Smyrna times., 1904-04-06
FORMER SMYRNA RECTOR
MEETS UNTIMELY DEATH
REV. NJ. L. POFPENBERGER, FORMERLY
RECTOR OF SMYRNA, KILLED BY TRAIN.
Was Passing Over the B. and o. Tracks on
His Way Home When He Was Run Down
By Freight and Hurled to Death.

Run down and thrown by freight
train while returning to his home at
Newark on Saturday evening, the Rev.
Masten l.. Poffenberger, rector of st.
Thomas P. E. Church of that town,
and former rector of st. Peters
Church, Smyrna, died from his in
juries at the Delaware Hospital in
Wilmington about eight O'Clock on
Sunday morning without having re-
covered consciousness. The unfoF-
tunate minister was crossing the
railroad tracks going in the direction
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
passenger platform and was not aware
OF the approach of a fast freight,
which tossed him a distance of thirty
feet, badly mangling him. The acct
dent was witnessed by a number of
bystanders, several of whom picked
up the unfortunate minister aud car
ried him to the Deer Park Hotel. Drs.
Carrick and Steele were summoned
and finding his injuries to be serious,
1t was decided to send the injured
clergyman to the Delaware Hospital.
The examination made at the insti-
tuition revealed that the clergyman's
skull had been fractured and that two
ribs were broken. The sad intelli-
gence came as thunder clap to his
former parish at Smyrna and in a deep
sense married the Easter Jog and glad.
ness which was being celebrated at st.
Peters. During his short ministry in
Smyrna he made many warm personal
friends who regret deeply his untimely
death.
The Rev. Mr.. Poffenberger had been
i'll for a week, says the Morning
Nel0s. On the Sunday previous TO
his death he was suffering from an at
tack of tonsilitis and was advised not
to preach but did so. Since then hs had
been i'll but had continued his work
and had given considerable attention
to his sermon for Easter. He had
been to the church and was on his
( way to his home when the accident
occurred. 1t is supposed that he was
preoccupied with his work and was
thinking of it when he walked directly
upon the track. One train had Just
passed and it is supposed he thought
this was ali.
'The deceased was a son Of David
and Katherine Poffenberger of Hagers-
town, Md. He was born on Novem-
Der 70, 1860, and when he had COM
mon school education entered Roanoke
College, from which he graduated and
then entered the General Theological
Seminary in New York. After gradu-
ating from the seminary Mr.. Poffen.
berger was ordained to the diaconate
in 1888 at st Paul's Church, Balti
more, and became assistant there
He remained at st. Paul's Church
until he was ordained to the priest
hood, three years later, and then wa,
placed IL charge of Mt. Calvary
Church at Relay Station, suburb oil
Baltimore. He was ordained to the
priesthood by Bishop Paret. Mr.
Potfenberger was next in charge o
St Johns Church in the suburbs o
Washington, and was later in charg,
of Calvary Church at Tarboro, N. G
From here he was called to st
, Thomas Church, Washington. From
Washington he went to SMYRNA
, where he remained until he wa
called to st. Thomas Church, New
ark. He had been in his last charg
{ for three years when he met with tn
fatal accident. The minister leaves
r wife and three children. The oldes
is boy who is now a sophomore il
Delaware College. The accident cas-
1 a gloom over Newark and over 81
I Thomas Church there especially
a Mrs. Poffenberger has been ill and i
J. Frustrated by the shock. Man
u people called Sunday for the purpos
OF offering sympathy and Archdeaco
George @. Hall of Wilmington wen
to the stricken home to assist tn
widow and children in any way pc SIS
y bic IL their hour of trouble. Bisho
Coleman was absent from Wilmingto
during the greater part of Sunday an
! was greatly shocked when he hear
s of the death of Mr.. Poffenbergel
d Rev A. M. Rich took charge of til
8 Easter Sunday Services which were {
i have been in charge of the decease
}. rector. Funeral services took plaC
:. this morning, interment at Baltimor,