1821–1900

Introduction

Born: De­cem­ber 29, 1821, Charles­town, Penn­syl­van­ia.

Died: Ju­ly 15, 1900, White­marsh, Penn­syl­van­ia.

Buried: Un­ion Ce­me­te­ry, White­marsh, Penn­syl­van­ia.

portrait

Biography

Matthias was the son of Jes­se Shee­leigh and Ma­ry Or­ner.

He was edu­cat­ed at Penn­syl­van­ia Col­lege and the Get­tys­burg Theo­lo­gic­al Sem­in­ary.

Ordained an Ev­an­ge­li­cal Lu­ther­an min­is­ter, he served pas­tor­ates in Val­a­tie, New York; Mi­ners­ville and Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia; Stew­arts­ville, New Jer­sey; and Zi­on Lu­ther­an Church White­marsh (1869–95).

In ad­di­tion to pas­tor­al work, Shee­leigh ed­it­ed the Lu­ther­an Sun­day-School Her­ald and the Lu­ther­an Al­ma­nac, served as pre­si­dent and sec­re­ta­ry to the Ge­ne­ral Synod, and worked with the Lu­ther­an Pub­lish­ing So­cie­ty.

He was well known as an au­thor of po­ems, his­tor­ic­al pa­pers, and hymns; be­longed to va­ri­ous his­tor­ic­al so­cie­ties; and was one of the found­ers of the Penn­syl­van­ia-Ger­man So­cie­ty.

Sources

Lyrics