William Muhlenberg Hiester
Encyclopedia
William Muhlenberg Hiester (May 15, 1818-August 16, 1878) An American political and military leader in the State of Pennsylvania
. He was a member of the Muhlenberg
/Hiester Family
political dynasty.
on May 15, 1818, the son of Dr. Isaac
and Mrs. Hester Muhlenberg Hiester. He was the grandson of General Peter Muhlenberg
and the great grandson of Henry Muhlenberg
. He attended Bristol College
in Pennsylvania, read law at Harvard College (now Harvard University
) and was admitted to the bar. He practiced law in Erie, Pennsylvania
and later in Reading, Pennsylvania with his partner Henry A. Muhlenberg. Hiester was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate
as a member of the Democratic Party in 1855 and was immediately elected speaker. In January, 1858, he was appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth by Pennsylvania
Governor William F. Packer
. During the invasion of Pennsylvania by the Confederate States Army
under Robert E. Lee
in the summer of 1863, Hiester was commissioned a major in the Pennsylvania Militia
by Governor Andrew Curtin and raised 8,000 troops for the defense of Pennsylvania. During the war, Hiester switched to the Republican Party and ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives
in 1864
. Hiester died in Reading, Pennsylvania on August 16, 1878. He was the father of Isaac Ellmaker Hiester
, uncle of Hiester Clymer
, and nephew of John Hiester
and Daniel Hiester
.
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 was a member of the Muhlenberg
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...
/Hiester Family
Hiester family
The Hiester family was an American political and military dynasty.Noted members of the family include:*John Hiester US Congressman*Daniel Hiester US Congressman*Gabriel Hiester Pennsylvania political leader...
political dynasty.
Biography
Hiester was born in Reading, PennsylvaniaReading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
on May 15, 1818, the son of Dr. Isaac
and Mrs. Hester Muhlenberg Hiester. He was the grandson of General 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 the great 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....
. He attended Bristol College
Bristol College, Pennsylvania
Bristol College, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was an Episcopal college founded in 1833 by the Epsicopal Education Society and chartered in 1834. It was based on the "manual labour system", combining education with agricultural work. The founding principal was Revd Chauncey Colton and Caleb Sprague...
in Pennsylvania, read law at Harvard College (now 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 was admitted to the bar. He practiced law in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
and later in Reading, Pennsylvania with his partner Henry A. Muhlenberg. Hiester was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
as a member of the Democratic Party in 1855 and was immediately elected speaker. In January, 1858, he was appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth by Pennsylvania
Governor William F. Packer
William F. Packer
William Fisher Packer was the 14th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1858 to 1861. His father was James Packer from Chester County, Pennsylvania and his mother was Charity Packer. His ancestry was primarily Quakers from Philadelphia...
. During the invasion of Pennsylvania by the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
under Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
in the summer of 1863, Hiester was commissioned a major in the Pennsylvania Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
by Governor Andrew Curtin and raised 8,000 troops for the defense of Pennsylvania. During the war, Hiester switched to the Republican Party and ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1864
United States House election, 1864
Elections to the United States House of Representatives were held in 1864 to elect Representatives to the 39th United States Congress. The election coincided with the presidential election of 1864, in which President Abraham Lincoln was re-elected....
. Hiester died in Reading, Pennsylvania on August 16, 1878. He was the father of Isaac Ellmaker Hiester
Isaac Ellmaker Hiester
Isaac Ellmaker Hiester was an American political leader of the nineteenth Century. He was a member of the Hiester Family political dynasty. He was the son of William Hiester and cousin of Hiester Clymer....
, uncle of Hiester Clymer
Hiester Clymer
Hiester Clymer was an American political leader from the state of Pennsylvania. Clymer was a member of the Hiester family political dynasty. He was the nephew of William Muhlenberg Hiester and the cousin of Isaac Ellmaker Hiester....
, and nephew of John Hiester
John Hiester
John Hiester was an American military and political leader from the Revolutionary War era to the early 19th Century. He was a member of the Hiester Family political dynasty....
and Daniel Hiester
Daniel Hiester
Daniel Hiester was an American political and military leader from the Revolutionary War period to the early 19th Century. Born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, he was a member of the Hiester Family political dynasty. He was the brother of John Hiester and Gabriel Hiester, cousin of Joseph Hiester,...
.