March 1, 1890: Organist John Zuber Provided a Second Chance

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA.

March 1, 1890: John Zuber, the organist at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Boyertown, has disappeared, deserting his wife and two young children, escaping from his many debtors and taking off with two months prepaid salary, which the Church Council was not happy about.

His whereabouts were unknown until his sudden reappearance several weeks later with no published explanation. His wife reluntantly took him back after his plea for mercy, promising so faithfully to do better, and she relented.

He also begged the church council to reinstate him and they magnanimously reelected him organist after his supposedly sincere apologies for his previous sins. He appears to be getting along well the second time around.

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