Frederick Valentine Melsheimer
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Frederick Valentine Melsheimer (September 25, 1749, Negenborn
, Brunswick
– June 30, 1814, Hanover
, Pennsylvania
) was a Lutheran clergyman and early American
entomologist, called the "Father of American Entomology" by successor Thomas Say
. He was the author of the first major entomological work in the United States: A Catalogue of Insects of Pennsylvania (1806), a sixty-page work that describes 1,363 species of beetle
s.
Melsheimer studied at the university in Helmstedt
from 1772 to 1776 before becoming chaplain to the Duke of Brunswick's Dragoon
s Regiment. With this regiment he arrived in Canada in 1776 to fight alongside British troops in the American Revolutionary War
. He was taken prisoner by the American army on August 16, 1777 following their victory at the Battle of Bennington
and remained in prison for fourteen months. After being released on parole, he resigned from his office of chaplain and began to preach in Lancaster County
, Pennsylvania
. He married Maria Agnes Man on June 3, 1779.
His service in many parishes in the Hanover
region exerted a strong influence on the German colonists of Pennsylvania, and his entomological interests were said to "furnish some of his parishioners with mild amusement". His insect collection, inherited and increased by his second son Frederick Ernst Melsheimer
and his son's friend Daniel Ziegler
, was eventually purchased by Harvard University
and formed the basis for what is now the largest university-owned collection of insects in the United States. His Catalogue was intended to be a three volume work, but illness prevented publication of more than the first volume, in 1806.
Melsheimer was also interested in mineralogy
and astronomy
, and served as Professor of Languages at the recently-founded Franklin College
. He died in 1814 of lung disease. Two of his eleven children also devoted themselves to natural history: John Frederick Melsheimer (1780-1829) and Frederick Ernst Melsheimer
(1782-1873).
Negenborn
Negenborn is a municipality in the district of Holzminden, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
, Brunswick
Duchy of Brunswick
Brunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815...
– June 30, 1814, Hanover
Hanover, Pennsylvania
Hanover is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, southwest of York and north-northwest of Baltimore, Maryland.The town is situated in a productive agricultural region. The population was 15,289 at the 2010 census. The borough is served by a 717 area code and the Zip Codes of 17331-34...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
) was a Lutheran clergyman and early American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entomologist, called the "Father of American Entomology" by successor Thomas Say
Thomas Say
Thomas Say was an American naturalist, entomologist, malacologist, herpetologist and carcinologist. A taxonomist, he is often considered to be the father of descriptive entomology in the United States. He described more than 1,000 new species of beetles and over 400 species of insects of other...
. He was the author of the first major entomological work in the United States: A Catalogue of Insects of Pennsylvania (1806), a sixty-page work that describes 1,363 species of beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s.
Melsheimer studied at the university in Helmstedt
Helmstedt
Helmstedt is a city located at the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. Helmstedt has 26,000 inhabitants . In former times the city was also called Helmstädt....
from 1772 to 1776 before becoming chaplain to the Duke of Brunswick's Dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s Regiment. With this regiment he arrived in Canada in 1776 to fight alongside British troops in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. He was taken prisoner by the American army on August 16, 1777 following their victory at the Battle of Bennington
Battle of Bennington
The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about from its namesake Bennington, Vermont...
and remained in prison for fourteen months. After being released on parole, he resigned from his office of chaplain and began to preach in Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He married Maria Agnes Man on June 3, 1779.
His service in many parishes in the Hanover
Hanover, Pennsylvania
Hanover is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, southwest of York and north-northwest of Baltimore, Maryland.The town is situated in a productive agricultural region. The population was 15,289 at the 2010 census. The borough is served by a 717 area code and the Zip Codes of 17331-34...
region exerted a strong influence on the German colonists of Pennsylvania, and his entomological interests were said to "furnish some of his parishioners with mild amusement". His insect collection, inherited and increased by his second son Frederick Ernst Melsheimer
Frederick Ernst Melsheimer
Frederick Ernst Melsheimer, M.D. was an American entomologist noted for his work on Coleoptera. He was President of the American Entomological Society in 1853. Frederick Ernest Melsheimer's most important work was Catalogue of the described Coleoptera of the United States...
and his son's friend Daniel Ziegler
Daniel Ziegler
Rev. Daniel Ziegler was a minister in Kreutz Creek and York, Pennsylvania, and also an avid entomologist. He was a friend of Dr. Frederick Ernst Melsheimer , who like his father the Rev. Frederick Valentine Melsheimer , was also a keen entomologist...
, was eventually purchased by Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and formed the basis for what is now the largest university-owned collection of insects in the United States. His Catalogue was intended to be a three volume work, but illness prevented publication of more than the first volume, in 1806.
Melsheimer was also interested in mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, and served as Professor of Languages at the recently-founded Franklin College
Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
. He died in 1814 of lung disease. Two of his eleven children also devoted themselves to natural history: John Frederick Melsheimer (1780-1829) and Frederick Ernst Melsheimer
Frederick Ernst Melsheimer
Frederick Ernst Melsheimer, M.D. was an American entomologist noted for his work on Coleoptera. He was President of the American Entomological Society in 1853. Frederick Ernest Melsheimer's most important work was Catalogue of the described Coleoptera of the United States...
(1782-1873).