Harry Frank Meltzer, GHS

Harry Frank Meltzer was born on 10 January 1882 in Watsonville, Pennsylvania to John
and Margaret (Gordon) Meltzer. “H Frank” was converted in 1898 at the Gospel Worker
Society mission in Watsonville. Two years later he was recommended to the ministry by
the Gospel Worker Society. In 1904 the Mennonite Brethren in Christ congregation in
Hatfield was considered a mission along with Souderton. Robert Bergstresser was
assigned to these two congregations. The Hatfield church was established 25 years
prior, but the Souderton work was a new ministry. It is possible that Frank Meltzer as a
Gospel Herald was assigned to Souderton. On 16 September 1905 Frank married Alice
Landes who lived in Souderton. Frank listed Pottstown as his residence in 1905 on the
marriage license application. They were married in Philadelphia by C H Brunner who
was head of the Gospel Herald Society.
In 1906 when their first child was born, they were living in Exeter, Pennsylvania. Frank’s
occupation is reported as “minister” on his son’s birth certificate. When their second
child was born in 1907, the Meltzers were living in Souderton, Alice’s hometown. That
same year at Annual Conference, Meltzer was expelled from the Conference, no
explanation given in the records. About that time, Frank joined with the Christian
Missionary Alliance with whom he was a pastor for 46 years. The following year their
third child was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. In the 1910 census, they are
enumerated in Corry City, Erie County, Pennsylvania. When Frank registered for the
draft in 1918 during World War I, he was living in Beaver, Pennsylvania. His occupation
is listed as minister for the Christian Missionary Alliance. For the 1920 census, they are
living in Leetsdale, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and Frank is recorded as being a
minister.
Another child of the Meltzers was born in Illinois around 1925. Their last child was born
around 1927 in California. The Meltzers lived in several places in California: San
Leandro, San Diego, and Oakland. In 1950 it appears that the ministry was not Frank’s
primary occupation. He is listed as a desk clerk in a hotel as his occupation in the 1950
census.
Frank died on 28 August 1954 and is buried in the Mountain View Cemetery. Alice died
on 19 May 1965 and is buried in the same cemetery.