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Obituaries - A

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Death of Dr. Aigner - Beloved Rector of St. John's Church, Saddens Community
Illness of Several Months Fatal to Outstanding Citizen in Pittsburgh Hospital.
The death of the Very Rev. Dr. Martin Aigner, rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, at midnight Christmas morning plunged a community ino which he was a beloved figure into mourning today.
The passing of the 73-year-old rector came peacefully in Allegheny General Hospital at Pittsburgh just as church bells were chiming in observance of the birth of the Christ, to whose work the benevolent, scholarly minister had devoted a lifetime of service. News of his death grieved all who in any way had been associated with him – and these included probably the large proportion of the people of Franklin and vicinity, for his labors extended far beyond the confines of his church . He also was a prominent figure throughout the East, and his death was a blow to the many who knew him well through his church and fraternal associations.
The news of his death was conveyed to the city soon after Dr. Aigner passed away, for there were many who were anxious concerning the state of his health and made frequent inquiry about him. Members of the family and intimate friends have known for the past two weeks that the end was near, and were gathered at Dr. Aigner's bedside as he breathed his last.
St. John's Rector 35 Years.
Dr. Aigner was the rector of St. John's Church for 35 years and at one time was acting bishop of the Erie Diocese of the Episcopal Church. While Bishop Rogers Israel was in France during and after the World War, Dr. Aigner, as president of the standing committee, automatically became acting bishop of the diocese. He was a prominent figure in the national church and served on numerous committees.
The minister also was a prominent Mason and formerly was grand prelate of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania.
The beloved rector of St. John's Church was one of the most widely known churchmen of this section of the country by virtue of his eminence in the church, his scholarly accomplishments, deep and friendly interest in his fellow men, and his fraternal associations.
Dr. Aigner began his duties in Franklin September 24, 1900, in the prime of his distinguished life, at the age of 38. For 35 years and more he gave the best of his talents to the community, and when the malady that caused his death began to sap his strength more than a year ago, his hundreds of friends were saddened beyond words, and mourned to see him failing rapidly in the last months of his life.
Refused to Relinquish Tasks.
True to his patient, noble nature, Dr. Aigner refused to give up the many tasks that he had borne for so long, and remained in his pulpit and continued active in community affairs as the hand of death settled more heavily upon him. Told months before the end that he might undergo an operation, forego all public activity thereafter, and thus prolong his life, Dr. Aigner elected to go on serving his flock and Franklin as he had done for so many years, and thus die "in the harness."
Knowing that his strength was failing rapidly and that he had not long to serve in his pulpit, the stricken minister withstood the ravages of pain so that he might preach the Thanksgiving sermon in his church, and the day before the service, confessed his pain was so severe he did not know whether he would be able to preach. He withstood the ordeal, however, and it was not until Dec. 9 that he was taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Dr. Aigner underwent an operation in the hospital, and after that, the family and his intimate friends knew all hope that the beloved rector would live for long must be abandoned. Leaders in his church were constantly informed of his condition and went to Pittsburgh frequently to be with him and Mrs. Aigner, who was a constant attendant at Dr. Aigner's bedside.
Attended Recent Elks Banquet.
The last months of acute suffering of the gently, kindly rector, during which he concealed his infirmities as well as might be, brought home to many Dr. Aigner's devotion to his duties. Shortly before he was removed to the hospital, he attended a banquet at the Elks Home and lifted glowing eyes, set in a waxen fact, to pronounce the words of the invocation, a prayer such as he had voiced hundreds of times in his long service to civic, fraternal and welfare organizations of the community.
Few, if any, men have left their impress upon a community as did the veteran rector of St. John's. High in affairs of his church, esteemed afar as a churchman, one of his chief concerns was the welfare and civic betterment of Franklin, and his activities made of him in Franklin a prominent figure in all fields as well as within the bounds of his church. There were no tasks that he would not undertake, and his energy and forceful attention to the duties he accepted were in large measure responsible for their successful accomplishment.
Strangely enough, few except intimate friends here knew a great deal of Dr. Aigner's early life. It was perhaps characteristic of him that he was so thoroughly surrounded by the affairs of others and so long associated with the community, that little thought was given to his personal history.
Entire City His Parish
While he was rector of St. John's Church, his parish in reality was all Franklin so intense was his interest in all his fellow citizens' welfare. There was none who was so ready to visit the sick, even though the sufferers were not his own parishioners, and there were literally hundreds who held a deep and abiding affection for the kindly, scholarly rector.
Although he was a born diplomat in his relations with men, he was a man of such earnest convictions that once having taken a position after careful thought and study, he never swerved from any stand he took.
Possibly the last community gathering in which Dr. Aigner participated was the flag day exercise in the city park June 14. For years before, his slight clean-cut figure was to be seen at virtually all such public functions.
His absence from the Community Christmas observance Tuesday afternoon, a few hours before his death was noted and commented upon by many persons. It was the first time within their recollection that he had not been present at the annual entertainment for boys and girls of the city.
Born in Bavaria
Dr. Aigner was born in Munich, Bavaria, may 3, 1862, a member of a distinguished Austrian family. He came to America in childhood and was educated in Philadelphia. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and was graduated from the Philadelphia Divinity School. The degree of doctor of divinity was conferred upon him at St. John's College at Annapolis, Md.
He was ordained a deacon June, 1884, in St. James' Protestant Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, and began at once the assistant minister of St. Lake's Church, Philadelphia. He was advanced to priesthood in May, 1886, and in 1890 he became rector of Trinity Church, Mt. Holly, N.J.
Dr. Aigner came to Franklin as rector of St. John's Church in 1900. He was prominent in Episcopal circles throughout the East and was delegated to the General Convention of the church for more than 30 years, first from the Pittsburgh diocese and later, after the division of the diocese, from the Erie Diocese. He served as chairman of the standing committee of the Erie Diocese for many years.
Dr. Aigner was keenly interested in sports, particularly football, in his youth.
High In Masonic Orders.
His fraternal and civic associations in Franklin were many, while in the nation he stood high in Masonic counsels. He was crowned an honorary 33d Degree Mason in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the U.S.A. In 1930 he was grand prelate of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania, and prelate of Franklin Commandery for the last __ years.
He was a member of Myrtle Lodge No. 316, F. & A.M., Venango Royal Arch Chapter No. 211, Keystone Council No. 42, R. & S.M., Franklin Commandery No. 44, Knights Templar, of Franklin; Venango Lodge of Perfection, Oil City, and the Pennsylvania Consistory, Pittsburgh, Pa.
He was also a member of Venango Lodge No. 255, I.O.O.F. and for many years had been chaplain of Franklin Lodge of Elks No. 110, each year a memorial service being held in St. John's Episcopal Church, at which time he delivered a special message to his brethren.
Dr. Aigner is survived by his wife, Laura Blood Taitt Aigner, sister of the Rt. Rev. Francis M. Taitt, Episcopal Bishop of Pennsylvania and two sons, Martin Aigner III, of New York and Francis M. Aigner, of Philadelphia.
Organizer of Kiwanis, DeMolay.
There was no person more active in civic and welfare circles of Franklin than the late rector of St. John's. He was one of the founders of the Franklin Kiwanis Club and served several times as its president. He was one of the organizers of the DeMolay in Franklin. He was chairman of the Soldiers Memorial Committee.