Richard Henry Clare 1
- Born: 10 Mar 1847, Albany, Albany County, New York, USA
- Marriage (1): Lydia Catherine Ziegler on 4 Jul 1872
- Died: 14 Feb 1908, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA at age 60
- Buried: Saint John's Lutheran Cemetery, Abbottstown, Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA
General Notes:
The parents of Rev. Clare were Henry and Catherine of Albany New York. Both were born in Prussia.
He was first a teacher in the public schools and then at the Fort Edward Institute, Fort Edward, New York.
He entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg and graduated in 1872.
He married Lydia Catherine Ziegler on 7/4/1872 in the Seminary Chapel following his graduation in the spring.
Besides those listed below and in the obituary, the 1880 census indicates an adopted daughter, Zora Shields, aged 12 years.
He first served the Blain, Perry County, Lutheran charge and continued until 1873. At that time he began his pastorate at Princeton, New Jersey until 1876 when he resigned.
He was next called to Second Church in Chambersburg where it was necessary that he often preached in German. The following year, 1877, he resigned and accepted a call to St. John's German Lutheran Church in Bridgeton, New Jersey and from there returned to Chambersburg where he remained until 1882.
He then served the Hamilton Charge, Monroe County until 1892. From there, he served the Abbottstown Charge, Adams County until his death.
New Oxford Item 2/20/1908
Rev. Dr. R. H. Clare, of Abbottstown, died at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Friday afternoon at 5 o'clock, following the amputation of his left leg. He was taken to the hospital on Wednesday morning, making the journey on a cot, accompanied by his physician, Dr. T. C. Miller, of Abbottstown, and his wife and sons, Rev. Robert D. Clare, of York, and Rev. Martin L. Clare, of Spring Grove. Dr. Clare had suffered from white swelling from his boyhood, as the result of injuries resulting from a fall. For some months past he had been failing steadily. The removal to the hospital and the operation were finally decided upon as a last resort to save his life.
Dr. Clare was born in Albany, New York, in 1847. His early life was spent in New York, as a boy attending the schools of that state. He entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in 1869 or '70 and graduated after taking the full course. His first congregation was the Second Lutheran church of Chambersburg. Then he served a charge in Monroe county for some years. About 1892 he became pastor of the Abbottstown charge, comprising the Lutheran Churches at Abbottstown, New Oxford and East Berlin. Seven years ago the New Oxford church was taken from the charge, and recently he supplied the pulpit of New Baltimore Chapel in addition to the two churches in his regular charge.
Dr. Clare was a man of bright mind, a clear thinker and a close reasoner, and was looked up to by his ministerial brethren as a theologian of great ability. He was a student all his live and never happier than when engaged in study among his books. He was a master of the science of music, vocal and instrumental, and possessed a tenor voice of extraordinary compass and beauty.
For several years up to the time of his death he was chairman of the Ministerial Examining Board of the West Pennsylvania Synod; and was chairman of the delegation of this Synod to the General Synod at its last session.
He has three sons, Rev. Harry Clare, of Philadelphia, Rev. Robert A. Clare, of York, and Rev. Martin L. Clare, of Spring Grove, in the Lutheran ministry, and the only other son, Milo, is preparing for the same vocation, being nearly through his studies at Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg. His wife, who was Miss Katie Ziegler, daughter of Emanuel Ziegler, of Gettysburg, also survives him, and one daughter, Miss Mamie, at the parental home.
The remains were brought to Abbottstown Saturday night by undertaker Trimmer, of East Berlin.
Funeral on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, services being held in the Lutheran church at Abbottstown and interment being made in the Lutheran cemetery at that place.
The funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including a large number of ministers from a distance. The services were in charge of Rev. Dr. Everett, President of the West Penn'a Synod, assisted by Rev. Dr. Stock of Hanover, Rev. A. R. Steck of York and Rev. Dr. Billheimer of Gettysburg. 1
Richard married Lydia Catherine Ziegler, daughter of Emanuel Ziegler and Mary Elizabeth Craig, on 4 Jul 1872. (Lydia Catherine Ziegler was born on 7 Mar 1850 in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA, died on 11 Apr 1915 in York, York County, Pennsylvania, USA and was buried in Saint John's Lutheran Cemetery, Abbottstown, Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA.)
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