Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1915-08-20
SOME FACTS CONCERNING
GENERAL Null ENBHRG

If you want to find out all about
any thing, or any person-just start
in and write about it and facts, fig
ures, anecdotes, personal glimpses,
myths that have been paradsd as
facts, and traditions. all come for.
ward and you emerge from your ex-
perience with a very strong realiza-
ton Of the force of Lord Bacon's
adage, that reading worketh a full |
man conversation ready man and |
writing an exact man.
In reading the brief paper on Gen
Muhlenberg before the Town Council
and subsequently publishing it in the
HERALD" it was not my aim to as
sert, or claim that he belonged to one
denomination or to another, but my
object was purely it's furtherance, or
launching Of a move to gather to.
gether help in the form of voluntary
subscriptions to erect a monument
here, to be located by the citizens OF
| Woodstock, as historic bequest to
the unborn children OF this Common
wealth, showing the patriotic zeal of
her citizens to perpetuate the tradi
lions and memory OF Gen. Mullen
berg by the descendants of those
sturdy Revolutionary soldiers who
gathered together that memorable
Sabbath morning in the old church
here in Woodstock and offered them.
selves, and their sons as sacrifices
upon the sacred altar of their cour-
TRY. Here is the picturesque and ven
cradle county seat where "the rude
forefathers OF the hamlet sleep" let
there rise up, as tribute of venera-
ton, suitable monument which will
be al inspiration to succeeding gener-
atoms.
1t was my object to avoid any dis
; cussion of sectarian nature bu,
, since historical facts and esta blished
traditions are disputed, it is due the
memory of Gen. Muhlenberg anG
: the descendants of his congregation tc
| set these facts forth and I shall quote
only from sources which are authentic
and which have been, firmly and ir
revocably established. Every vel
S Informed school boy knows to wha
denomination he belonged, and thi,
dsnomina is Lutheran.
John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg
z afterward a Major-General, in thu
Army of the Revolution, was borr
Oct LIST, 1746, at the village of Trappe
in Montgomery County, Pa.
His father, Henry Melchofr Muh
? Ienberg, d. D., the founder of tn.
Lutheran Church in America, eme
, grated from Germany in the year o.
1742. His arrival was a source o.
Unlimited Joy to the German Luth
Grams, who had been so long expect
e ing him. They saw themselves at las
p gathered together under the charge Of
. a minister consecrated to the service
of God according to the forms of theil
fathers. Mild and gentle, he yet pos
sessea that firmness and integri O.
y purpose which naught could move
That such a man should have won the
devoted love OF all who knew him il
not strange and we find that the es
TEEN and veneration felt for him by
the Lutheran congregation was I'M
IL
known among the Lutherans of thi,
country as Father Mullen berg and ht
retained his position as head of thu
e church which he founded during tn,
whole of bis long and eventtul life
e Peter as has already been stale(
Was born in Montgomery County
Pa, and from his fathers peculiar
opposition as we'll perhaps as from his
mode OF thinking, was destined almos
from the cradle for the minis teria
tof1ice and in pursuance Of that design
great pains were taken with his early
b. le1ucatioL. This was conducted un.
Ter the immediate supervision of his
6 father until their removal to Phiia.
Idelphia during l761, when he was en-.
tered at the Academy under the care
OF the Provost-Dr. Smith. On the
9th of April, 1868, Peter then IL
I Years old, with his two brothers,
Frederick and Henry, embarked for
Halle in Germany, the birth place OF
Handel, to further pursue their edu.
, cation. His stay was limited to three
Years and while here left the Uni
versity and joined regiment of dra-
Igoons, but was honorably dismissed
and returned home. 1t was now time
for him to turn his thoughts to the
selection of a profession. Had his
own wishes been consulted, he would
doubtless have chosen the army, but
his father very earnestly desired that
the Lutheran Church which he had
founded in America, should be sup.
Iported and sustained by the efforts
lo' his sons. Early in 1853 he was or
Idained minister of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church and on the 18th of
MAY was appointed assistant rector
LOT Zion's and ST. Paul's Churches in
New Jersey. Oe Nov. 9th, ITO, he
was married to Anna Barbara Never.
For some years prior to ITO the
German inhabitants of the Middle
States commenced emigrating in con-
siderable numbers to Virginia settling
principally in the Valley of the Blue
Ridge. These settlements becoming
large, particularly those in Danr,ore
County, (uow Systematically and being
Lutherans, congregation was form
ed at Woodstock, Va, from which
the present Lutheran congregation
has directly descended. Desiring a
pastor, an application was made to
DR.. Muhlenberg to appoint one, with
a request that his son, Peter might be
assigned to that situation. Some diff.