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...
This Week's Article From the Beech Grove
Preserving Family Treasures
On a snowy Saturday at the end of 2017, my father, Mark Hagenbuch, and I traveled to visit his cousin, Joe Robb. As first cousins, my father and Joe share grandparents–Clarence Hagenbuch (b. 1889,...
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...
Reunion Update and Email Newsletter
As announced last year, the Hagenbuch reunion will be revived in 2018. The date and location are as follows: When: Sunday, June 24, 2018 at 12:30PM Where: Oak Grove Lutheran Church, 130 Hagenbuch Loop,...
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...
Home Remedies
Recently my father, Mark Hagenbuch, handed me a recipe book once owned by Bessie Mae (Robbins) Sechler (b. 1888, d. 1973). It was previously in the possession of Harold Sechler (b. 1923), who is...
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...
Holiday Baking, A Family Tradition
Every year, as we approach Christmas and New Years, many families prepare for the time-honored tradition of holiday baking. Looking back, I can fondly remember platters stacked with pressed cookies, powdered snowballs, and sugar...
Christmas Babies
People born on holidays often see it as a double edged sword. Some of the holiday-born believe that the festivities take away from their birthday celebration. Others believe the holiday enhances their own personal...
Andreas Hagenbuch’s Land in Northampton County, PA
After Andreas Hagenbuch (b. 1715, d. 1785) arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1737, he went in search of suitable land to farm and live upon. Between 1738 and 1766, Andreas acquired around 178 acres...
