Harold A. Dunkelberger Sr. Family Papers

Collection

Identifier: ULS-MS-098

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the activities of Dr. John Aberly, his daughter Amy and son-in-law Rev. Roy M. Dunkelberger, and grandson Dr. Harold A. Dunkelberger.

It includes handwritten biographical accounts, family geological information, and a journal written by Dr. Aberly; documentation regarding missionary work in India, coursework notes and information, and photographs pertaining to Rev. Roy Dunkelberger’s work, as well as newspaper clippings, wills, life insurance paperwork, and various estate papers pertaining to Rev. R.M. Dunkelberger’s death; a song book entitled “Federation Literary set to Music” with Amy Dunkelberger’s name; and coursework notes and Aberly Hall dedication speech notes written by Harold A. Dunkelberger.

The records are arranged in three series. Series 1 contains materials relating to Dr. Aberly; series 2 contains materials relating to Rev. R.M. Dunkelberger and his wife; series 3 contains materials relating to Harold A. Dunkelberger. Materials are arranged topically within each box. Most materials have been left in their original order to respect the integrity of its provenance. Changes made are listed under processing notes.

Dates

Existence: 1919 - 1990

Conditions Governing Use

The collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

Rev. Dr. Harold Aberly Dunkelberger was an ordained Lutheran pastor and professor at Gettysburg College. He was born in Bangalore, India on May 9, 1915 to missionaries Dr. Roy M. and Amy (Aberly) Dunkelberger.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg College in 1936; Bachelor of Divinity degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in 1939; Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1950; and enrolled for post-doctoral study at Oxford University in 1962. In 1979 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Susquehanna University.

Ordained by the Central Pennsylvania Synod in 1939, H.A. Dunkelberger served as pastor to Lutheran Students and Lutheran Student Counsellor at Columbia University from 1939-1941. He went on to serve Trinity Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg, PA from 1941-1950, taking a leave of absence from 1942-1946 to serve as an Army Air Corps chaplain during World War II.

H.A. Dunkelberger served many positions at Gettysburg College: associate professor of Biblical Literature and Religion from 1950-1958; Assistant to the President and Director of Development and Alumni Relations from 1958-1960; professor and chair of the Biblical Literature and Religion Department; and Director of Church Relations from 1979 until his retirement in 1983.

H.A. Dunkelberger was married to Betty Rebert, (m. September 14, 1940) and had two children, Harold Rebert and Lida Joanne. Following retirement, the Dunkelbergers resided in Gettysburg until Betty’s death in March 2000. H.A. Dunkelberger passed away on October 22, 2012 at Gettysburg Hospital.

Dr. John Aberly (1867-1963) graduated from Gettysburg College in 1888; he went on to study at the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg the following year. Dr. Aberly served as a missionary in India for 33 years. From 1926 to 1940 Dr. Aberly was President of the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg. He and his wife Alice (Strauus) Aberly (D. 1941) had two children: Amy Strauss Dunkelberger and Fred H. Aberly.

Amy Strauus (Aberly) Dunkelberger (D.1948) married Rev. Roy M. Dunkelberger. Rev. Dunkelberger graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle in 1906, and graduated from the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg in 1909. He also obtained a doctorate of divinity from Gettysburg College. Rev. Dunkelberger served as a missionary in India. Rev. Dunkelberger died in a car accident in 1956 along with his second wife, Pearle (Powlas) Dunkelberger (1897-1956).

Extent

0.92 Linear Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

This collection was received as a donation by The Rev. Harold R. Dunkelberger, Jr. on May 28, 2013. It includes material from Rev. Harold A. Dunkelberger, Sr., including material handwritten by his grandfather, The Rev. Dr. John Aberly, and his father, The Rev. Roy Dunkelberger, and several photographs owned by Harold, Sr.

Related Materials

Held at Seminary Archives, Gettysburg:

John Aberly Manuscript Collection (Diaries and Presidential Papers), 1884-1952, Manuscripts Collection.

Held at Gettysburg College:

Dunkelberger, Harold A., September 3, 2005 [Interview], Gettysburg College Oral History

Collection, Special Collections / Musselman Library, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Papers of Harold A. Dunkelberger ‘36" (April 2014). Special Collections and College Archives

Finding Aids. Special Collection and College Archives, Musselman Library, Gettysburg College.

Bibliography

Legacy. Dr. Harold A. Dunkelberger. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/EveningSun/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=160605894 (accessed February 4, 2019).

Wentz, Abdel Ross. Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary Vol 2: Alumni Record.

Harrisburg, PA: The Evangelical Press, 1964.

Processing Information

Upon acquisition in May 2013, material was removed from the original white plastic bag in which it was delivered, and groups of the material were placed separately in large garbage bags with mothballs to combat the mildew and mold attached. Roberta Brent reported that the materials were unsafe to work with until it sat with the moth balls for a while. The contents were removed and processed in April 2016.

The contents of box 1, folder 1 were in a green three ring binder which had signs of rust and insect damage. The papers enclosed in the binder were removed but kept in their original order (handwritten notes followed by typed course information).

The contents of box 1, folder 2 were donated in a black three ring binder which had signs of deterioration. Pages clasped inside binder were removed but kept in their original order as a handwritten family history.

The contents of box 1, folders 3 and 4 were donated in a black three ring binder labeled “Dr. John Aberly Biography.” The binder had signs of rust and pages were beginning to tear from rings. The clasped pages are in folder 3 and remain in their original order. In addition to the pages clasped in the binder, a letter with the heading “The Board of Foreign Missions –India Mission” c. 9/14/1942 and a newspaper clipping titled “Telugu Lutheran Mission” were in front of binder. These items were placed in folder 4.

The contents of box 2, folder 6 include numerous documents pertaining to R.M. Dunkelberger’s time in India between 1935 and 1939. Some documents are out of chronological order, but were left in order in which they were originally organized to respect the integrity of its provenance.

The contents of box 2, folder 7 are copies of scans created from newspaper articles and clippings pertaining to the death of R.M. Dunkelberger. The original newspapers were deteriorating and were discarded.

The contents of Box 3, folders 3, 4, 5 were donated in a single black three ring binder with a zipper closure. The zipper and metal rings in center had rust deterioration. A handwritten pen note on inside of binder read “Harold Dunkelberger 230 E. Main St. Mechanicsburg PA.” Folder 3 contains pages that were laid in front of binder (on top of pages clasped in rings) and consist of class notes. They remain in their original order.

Folder 4 contains pages that were clasped in rings and remain in their original order with given tabs. Folder 5 contains pages that were laid behind the binder (behind pages clasped in rings) these papers consist of syllabi and bibliographies pertaining to classwork. These pages were taken out of their original order as the large bibliography, which was numbered in orange markings, was mixed throughout the other papers.