John Andrew Shulze
Encyclopedia
John Andrew Shulze was a Pennsylvania
political leader and the sixth Governor of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Muhlenberg family
political dynasty.
Shulze was born in Tulpehocken Township, Berks (now Lebanon
) County, Pennsylvania, the son of Rev. Christopher Emmanuel Shulze and Eve Elizabeth Muhlenberg. Shulze was the grandson of Henry Muhlenberg
and the nephew of Peter Muhlenberg
and Frederick Muhlenberg
. Shulze grew up speaking German
in the Pennsylvania Dutch
community, and for his entire life would speak English
with a noticeable accent.
Shulze studied at Franklin College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
and was ordained a minister in the Lutheran church in 1796. He left the ministry due to poor health in 1802 and became a merchant in Myerstown, Pennsylvania
. Shulze married Susan Kimmell and fathered five children.
Shulze was elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1806 and served three terms. From 1813 to 1821, he served in several low offices in Lebanon County
. He returned to the General Assembly in 1821 and was elected to the State Senate in 1822.
In 1824, he was elected Governor of Pennsylvania defeating former U.S. Senator
Andrew Gregg. He was reelected in 1826 over John Sergeant in one of the most lopsided victories in Pennsylvania political history.
Shulze pushed for Pennsylvania's free compulsory education system. Although it failed to pass during his administration, he laid the groundwork for its adoption under his successor, George Wolf
. He also oversaw major canal
and road building projects.
Shulze declined to run for a third term and retired to Montoursville, Pennsylvania
. He returned to public life briefly to become a delegate to the first national convention of the Whig Party in 1839. In 1840, he served as President of Pennsylvania's Electoral College which elected William Henry Harrison
as the ninth President of the United States
.
He died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and was buried in Woodward Hill Cemetery.
Shulze Hall, located on the campus of Penn State University, is named in his honor.
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...
political leader and the sixth Governor of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Muhlenberg family
Muhlenberg family
The Muhlenberg family created a United States political, religious, and military dynasty based in the state of Pennsylvania. The family descends from Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg/Henry Muhlenberg , a German immigrant, noted Lutheran minister, and founder of the Lutheran Church in...
political dynasty.
Shulze was born in Tulpehocken Township, Berks (now Lebanon
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile . There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile...
) County, Pennsylvania, the son of Rev. Christopher Emmanuel Shulze and Eve Elizabeth Muhlenberg. Shulze was the grandson of Henry Muhlenberg
Henry Muhlenberg
Henry Melchior Muhlenberg , was a German Lutheran pastor sent to North America as a missionary, requested by Pennsylvania colonists....
and the nephew of Peter Muhlenberg
Peter Muhlenberg
John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg was an American clergyman, Continental Army soldier during the American Revolutionary War, and political figure in the newly-independent United States...
and Frederick Muhlenberg
Frederick Muhlenberg
Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg was an American minister and politician who was the first Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A delegate and a member of the U.S...
. Shulze grew up speaking German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in the Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
community, and for his entire life would speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
with a noticeable accent.
Shulze studied at Franklin College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
and was ordained a minister in the Lutheran church in 1796. He left the ministry due to poor health in 1802 and became a merchant in Myerstown, Pennsylvania
Myerstown, Pennsylvania
Myerstown is a borough located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 3,171...
. Shulze married Susan Kimmell and fathered five children.
Shulze was elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1806 and served three terms. From 1813 to 1821, he served in several low offices in Lebanon County
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile . There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile...
. He returned to the General Assembly in 1821 and was elected to the State Senate in 1822.
In 1824, he was elected Governor of Pennsylvania defeating former U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Andrew Gregg. He was reelected in 1826 over John Sergeant in one of the most lopsided victories in Pennsylvania political history.
Shulze pushed for Pennsylvania's free compulsory education system. Although it failed to pass during his administration, he laid the groundwork for its adoption under his successor, George Wolf
George Wolf
George Wolf was the seventh Governor of Pennsylvania from 1829 to 1835.Wolf was born in Allen Township, Pennsylvania. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1799 and commenced practice in Easton, Pennsylvania. He served as postmaster of Easton in 1802 and 1803...
. He also oversaw major canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
and road building projects.
Shulze declined to run for a third term and retired to Montoursville, Pennsylvania
Montoursville, Pennsylvania
Montoursville is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,777. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for Madame Montour, a Native American leader and skilled interpreter...
. He returned to public life briefly to become a delegate to the first national convention of the Whig Party in 1839. In 1840, he served as President of Pennsylvania's Electoral College which elected William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
as the ninth President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
He died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and was buried in Woodward Hill Cemetery.
Shulze Hall, located on the campus of Penn State University, is named in his honor.