BIOGRAPHY: Gustave Drechsler; Newburgh, Orange co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

REV. GUSTAVE DRECHSLER is pastor of the German Lutheran Church of Newburgh,
and is a young man who has great promise for the future, judging by what he
has accomplished in the past. He has been in charge of his present
congregation only since April, 1893, and has already become a power for good
in this community. At the time of his coming here the church was incumbered
with a debt of $1,400. This, in addition to keeping up the current expenses,
has been reduced to $800, while valuable improvements have been made in the
building, and a fine new organ purchased and put in position. Both the church
and Sunday-school show a healthy rate of increase, and now the former numbers
nearly one hundred families, while one hundred and thirty-five pupils are
enrolled in the Sunday-school. The various church societies are in a
flourishing condition and the outlook is very encouraging.

The father of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, Frederick Drechsler,
was born in Saxony, Germany, and took part in the Revolution of 1848. After
the defeat of his party he removed to Fredericia, Denmark, and engaged in the
manufacture of woolen goods until the war of1864 came on. At that time the
fort in the village was destroyed and Mr. Drechsler's factory, with many other
places of business, was burned. Though he was naturally despondent over his
losses, he once more set to work to repair his fortune, and started another
factory in Sleswick, where he is now a resident. His wife, who be-fore their
marriage was a Miss Mary Held, was born in Sleswick, of German parents.
Frederick, a brother of our subject, is an extensive merchant in Hamburg, and
two of his sisters reside in the same city. The family have always been
Lutherans in religious faith.

Rev. Mr. Drechsler was born November 21, 1860, in Fredericia, Denmark, and is
next to the youngest in his parents' family. He received a good common
education, and was confirmed at the age of fifteen years. Then for a year he
studied under private tutors, afterwards passing an examination for a position
as a school teacher, and held such a position from the time he was sixteen
until he was twenty-three years of age. Concluding to enter the ministry, he
became en-rolled as a student at the theological seminary at Kropp. In that
institution students who are in-tended for service in the German Lutheran
Church in the United States are educated and fitted for their future work, the
seminary being connected with the General Council of this country. At the end
of six years Mr. Drechsler graduated with honors. It was in June, 1889, that
he emigrated to America to enter upon his chosen career. Going to
Philadelphia, he passed an examination before the faculty of Mt. Airy Lutheran
Seminary, and was duly ordained as a minister in the general council of the
German Lutheran Church of the United States, His first charge was at Mt.
Holly, N. J., and later he was stationed at River-side, in the same state, in
both places serving for two years. He was then called as assistant to his
father-in-law, Rev. F. D. Leddin, of Saugerties, Ulster County, N. Y., and
continued to serve in that capacity until April, 1893, when he was assigned to
the German Lutheran Church of Newburgh. He belongs to the New York Ministerium
of the General Council, and politically is identified with the Republican
party.

While living in Mt. Holly, N. J., Mr. Drechsler was united in marriage with
Annie Leddin, their union being celebrated April 24, 1890. Mrs. Drechsler was
born on her father's farm near Saugerties, and grew to womanhood in that
locality, receiving a superior education. To our subject and wife has been
born one child, Elsie by name. Mrs. Drechsler is of great assistance to her
husband in his work and is prominent in the Ladies' Aid Society and the Young
People's Association of the church.