OBIT: Henry Cook SPERBECK, 1944, Meyersdale, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library. Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ HENRY COOK SPERBECK Dr. Henry Cook Sperbeck, retired Presbyterian minister and well known naturopath and chiropractic physician of Meyersdale, died at his home on Keystone Street last Friday morning after six days' severe suffering from coronary occlusion. He is survived by his wife, Anna (Null) Sperbeck, a former Philadelphia school teacher, one son, Warren, and a daughter, Miriam, well known leader of young people of Amity Reformed Church. Funeral services were conducted at the family home at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon by Revs. J. E. Gindlesperger and Kenneth A. Ashman, followed by interment in the Reformed Church Cemetery, under direction of H. R. Konhaus. The pallbearers were Prof. D. H. Bauman, W. H. Holzshu, Howard Phillips, Robert Cook, Frank Robertson and C. C. Boyer. Mrs. Sperbeck was too ill to accompany the funeral party to the cemetery. Her health has been very poor for some time past. Henry C. Sperbeck, a son of William and Mary (Saphore) Sperbeck, was born at Hadley, Mass., Nov. 21, 1871, and was aged 72 years, 5 months and 1 day at the time of his death. His father was a veteran of the Civil War, having served as a corporal in Co. G, 31st Mass. Volunteer Regt., for 4 years and 11 months. The family moved from Massachusetts to Philadelphia in 1889, where Henry enrolled as a student in Temple University, Philadelphia, but later entered Blue Ridge College, New Windsor, Md., where he completed the full four years course and then matriculated in Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey, from which he was graduated in 1900. The following summer he spent at Beaver Creek, Minn., engaged in mission work. Returning east at the close of his summer's work he married Miss Anna Null, a Philadelphia school teacher and active church worker, and on Feb. 14, 1901, was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He served pastorates at Lamington, N.J., Avondale, Port Carbon, Dillsburg and Watsontown, Pa. He served as stated clerk of the Northumberland Presbytery in 1911. While pastor of the Watsontown Presbyterian Church he suffered a severe attack of whooping cough which impaired his health and voice so that he felt obliged eventually to give up the ministry as a vocation. He then decided to become a drugless doctor and prepared himself as a practitioner of healing arts, graduating from the American College of Mechano- Therapy, Chicago; Pittsburgh College of Chiropractic, and the American College of Naturopathy, New York City. He also took a special course in anatomy at Bellevue Hospital, New York City. Licensed to practice the healing arts in Pennsylvania, by chiropractic and naturopathic methods, he located in Berlin about twenty years ago, with a branch office in Meyersdale, and later established his home in Meyersdale and confined his practice to this community. He had a well equipped office and was a busy and successful practitioner until his health failed recently. Dr. Sperbeck was a gentleman of kindly disposition and deep religious convictions. He frequently was called upon by local pastors and church officials to preach and conduct religious services when regular pastors were ill or temporarily absent for some other reason. He was a member of the Carlisle, Pa., Presbytery at the time of his death. He was a devoted husband and father and a highly respected citizen. Much sympathy is felt for the widow and children in their breavement. Meyersdale Republican, April 27, 1944