Author: Mark Hagenbuch

Wahren Christentum 1679 0

The Book, Part 5: The Facts

My obsession with Johann Arndt’s Wahren Christentum (True Christianity) began in July of 2015 when my son, Andrew, wrote an article about Andreas Hagenbuch’s will. I learned at that time that Andreas had willed...

River Church, Delaware Run, St. John's Lutheran 0

The Book, Part 4

This is the fourth in a five part series about “the book” owned by Andreas Hagenbuch (b. 1715). At the end of Part 3, the immigrant Andreas Hagenbuch has died and willed the book,...

Nine Tailors 1774 0

The Book, Part 3

Below is a continuation of the story of the Lutheran pietist book, Wahren Christentum (True Christianity) written by Johann Arndt, which was willed to John Hagenbuch (b. 1763) by his father, Andreas Hagenbuch (b. 1715)....

Harold Sechler and Homer Hagenbuch 3

The Last of Their Generation

Harold Sechler and Ellen Hagenbuch were first cousins. Harold’s father, John Sechler, was a brother to Ellen’s mother, Hannah (Sechler) Hagenbuch, born 1889.  Only a year apart in age Harold and Ellen died within...

Horse and Rider detail painting Bryant White 0

The Book, Part 2

Below is the continuation of a short story in the historical fiction genre regarding the book Wahres Christentum (True Christianity), which Andreas Hagenbuch (b. 1715) willed to his youngest son, John (b. 1763). Read Part 1...

Wahres Christentum Book Engravings Detail 0

The Book, Part 1

I expect most people don’t regularly read what I term as pure history. However, many people read historical fiction where the plot, the setting, and the characters are located in the past; but the...

Ernest and Hannah Hagenbuch, 1943 1

The Five Families

Two weeks ago while searching Findagrave.com for information pertaining to my latest article, I came across a Christian Hagenbuch born in Germany in 1818 who is buried in Kansas. Amazed at this newly discovered...

Gravestone of Mark and Mary Hagenbuch 0

Mark, Mark, and Mark

Most of us find it curious when we run across someone who has the same name that we have, especially if our last name is Hagenbuch and our first name isn’t commonly used. I...

Cromis and Sechler Family Members, 1936 5

New Year’s “Back in the Day”

New Year’s Day is celebrated in many ways. In our family on the Montour County farm, it was a day of traditional foods: pork and sauerkraut accompanied by fresh baked bread smothered in butter...