By Joan Brown Wettingfeld
The more one studies the history of Queens, the more it becomes apparent, as one old text on the subject proposes, that it was a “county of worthies.” Many noteworthy men and women made their homes here, charmed by the area's bucolic beauty. In various ways, they contributed to its remarkable story, spanning a period of 300 years.
Peruse any early historical text about our region and you will find the name of William Augustus Muhlenberg prominently mentioned. This was so from the time he made a casual visit to Flushing and was invited to fill the then vacant rectorship of historic St. George's Episcopal Church. For him it was a provisional arrangement, for as we have noted in a previous article, he was a clergyman of ability and high aims whose desire, above all else, was to devote himself to the education of the youth of his day and to test new and original approaches toward this purpose. As we have also noted in a previous article, the opportunity did not take long to present itself and he proceeded to implement his plan by establishing Flushing Institute. In later years his work was carried on by Ezra Fairchild, who purchased the site of the famous school.
Dr. Muhlenberg's reputation comes as no surprise because he came to Flushing as the scion of a distinguished Philadelphia family whose roots dated back to his grandfather, Heinrich Muhlenberg, who emigrated to Pennsylvania from Gottingen, Germany in 1742. After he had served as pastor of a number of Philadelphia congregations, Heinrich became known as a leader and patriarch of American Lutheranism and organized the first Lutheran Synod in this country.
Heinrich's oldest son, John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg (1746-1807), was a clergyman who became a Revolutionary War officer. He left his church in Woodstock, Virginia, to raise and lead a noted regiment in the American Revolution and retired as a major general. Called to political life, he served three terms in Congress in the House of Representatives. Statues in City Hall Plaza, Philadelphia, and in the Capitol in Washington, commemorate his contributions.
A second son, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg (1750-1801), was also a Lutheran clergyman who became a legislator. After serving as pastor of several Pennsylvania churches, he moved to New York City and was rector of Christ (Lutheran) Church. He left New York because of his sympathy for the Revolutionary cause, and returned to Pennsylvania where he was a delegate to the Continental Congress (1779-1780). He was a member of the House of Representatives and served two terms as its speaker. The record shows that it was his vote that ensured the ratification of Jay's Treaty, which in 1794 settled our many differences with Great Britain and averted a possible conflict.
Heinrich Muhlenberg's grandson was our own William Augustus Muhlenberg, who was born in 1826 and died in 1877. His life spanned a significant period in our nation's history. Though he was brought up as a Lutheran, William was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1820. After his pastorate at St. George's in Flushing and his leadership at the Institute, he moved to New York City. There he served as rector of the Church of the Holy Communion and was instrumental in founding St. Luke's Hospital in 1858. He was first the pastor and then the Hospital superintendent. He also founded St. Johnland, an industrial Christian settlement on Long Island.
Muhlenberg spent much of his life as a world leader who advanced Christian brotherhood. He was equally famous for the many hymns that he composed.
The Muhlenberg family story is only one of many that tie our local history to events of national importance.
