Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg (educator)

Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg (1818–1901) was an American educator, serving among other positions as a Greek language and literature professor at the University of Pennsylvania and a college president as well as a Lutheran clergyman.

Family

Muhlenberg was born to German Americans Frederick Augustus Hall Muhlenberg (1795–1867) and his wife Elizabeth Schaum. Frederick A. Hall Muhlenberg was the son of Gotthilf Henry Ernst Muhlenberg a noted botanist. Muhlenberg was born at Lancaster, Pennsylvania where his father was a physician and a trustee of Frankin College. F. A. H. Muhlenberg had received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania where Benjamin Rush had been among his teachers.

In 1848 Muhlenberg married Catherine Anne Muhlenberg. She was a granddaughter of Gotthilf Muhlenberg's brother Peter Muhlenberg, and thus a second-cousin of Frederick. They were the parents of six sons.

Education and career

Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg began his education at Pennsylvania College (now Gettysburg College) and then transferred to Jefferson College (now Washington and Jefferson College) from which he graduated in 1836. He then studies at Princeton Theological Seminary. In 1840 Muhlenberg joined the faculty of Franklin College (now Franklin & Marshall College).

In 1850 Muhlenberg joined the faculty of Pennsylvania College, where he taught Greek and served as college Librarian. In 1854 he was ordained a Lutheran minister, and actively served as such in various Lutheran Churches in and around Gettysburg. He remained at Pennsylvania College until 1867.

From 1867 to 1876, Muhlenberg served as president of Muhlenberg College. In 1876 Muhlenberg was appointed a professor of Greek at the University of Pennsylvania where he remained until 1888.

In 1891 Muhlenberg became the president of Thiel College. However, in 1893 a stroke forced him to resign that position. He lived in Reading, Pennsylvania from 1893 until his death.