March 26, 1789, Leina (near Gotha), Germany.
May 19, 1854, Ichtershausen, Germany.
Son of H. A. Hey, pastor at Leina, Wilhelm studied at the University of Jena and Göttingen. In 1811, he became a licentiate in theology, and after varied work as a tutor, became in 1818 pastor at Töttelstadt, near Gotha. In 1827, he became court preacher at Gotha, where his preaching attracted large audiences. In 1832, he was appointed superintendent of Ichtershausen.
Hey wrote his poetry mostly for children. His works include:
Hey’s burial place