This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... Some Of Our Patriots In Public Life. FOLLOWING the plan J outlined in the preceding chapter, it is proposed, in this, to mention some of our ancestors who attained more or less prominence in public life in connection with the Revolutionary period. This list does not include all, however, who attained any degree of prominence, but merely a partial list of those with whom we are most familiarly acquainted. Montgomery County. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, D.D. Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America, was born at Eimbeck, Hanover, Germany, on September 6, 1711, died October 7, 1787, married, April 22, 1745, Anna Maria Weiser, daughter of Col. Conrad Weiser (1727-1802). He was one of the first students in the University of Gottingen, 1735. After graduation he received an appointment as teacher in the Orphan House at Halle, upon which duties he entered after a further course in the University of Jena. It was decided to prepare him as a missionary to the East Indies, but, providentially, this plan was disarranged, and, eventually, he departed for America, reaching its shores, near Charleston, S. C, on September 23, 1742, and arriving at Philadelphia on November 25, 1742. Here he began his work of organizing and upbuilding the Lutheran Church, the fruit of which is apparent to this day. So great was his patriotism during the Revolution that he became a marked man, and was obliged to flee from Philadelphia to his home at the Trappe when the British entered it after the battle of Brandywine. Here he was in constant communication with the American leaders, and in the midst of all the important operations then going on. His sons and sons-in-law were noted for their services to their country. Frederick Augustus Conrad...

Vol. 7-17, 19-21 include the proceedings of the society's Annual meeting, 1942-1952, 1954-1956.

Considered the definitive history of the involvement of German-Americans in the American Revolution, this work was originally published in 1908 and has long been out of print. It focuses on Pennsylvania and surrounding colonies, where the colonial German element was concentrated, and contains extensive biographical information of value to genealogists and historians. Although only about ten percent of the U.S. population were German-Americans, they overwhelmingly supported the Revolution. In 1776, Congress raised a German-American regiment which fought in many battles and spent the winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge with General George Washington, whose personal bodyguard was a German-American unit. It is said that the American troops were German trained, fed, and led, as Baron von Steuben served as inspector-general, Christopher Ludwig as superintendent of baking, and Heinrich Lutterloh as quartermaster-general. Of General Nicholas Herkimer, commander of several German-American battalions from New York, General Washington wrote, "It was Herkimer who first reversed the gloomy scene...he served from love of country, not for reward." This useful work also contains numerous lists of soldiers, a surname index and a subject index. Dr. Tolzmann has edited several German-American works offered by Heritage Books; here he fills the gap in the general knowledge pertaining to the role of German-Americans in the War of Independence.