The Early American Life magazine, April 2017 edition, provided an excellent source of names to put into the collection box of names to make further connections to Charles Cist, American Revolutionary War Philadelphia printer.
The article starts out by explaining who the Patrich, The Reverend Henry Muhlenberg was in early colonial Pennsylvania history. He was instrumental in organizing the Lutheran ministry in early colonial America. His house was furnished with excellent examples of 18th century furniture from Pennsylvania and Philadelphia German wood makers. The furniture was made to entertain extensively. Reverend Muhlenberg emigrated from Germany in 1742. This is the same time period that Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf visited Philadelphia from Germany that I wrote about in previous blog posts ( Wednesday night Celtic Service)
Additionally, the article mentions an intriguing connection to an added viewpoint on the ongoing battle to better understand slavery, indentured servitude, freedom, and liberty. The Muhlenberg family had both German indentured servants and enslaved African servants living at the house. A German woman servant and one of the enslaved African servants got into a physical altercation that could not be reconciled, so she went to a neighboring Muhlenberg's house.
The second son of Henry and Mary Muhlenberg was Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg. He was born in Trappe, Pennsylvania on January 1, 1750. He went to Germany in 1763 for his education. NOTE TO SELF( Did he go to the University of Halle, Germany, the same university as Charles Cist and Nikolaus von Zinzendorf ?) Frederick returned home from his educational studies back to America in 1770.
Frederick Muhlenberg was very active in both ministries and later in Pennsylvania politics have been involved at the 1787 Pennsylvania's constitutional convention, elected to first Federal Congress of 1789, became first Speaker of the House and first signer of the Bill of Rights. He was elected three more times in the House.
Andrew C. Allen
pewabic34@gmail.com
October 31, 2017
