John Andrew Shulze was born July 19, 1774 in Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, the son of Lutheran minister Christopher Emmanuel Shulze and grandson of Henry Melchoir Muhlenberg. Ordained as a Lutheran pastor in 1796, he left the ministry for health reasons in 1802 to become a merchant. In 1806 he took his place in the Muhlenberg political dynasty with his election to the Pennsylvania General Assembly where he served three terms. Shulze then served in several row offices in Lebanon County government from 1813 to 1821 before returning to the General Assembly and then being elected to the State Senate in 1822. In 1824 Shulze became the 6th Governor of Pennsylvania, defeating former U.S. Senator Andrew Gregg. He won reelection over challenger John Sargeant in 1826 in one of the most lopsided contests in Pennsylvania political history. During his tenure in office, Shulze pushed unsuccessfully for a free compulsory education system in Pennsylvania, which was later adopted under the administration of his successor, George Wolf. He also oversaw major canal and road building projects. After leaving office, Shulze retired to Montoursville, Pennsylvania. He returned briefly to the public spotlight to become a delegate to the first national convention of the Whig Party in 1839, and served as president of Pennsylvania’s Electoral College which elected William Henry Harrison as the 9th U.S. President in 1840. John Andrew Shulze died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on November 18, 1852.