Dr. Elmer J. Hagenbaugh: Library Thief, Physician, and Convict

On January 30, 1890, 26-year-old Elmer J. Hagenbaugh was arrested in Los Gatos, California. He was charged with grand larceny and accused of stealing $206 of books (around $7,000 today) from the State Library in Sacramento, CA and the Odd Fellows’ Library in San Francisco, CA.

A few days later, on February 4th, Elmer stood before a judge. According to the Sacramento Bee, he fidgeted and had a meek smile. Evidence of the thefts was entered into the record, including Elmer’s confession to the crime. A librarian, Talbot H. Wallis, came forward and described how he became suspicious when books would go missing after Elmer’s frequent visits to the State Library building.

Additional witnesses provided details about Elmer shipping boxes to “C.A. Hagenbaugh, Sherwood, Michigan.” This person was identified as his father. When the parcels were opened, a full set of Chamber’s Encyclopedia was found, along with five volumes of Wit and Humor. It was determined that Elmer had stolen other books too, as well as numerous keys used to lock railroad switches. When asked by the judge if he had anything to say for himself, Elmer replied “Well, I guess it wouldn’t do much good.”

Newspaper article about Elmer J. Hagenbaugh stealing books. Credit: Sacramento Union, February 5, 1890

On March 4, 1890, Elmer J. Hagenbaugh was found guilty and sentenced to three years at Folsom State Prison in California. During his incarceration, he held a job as a bookkeeper. He was released early on July 4, 1892. It was Elmer’s first conviction, although it would not be his last.

Elmer Jasper Hagenbaugh was born on January 2, 1864 in Sherwood Township, Branch County, Michigan. He was the son of Christian Oliver Hagenbaugh (b. 1834) and Lydia Ann (Davis) Hagenbaugh (b. 1838). Elmer’s line is as follows: Andreas (b. 1715) > Michael (b. 1746) > Christian (b. 1770) > Caleb C. (b. 1810) > Christian Oliver (b. 1834) > Elmer Jasper (b. 1864).

The Hagenbaughs were a farming family, and Christian Oliver Hagenbaugh owned land near his father, Caleb. Elmer grew up in a house with four sisters: Martha (b. 1860), Hattie (b. 1862), Ladema (b. 1867), and Lunetta (b. 1869). He graduated from the Michigan State Normal School in 1885 with a high school diploma. He may have also received a teaching certificate.

Lithograph of the Michigan State Normal School in 1878. Credit: Library of Congress

After graduating, Elmer and some of his family moved to Sacramento, CA. Christian Oliver registered to vote there in 1888. By 1890, they had moved back to Michigan, except for Elmer who stayed in California. Perhaps down on his luck and in need of some easy money, he began stealing, which ultimately resulted in his conviction and imprisonment.

Elmer was released from prison in 1892. He started attending school again, and in 1900 he was residing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with his sister, Hattie, and her husband, Harry W. Clegern (b. 1868). The census taker recorded that Elmer was a physician. However, he didn’t complete medical school until 1905, when he graduated from Toledo Medical College in Toledo, Ohio.

Dr. Elmer J. Hagenbaugh was licensed to practice medicine in Illinois and appears to have lived briefly in Chicago, Ill. On May 16, 1906 he married Ella Conn (b. 1860) of Elkhart, Indiana. While her death certificate lists a birth year of 1860, the census from that year indicates that Ella was already several years old and had a younger brother. Therefore, she may have actually been born closer to 1857, meaning that when the couple married Ella was 49 and Elmer was 42.

Toledo Medical College, c. 1900. Credit: Wikipedia.org

They moved to Rochester, Minnesota in 1909 and back to Ella’s hometown, Elkhart, in 1910. Here, Elmer worked as a physician and had his own practice. While the couple had no children together, Ella’s friend, Lillian Pomeroy Emerson (b. 1856), lived with them for many years.

According to her 1921 obituary in the Elkhart Truth, Lillian was a niece of Ralph Waldo Emerson. She came to Elkhart around 1876 and took music lessons from Ella. She joined the Conn family, remaining with them during the 13 years Ella studied music in Boston, MA. Both women had a passion for music, and Lillian grew into an accomplished pianist. She taught children ages four to fifteen how to play the keyboard. After Lillian died, Elmer and Ella lived alone in Bristol, IN just outside of Elkhart.

Starting in 1933, Elmer began to run into legal trouble again, when he was charged with “criminal practice” for performing an “illegal operation” (an abortion) on a woman. The case was brought to trial, and he was acquitted by a jury on January 13, 1934. Later that year, Ella died on October 28, 1934. As her will was read, Elmer was dumbstruck. He only received $100 from her $15,000 estate—some of which had been inherited when her parents died. He sued, stating that she was not in full possession of her faculties when she made her will. The case eventually went to trial in 1937, although its outcome was not reported in the papers.

Elmer’s legal troubles continued after Ella’s death. On August 2, 1944 at the age of 79, he was charged with performing another abortion and fined $1,000. Then, the next year he was arrested—again for performing an abortion. This case garnered significant attention, stemming from Elmer’s advanced age and the story surrounding the situation.

Article about Dr. Elmer J. Hagenbaugh being sentenced to prison in 1945. Credit: Battle Creek Enquirer, May 10, 1945

The woman at the center of the case, Gladys J. (Briggs) Turk (b. 1922), had married Vercel L. Turk in 1942. The couple resided in Vermontville, Michigan and had a daughter in 1943. About the same time, Vercel joined the United States Army and was sent overseas to fight in World War II. While he was deployed, Gladys had an affair with another man and became pregnant.

In late April of 1945, when Gladys was about seven months pregnant, she asked a friend and coworker, Robert C. Luby (b. 1925), to pose as her husband and rent an apartment out of the public eye. According to court testimony, Gladys maintained that Robert was not the father of her child and was only a helpful friend. On May 2nd, Dr. Elmer Hagenbaugh visited Gladys and Robert at the apartment and performed an abortion.

The trio—Elmer, Gladys, and Robert—were arrested a few days later and charged. Elmer pleaded guilty and was sentenced five to fifteen years in prison. He reportedly told the judge, “[I have] never done anything that I felt my maker would not approve of.” During one hearing, it came to light that he was not licensed to practice medicine in the state of Michigan, only in Illinois and Minnesota. Robert also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the “illegal operation” and received a sentence of eight months to fifteen years. Gladys was the last to be sentenced. She was given one to fifteen years for manslaughter.

Gravestone of Dr. Elmer J. Hagenbaugh. Credit: Findagrave.com/Dena West

An elderly man, Elmer did not survive long in the Michigan State Prison. He died there on March 1, 1946 at the age of 82. He was buried near his parents in Sherwood Cemetery in Branch County, MI. Both Gladys (Briggs) Turk and Robert Luby served less than two years. Robert became a minister, married, and had a family. Gladys remained married to her husband, Vercel, although she did not have any other children.

Our Hagenbuch family is full of all types of people—most respectable, some questionable, and still others somewhere in between. Dr. Elmer J. Hagenbaugh was certainly a character. He led a fascinating life, albeit a controversial one, that put him behind bars on multiple occasions. Yet, regardless of how we judge him today, his story with its good and bad acts is worth remembering.