My Genealogy Hound

REV. ELIAS D. WEIGLE, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church at Mechanicsburg, Cumberland county, was born Jan. 19, 1848, in Adams county, Pa., son of Christian and Elizabeth (Guise) Weigle, both of whom were natives of York county, the latter being a daughter of Nicholas Guise, whose ancestors came from Germany. The Weigle family is also of German extraction, John Weigle, Dr. Weigle’s grandfather, coming from that country.

Dr. Weigle passed his boyhood on the homestead farm in Adams county, growing up one of a family of seven children. After completing the district school course, he entered Mercersburg Institute, where he was prepared for college, in 1873, entering the sophomore class at the University of Pennsylvania. There he was graduated in 1875, and then accepted the chair of Mathematics and Language in the Mercersburg Institute. In 1876 he entered the Gettysburg Theological Institute, was graduated in June, 1878, and was licensed in the same year, at Chambersburg. He was ordained by Bishop Weitsell, of the West Pennsylvania Synod, and took charge of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Little’s town, Pa. Dr. Weigle remained nine years in charge here, and then went to Alton as pastor of the First Lutheran Church, serving most acceptably for another long period, aggregating eight years and nine months. On July 1, 1896, he came to Mechanicsburg, and took charge of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. At that time the membership was 250, and this has been increased to 500. In addition to bringing about a condition which resulted in this doubling of membership, Dr. Weigle has assumed many other duties. He worked diligently until he succeeded in organizing a church at Camp Hill, the church edifice there completed Dec. 24, 1902, at a cost of $7,500, where he also officiates.

On Oct. 16, 1879, Dr. Weigle married Hannah M. Bream, born in Adams county, daughter of William and Harriet Bream, and they have two children, Rev. Luther A., who was ordained a minister in 1903, and is located at Bridgeport, Conn.; and Harriet E., who is a graduate of Irving College.

Dr. Weigle has been honored by many of the leading educational institutions. In 1893, the degree of D. D. was conferred on him by the Susquehanna University, and in 1898 he was also honored by the University of Pennsylvania. For the past seventeen years he has been one of the trustees of Irving College, and for five years has been a director of the Theological Seminary. He is a man of great scholarship, of amazing executive ability, and one whose zeal for the church and whose personal attributes have made him one of the leading members of the clergy of his religious body.