GOTTHILF HEINRICH ERNST MUHLENBERG. 



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Montgomery County, Pa., November 17, 1753, and died in 

 Lancaster, Pa., May 23, 1815. He attended schools in his 

 native place and in Philadelphia, whither his family removed 

 in 1761. At the age of ten years he was sent with his elder 

 brothers to Halle, in order to finish his academic studies 

 and to prepare for the ministry. Arrived in Holland, the 

 brothers proceeded directly to Halle, while young Henry set 

 out in the care of an attendant for Einbeck, his father's native 

 place, where many of his relatives still lived. Deserted on the 

 journey by the man to whose protection he had been confided, 

 this boy, left without money in a strange land, bravely pushed 

 forward on foot and thus finally reached his destination. 

 After his visit to Einbeck he entered a school in Halle, in 

 which he continued about six years. He spent a longer time 

 in the higher classes than was necessary, awaiting the age at 

 which he could be admitted to the university. This he en- 

 tered in 1769, but remained in attendance only about a year. 

 He returned to Pennsylvania in 1770, and was ordained by the 

 synod of his church and appointed assistant to his father in the 

 pastoral work " at Philadelphia, Barren Hill, and on the Rari- 

 tan." In 1774 he was called to be the third preacher in Phila- 

 delphia. The prominence of his brothers in the Revolution- 

 ary councils exposed him to dangers from the British, as they 

 approached the scene of his labours, and he was twice obliged 

 to leave the city, in 1776 and 1777. On the second occasion 

 he escaped with difficulty, disguised as an Indian. In the 

 course of the war the property which belonged to his wife 

 was sacrificed, and a large portion of his own estate was 

 lost in the Loan Office. Yet he was constantly active with 

 voice and pen in urging his fellow-citizens to stand up in 

 defence of their common country. In 1780 he became pastor 

 of the Lutheran church at Lancaster, where he spent the rest 

 of his life. Mr. Muhlenberg was married, in 1774, to Cath- 

 erine, daughter of Philip Hall, of Philadelphia. He had two 

 sons; one of them, Henry Augustus, won a high reputation, 

 first as clergyman, and afterward in public affairs. The other 

 son, Frederick Augustus, became an able physician in Lanc- 

 aster, Pa. 



His work in botany began during his residence in the 

 country following his flight from Philadelphia. He resumed 

 the study earnestly after his return to the city, and becarne 



