The Reverend Frederick Valentine Melsheimer (September 25, 1749, Negenborn, Brunswick – June 30, 1814, Hanover, Pennsylvania) was a Lutheran clergyman and early

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

, 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 beetles.

Biography

Melsheimer studied at the university in

Helmstedt Helmstedt (; Eastphalian: ''Helmstidde'') is a town on the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. The historic university and Hanseatic city conserves an important monumental heritage of ...

from 1772 to 1776 before becoming chaplain to the

Duke of Brunswick Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

Dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...

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. In May 1779, he accepted a call as pastor of five Lutheran congregations in Dauphin County. He married Maria Agnes Man on June 3, 1779. In 1784, he moved to Manheim, where he was ordained to the ministry by the Lutheran ministerium of Pennsylvania in 1785, and was pastor at New Holland from 1786 until 1789. He was pastor at Hanover from 1790 until 1814. His service 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, M.D. (1782–1873; first name also spelled Friedrich) 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 imp ...

and his son's friend

Daniel Ziegler Rev. Daniel Ziegler (June 11, 1804 Reading, Pennsylvania – May 23, 1876 York, Pennsylvania) was a minister in Kreutz Creek and York, Pennsylvania, and also an avid entomologist. He was a friend of Dr. Frederick Ernst Melsheimer (1782–18 ...

, 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 Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...

and astronomy, and served as Professor of Languages at the recently founded Franklin College in 1787. He died in 1814 of lung disease. Two of his eleven children also devoted themselves to natural history:

John Frederick Melsheimer John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

(1780-1829) and

(1782-1873).

Notes

References

* * * * Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Melsheimer, Frederick Valentine American entomologists 19th-century American Lutheran clergy People from Brunswick-Lüneburg People from Pennsylvania Clergy in the American Revolution Brunswick military personnel of the American Revolutionary War German emigrants to the United States University of Helmstedt alumni 1749 births 1814 deaths 18th-century American Lutheran clergy Military personnel from Lower Saxony