A Memorable 76th Family Reunion

When we plan an event and it is a success, we say to ourselves, “Well, how do we top that? What can we do next time to make it even better?” In reviewing all the activities, the folks who attended, and the fellowship—I believe my answer about the reunion on June 15, 2024 is: “I’m not sure we can do better!”

I’ve had a lot of folks tell Andrew and me that we must have put a lot of work into the family gathering at Hidlay Church. They are correct. There were times I thought things were getting a bit out of hand by adding another activity, more photos, and contacting more cousins. But, it was all worth it as I am still somewhat amazed at the perfectness of the day.

A tour was given of Hidlay Church at the reunion

We had no control over the weather. Yet, it was one of the most beautiful days recently with a pleasant air temperature and light breeze that made being outside very comfortable. The venue—the church, the fellowship hall, and the grounds—could not have been better. Our host cousins, the Harrises (attending were Julie [Harris] Charlton, her parents Earl and Nancy Harris, and her cousin Linda Harris) provided everything necessary and more. The Harris family are truly part of our Hagenbuch clan and we are so grateful to them for preserving the history of Hidlay Church and our family connections to the church sanctuary and cemetery.

Andrew was the “main man.” I took a back seat because of my health, and also because Andrew is more than capable of communicating the history of our family, organizing a large gathering of relatives, socially connecting with everyone, and planning the reunion event. We had almost 80 people attend which brings to mind the saying: “like herding cats.” However, everyone was serious enough to know that a schedule had to be followed and, at the same time, we could take our time to welcome everyone, especially those who had never attended a Hagenbuch Reunion before.

Barbara (Hagenbuch) Huffman, Leon Hagenbuch, and Mark Hagenbuch sat together and talked at the reunion

There were a lot of “aha moments”—those unexpected happenings that occurred during the day and that were the icing on the cake that Andrew and I had already cooked up. For example, I was thrown into a tizzy at the very start as I was juggling the distribution of name tags, setting up the ticket process to raffle off t-shirts and a mug with a Hagenbuch patch from the 1991 reunion, greeting people especially those I had not met before, getting the food set up in the fellowship hall, and more! But, aha, my niece Melanie and her daughter, Olivia, came to the rescue and took over the name tag process and raffle activity. Plus, my wife Linda along with a few other ladies set up the food inside the fellowship hall. Phew! It gave me time to greet and direct all the arriving relatives before the start of the event which was Andrew’s history lesson in the church.

Andrew Hagenbuch gave a tour of the cemetery at Hidlay Church

Aha! Andrew and I had a lot of displays to set up, and I was trying to organize that when others came with more photos and ephemera to add. Very important additions of family memorabilia came from Norma Kay (Penman) Hurter, Julie (Harris) Charlton, and Steve Hagenbuch. The memorabilia added to the photos that Andrew and I provided, such as a reproduction of war hero James “Jimmy” Hagenbuch’s World War II helmet, the framed birth and baptism Taufschein for Anna Elizabeth (Hagenbuch) Reichelderfer, and the hooked rug of our Hagenbuch symbol made by Steve Steiner many years ago. All of these items continue to add to the reputation of our family history as it is more than just names, dates, and places. It’s also photos, ephemera, and material items that add to the stories that create our living family history.

Family members descended from Percy Hagenbuch (b. 1880) attended the reunion

A big aha for my immediate family: As folks were getting their name tags and purchasing raffle tickets from my niece and grand niece, I noticed a young fellow walking toward us. Oh my! It was my nephew, Robert Hagenbuch Jr., from Kansas City, Missouri! His parents, my brother Bob and his wife Marcia, were attending the reunion but nephew Robert’s arrival was a complete surprise. Our family’s eyes lit up as we greeted him, and it made for an even more happy occasion as Robert displayed his great interest in keeping family connections strong and learning about our genealogy.

It was an aha that came from having happy children as part of a family reunion. At least 10 children—all cousins—were present. They enjoyed many activities thanks to my wife, Linda, who provided balls, balloons, and blowing bubbles. Then my daughter’s husband, Nelson, kept them busy with activities, encouraging them to run, laugh, and chase each around the beautiful, grassy grounds of Hidlay Church. Other adults participated in the fun, and there was constant joy from the children as we adults watched. We were involved in the “serious” parts of a reunion: the history and the fellowship. (I write this tongue in cheek, since the children added so much to the happy atmosphere!)

There were a number of young children at the reunion

We exclaimed “aha!” at the fact that descendants of three of Andreas Hagenbuch’s (b. 1715) four sons were present. Those three sons were: Michael (b. 1746), Christian (b. 1747), and John (b. 1763). We had hoped that descendants of Andreas’ eldest son, Henry (b. 1737), would be present, but that did not occur. However, as Andrew told the attendees, this is probably the first time since the late 1700s, more than 225 years, that descendants of three of Andreas’ sons were together.

For genealogists, this is a monumental achievement. Maybe in two years, at the 77th Hagenbuch Reunion, we can have descendants of all four of Andreas’ sons together, along with some descendants of Andreas’ six daughters that married. A very special thanks to Jean (Hagenbuch) Kretzing, her son Dale, and his wife Beth, Kirk Swenson, Norma Kay (Penman) and Skip Hurter, and Louise Hagenbuch for representing Christian and John’s lines!

The gravestone of Salome Hagenbuch (b. 1797, d. 1810) was a highlight of the cemetery tour

Aha for the interest attendees had in the church as Andrew presented some of its history and explained our connections to the Harris family. Hidlay Church is going through a difficult time as attendance has plummeted and the church may not be able to continue as a place of worship. Recognition from the state historical organization may help which always means donations are needed. Aha! We are proud to write that a meaningful contribution of $300 was given to the church, thanks to the generosity of our folks at the reunion.

The ahas continued during the cemetery tour. The highlight for me (as I am an obsessive cemetery aficionado) was the viewing of Salome Hagenbuch’s (b. 1797) gravestone, in lovely German script—the oldest Hagenbuch stone in the cemetery. A daughter of Henry (b. 1772) and wife Mary (Wolf) Hagenbuch (b. 1774), Salome was almost 13 when she died in 1810. Relatives asked questions about the cause of death. While it was likely disease, no official records exist to know for certain.

A potluck lunch was served inside the fellowship hall, while family artifacts and photographs were displayed on tables along the wall

Aha to the nearly 80 attendees, who lined up to partake of the various foods that were provided, after Butch Shuler offered a thankful prayer to our Lord. Everyone was generous with what they brought, and the serving line seem to go on forever. Yet, all were fed in an orderly fashion, and there was plenty for seconds and thirds!

In a related aha, Andrew led the final activity of the day—making six quarts of Grape-nut ice cream. The younger set (and a few of the older) volunteered to hand crank the ice cream. Everyone enjoyed sitting outside, talking, spooning the sweet crunchy treat into our mouths, and winding down from a truly perfect day. Although the reunion was scheduled to end at 4 PM, it was a testament to our kinship that many stayed longer and continued to visit until nearly 5 PM. The final aha was the fact that so many cousins helped to clean up: cleaning up food and dishes, folding up chairs and tables, and putting everything back in its right place.

Grape-nut ice cream was hand cranked and served at the reunion

This was a memorable reunion, truly one for the history books. It once again proved that relatives from different families can continue to meet and reconnect with each other, even though hundreds of years have passed since their ancestors sat together to break bread. Let’s all continue to keep in touch and share our stories through Hagenbuch.org.

Many thanks to everyone who attended. We look forward to the 77th Hagenbuch Reunion in two years!

Please note: We have Hagenbuch patches ($6) and t-shirts ($30) available. Shipping is included. If you are interested, please Contact Us for more information.

A group photograph shows many of the attendees at the 76th Hagenbuch Reunion