Christian Cyclopedia

Mühlenberg, Henry Melchior, and Family.

1. Henry Melchior Mühlenberg (September 6, 1711–October 7, 1787). B. Einbeck, Ger.; educ. Göttingen; teacher at Halle; ordained 1739; diaconus and inspector of an orphans' home at Grosshennersdorf, Upper Lusatia (Silesia) 1739–41; to Pennsylvania 1742 as pastor of Luth. congs. at Philadelphia, New Providence (also called Providence; now called Trappe), and New Hanover (Falckner's Swamp, Montgomery Co.).

2. In course of time he extended his services to guide, advise, and organize other congs., esp. in New York, New Jersey, and Georgia; helped organize the Pennsylvania Ministerium 1748 (see United Lutheran Church in America, The, Synods of, 22); semi-retired 1776.

3. His staunch Lutheranism was tinged with Pietism.*

4. In 1745 he married Anna Maria Weiser, daughter of J. C. Weiser* Jr.; their 11 children included the 6 in pars. 5–10.

5. John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg (October 1, 1746–October 1, 1807). B. Trappe, Pennsylvania; educ. Halle, Ger.; returned to Pennsylvania 1767; ordained by Pennsylvania Ministerium 1768; pastor Bedminster (Somerset Co.) and New Germantown (Hunterdon Co.), New Jersey, 1769–71; ordained Angl. priest London, Eng., 1772, to meet requirements for serving in Virginia; pastor Woodstock, Va., till 1776; officer in the Continental Army 1776–83; political offices included mem. Supreme Ex. Council of Pennsylvania 1784, vice-pres. Pennsylvania 1785–87, mem. Pennsylvania Const. Conv. 1790, repeatedly mem. US Congress 1789–1801, Pennsylvania revenue officer 1801–07.

6. Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg (January 1, 1750–June 4, 1801). Grandfather of W. A. Muhlenberg (see par. 11); b. Trappe, Pennsylvania; educ. Halle, Ger.; returned to Pennsylvania 1770; ordained by Pennsylvania Ministerium 1770; pastor Pennsylvania and New York 1770–79; entered politics; mem. Continental Congress from Pennsylvania 1779–80; mem. Pennsylvania House of Representatives 1780–83; mem. US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania 1789–97; 1st speaker of US House of Representatives and speaker in 3d Congress. See also United Lutheran Church in America, The, Synods of, 15.

7. Gotthilf Henry Ern(e)st Mühlenberg (November 17, 1753–May 23, 1815). B. Trappe, Pennsylvania; educ. Halle, Ger.; returned to Pennsylvania 1770; ordained by Pennsylvania Ministerium 1770; pastor Philadelphia 1774–79, New Hanover 1779–80, Lancaster 1780–1815; 1st pres. Franklin Coll., Lancaster, 1787; botanist.

8. Eve Elisabeth Muhlenberg (Eva; Betsy; January 29, 1748–1808). Married Christopher Emanuel Schultze (January 25, 1740–March 9, 1809; b. Saxony, Ger.; educ. Halle; ordained 1765 at Wernigerode; to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1765; pastor Philadelphia) 1766.

9. Margaret(ta) Henrietta Muhlenberg (Peggy; September 17, 1751–October 23, 1831). Married J. C. Kunze.*

10. Maria Salome Muhlenberg (Mary; Sally; July 13, 1766–March 13, 1827). Married Matthias Richards (Reichard; February 26, 1758–August 4, 1830; b. near Pottstown, Pennsylvania; in Berks Co. [Pennsylvania] Militia 1777–78; mem. US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania 1807–11) 1782; their son J. W. Richards* was prominent in the Pennsylvania Ministerium.

11. William Augustus Muhlenberg (September 16, 1796–April 8, 1877). Son of Henry Muhlenberg, who was a son of F. A. C. Muhlenberg (see par. 6); b. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; educ. U. Pennsylvania; ordained Episc. deacon 1817, priest 1820; in NYC 1852 he founded the Sisterhood of the Church of the Holy Communion, the 1st Am. order of Prot. Episc. deaconesses; hymnist. Hymns include “I Would Not Live Alway”; “Savior, Who Thy Flock Art Feeding.” See also Protestant Episcopal Church, 4 b.

12. Henry Augustus P'hilip Muhlenberg (May 13, 1782–August 11, 1844). Son of G. H. E. Mühlenberg (see par. 7), father of H. H. Muhlenberg (see par. 13); b. Lancaster, Pennsylvania; m. Mary Hiester 1805, Rebecca Hiester 1808; licensed to preach 1802, ordained 1804; pastor Trin. Luth. Ch., Reading, Pennsylvania, 1803–28; mem. US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania 1829–38; minister to Austria 1838–40.

13. Hiester Henry Muhlenberg (January 15, 1812–May 5, 1886). Son of H. A. P. Muhlenberg (see par. 12); b. Reading, Pennsylvania; trained for med. profession but abandoned that course 1842; cashier Farmers' Bank, Reading, 1842–86; 1st treas. General* Council of the Ev. Luth. Ch. in (N.) Am.;

14. Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, Sr. (1795–July 5, 1867). Son of G. H. E. Mühlenberg (see par. 7), father of F. A. Muhlenberg (see par. 15); physician Lancaster, Pennsylvania

15. Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, Jr. (August 25, 1818–March 21, 1901). Luth. cleric; son of F. A. Muhlenberg Sr. (see par. 14); b. Lancaster, Pennsylvania; educ. Princeton (New Jersey) Theol. Sem.; ordained 1854. Prof. Franklin Coll., Lancaster; Pennsylvania Coll., Gettysburg, Pennsylvania First pres. Muhlenberg Coll., Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1867–76. Prof. U. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1876–88; pres. Thiel Coll., Greenville, Pennsylvania, 1891–93.

See also Kunze, John Christopher.

The Journals of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, tr. T. G. Tappert and J. W. Doberstein, 3 vols. (Philadelphia, 1942–58); Hallesche Nachrichten; W. J. Mann, Life and Times of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, 2d ed. (Philadelphia, 1911); M. L. Stoever, Memoir of the Life and Times of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, D. D., Patriarch of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (Philadelphia, 1856); W. Germann, Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg, Patriarch der Lutherischen Kirche Nordamerika's: Selbstbiographie, 1711–1743 (Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1881); W. K. Frick, Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, “Patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America” (Philadelphia, 1902); H. A. Muhlenberg, The Life of Major General Peter Muhlenberg of the Revolutionary Army (Philadelphia, 1849); P. A. W. Wallace, The Muhlenbergs of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1950). RFM