One Year On

In October of 2014, Hagenbuch.org was born. Since then my father, Mark Hagenbuch, and I have filled the site with over 50 articles on topics related to the Hagenbuch family, history, and genealogy. It’s been a fascinating journey to say the least, and it is tough to believe that it has already been a year!

This site started with a simple idea – that the Hagenbuch family has a unique story that should be shared. It’s something I’d heard about all my life from my father. His genealogical research as a young man and writing for The Beech Grove family newsletter in the 1980s laid the groundwork for what would become this site.

Mark and Andrew Hagenbuch exploring Centralia, Pennsylvania in 2014.

Once we agreed upon building a website, my father and I needed a name for it. Thankfully, another Hagenbuch family member helped us with that. David Hagenbuch of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania held the domain name Hagenbuch.org and was not currently using it. We connected with him and explained what we hoped to create. He graciously gave the domain name to us, enabling this website to be realized. We cannot thank him enough.

The first article on the site was a bit of folklore that told the Story of the Buchbaum and explained the origin of the Hagenbuch family name. Subsequent articles provided factual evidence to support this story including an examination of the Hagenbuch coat-of-arms and a tour of the town of Hagenbuch, Switzerland.

Hagenbuch family coat of arms

Other articles looked at current events and topics. These began with different pronunciations of “Hagenbuch” and efforts to right William Hagenbuch’s toppled gravestone. We even had a guest writer, my wife Sara Hagenbuch, read and review the book Anna’s Crossing. This chronicled the 1737 voyage of the Charming Nancy, the same ship Andreas Hagenbuch traveled aboard to Philadelphia.

The bulk of this writing my father and I have done is related to family history and genealogy. Some of our favorites include examinations of different families such as those of Clarence and Hannah Hagenbuch, Percy and Gertrude Hagenbuch, Samuel and Susanna Hagenbuch, Enoch and Christina Hagenbuch, and Hiram and Mary Hagenbuch.

Samuel and Susanna “Hess” Hagenbuch with their children, c. 1880

We also produced an extensive series of articles on the patriarch of the Hagenbuch family in America, Andreas Hagenbuch. These started with Andreas and his family’s journey from Europe to Pennsylvania in 1737. They went on to cover the family’s acquisition of land in Berks County, establishment of a homestead, struggles on the frontier, expansion of the farm, and the eventual death of Andreas in 1785.

Some of the articles have been of a more personal nature. For example, my father recalled how his great uncle, Percy Hagenbuch, kindled his love of genealogy as a boy. Other articles recounted memories of what it was like to grow up on a Hagenbuch farm and butcher there too.

Homer Hagenbuch with a bowl of ice cream, 1956. His nephew, Lee Hagenbuch Jr., is in the background.

Hagenbuch.org has even touched upon food, culture, music, and fashion. One article listed a recipe for Grape-Nut ice cream, while another discussed the folklore surrounding the competitive eater Hungry Sam Miller. And, let’s not forget about the Hagenbuch Opera House in Allentown, Pennsylvania, music from the time of Andreas Hagenbuch, and fashionable Hagenbuch boys wearing dresses!

Without a doubt, though, the most fulfilling part of creating this website has been the discoveries we’ve made along the way. These include finding Hiram and Mary Ann “Lindner” Hagenbuch’s house outside of Milton, PA, uncovering a lost line of Hagenbuchs in the South, and making contact with Hagenbuch relatives all over the country.

House owned by Hiram and Mary Ann “Lindner” Hagenbuch, c. 1890

It’s been a wonderful first year writing for this site and connecting with the various branches of our family. We hope these articles have brought you closer to your roots and demonstrated the value of documenting family history. As year two begins, we look forward to hearing more from you as we continue with the story of the Hagenbuch family.

If you would like to have your family’s history and genealogy featured, please contact us using the forums on this site or Facebook. Make sure to have images, names, and dates ready to share. Thank you for your support!

-Andrew M. Hagenbuch & Mark O. Hagenbuch