he was appointed to the Commission on Church Merger, and served as secretary of the Commission. In 1934 and 1938 he was elected secretary of the General Conference of the Evangelical Church. His writings include a series of articles on "The Great Religions of the World," which appeared in the Sunday school publications. He also wrote Expositions of the Sunday School Lessons for Teachers' and pupils' materials. He died February 26, 1942.