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...
Tagged: Berks County
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...
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...
Exploring Christian Hagenbuch’s Family
Some of our Hagenbuch ancestors have left us with more mysteries than others. Christian Hagenbuch (b. 1747, d. 1812) is one of these individuals. When I first began working with my father, Mark Hagenbuch,...
Exploring Hagenbuch Country
Over a year ago, my Aunt Barb—Barbara (Hagenbuch) Huffman—and I were chatting on the phone about the Hagenbuch homestead in Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Being an avid birder, she mentioned how wonderful it...
The Next Morning, A Conversation with Andreas Hagenbuch: Part 3
Months ago an imaginary visit and conversation with Andreas Hagenbuch was written about in two articles: Part 1 and Part 2. The visitor who interviewed Andreas one night in 1784 was John Smith, a...
Powwowing: A Pennsylvania Deitsch Tradition
Those who are not from a Deitsch background rarely understand the term powwowing as it is used among Pennsylvanians. When confronted with the term, most people will quip “Sure, I’ve seen American Indian dancers”,...
The Mysterious Religiosity of Andreas Hagenbuch
Ever since I was a young man and first became acquainted with my great great great great great grandfather, Andreas Hagenbuch through the research of William Hagenbaugh in California, I have been extremely curious...
Thoughts on Michael Hagenbuch’s Estate Inventory: Part 1
On a cold February day in 1856, three men arrived at the Hagenbuch homestead in Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Their names were Ben Lenhart, Jesse Zahner, and Adam Henry, and they had been...
Inventory of Michael Hagenbuch’s Estate
Michael Hagenbuch (b. 1805, d. 1855) was the last family owner of the Hagenbuch homestead in Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. He had acquired the property from his father, Jacob Hagenbuch (b. 1777, d....
