William Augustus Muhlenberg (1796-1877), American clergyman, was the principal representative in the Protestant Episcopal Church of the reform enthusiasm that swept America during the early 1800s.

Born on Sept. 16, 1796, into a prominent Pennsylvania family, William Augustus Muhlenberg received both secondary and college education at the University of Pennsylvania. Although his ancestors were leaders among Pennsylvania Lutherans, his mother permitted him his preference for the Protestant Episcopal Church. In 1820 he became a priest and assumed a pastorate in Lancaster, Pa.

For the next several years Muhlenberg busied himself with writing hymns and helping found a public school system, but the community was uncongenial. At the age of 30, while visiting relatives at Flushing, N.Y., he agreed to serve for 6 months as minister to their parish. Subsequently he joined with local businessmen to found the first Episcopal church school and became its headmaster. His emphasis on educating the "whole child...