History of New Providence, (Lancaster County) Pennsylvania United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for New Providence, (Lancaster County) Pennsylvania, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg, botanist, was born in New Providence, Pa., Nov. 17, 1753; son of the Rev. Henry Melchior and Anna Mary (Weiser) Muhlenberg. He attended the schools of Montgomery county until 1761, when he removed with his parents to Philadelphia. In 1763 he was sent with his two elder brothers to Halle, Germany, where he studied theology, returning to Philadelphia in 1770. He was ordained to the Lutheran ministry and preached in New Jersey, 1770-73, and was pastor of a Lutheran church in Philadelphia, 1774-79. During the Revolutionary war he supported the patriot cause, was twice obliged to flee into the country to escape capture and lost a large part of his estate through loaning money to the government. While in the country he took up the study of botany for amusement, and after the war continued the study in Philadelphia. In July, 1875, he communicated to the American Philosophical society, an outline manuscript calendar of flowers. He discovered and classified various plants, which were named in his honor, and corresponded with and visited the highest authorities on the subject. He received from the University of Pennsylvania, the honorary degree of A.M., in 1780 and that of D.D. in 1784. He was a member of the American Philosophical society and of many foreign scientific bodies. He was married to Catherine, daughter of Philip Hall, and Henry Augustus was their son. He is the author of: Catalogus Plantarum Americ? Septentrionalis (1813); Reduction of all the Genera of Plants contained in the Catalogus Plantarum of Muhlenberg to the Natural Families of De Jussieus System (1815); Description uberior Granimum et Plantarium Calamariarum Americ? Septentrionalis Indignarum et Circurum (1817). He died in Lancaster. Pa., May, 23, 1815.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of New Providence, (Lancaster County) Pennsylvania

Biographies: