Timothy Hagenbuch’s Taufschein for Maria Magdalena Friess

A few weeks ago, I was searching Google for a document related to our Hagenbuch family. I can’t remember exactly what I was looking for now, but I often use search engines to find items I have previously viewed online. As I browsed the results, I noticed an image of a Taufschein—a birth and baptism certificate—that I hadn’t seen before. I clicked on it and was taken to eBay, where the item was being sold.

The Taufschein was from 1827, written in Pennsylvania Dutch, and was for Maria Magdalena Friess. The Friess family lived near the Hagenbuch Homestead in Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. I read the description accompanying the eBay listing and found no transcription of the Taufschein’s text. This surprised me since my search for “Hagenbuch” had returned the image. What had caused it to be included in the results?

As I closely inspect the photos of the Taufschein, I realized that it had been signed by Timothy Hagenbuch. Timothy was a scrivener. He was born at the Hagenbuch Homestead in 1804 and lived there until his death in 1852. Among other things, Timothy worked as a teacher and scrivener, inscribing Taufscheine for local families. Several have even been featured in a previous articles. Google must have analyzed the image, transcribed its text, and matched my search query to Timothy Hagenbuch’s name. Wow!

Taufschein for Maria Magdalena Friess inscribed by Timothy Hagenbuch, 1827

I wanted to add this unique piece to the Hagenbuch Archives. They are an ever-expanding repository of our family’s history. I made an offer, and it was accepted by the seller. A week later, I was in possession of the Taufschein. It is the earliest example of Timothy Hagenbuch’s work, having been created when he was only 23 years old. I asked Jean McLane if he would help to translate the center text of the Taufschein. He graciously agree and provided the following:

Birth and Baptism Certificate
[To] these two married people, namely: Peter Friess and his lawfully wedded housewife Maria née Lang a daughter has been born into the world, the 11th day [of] September in the year of our Lord, 1827. This daughter was born in Albany Township in Berks County, in the state of Pennsylvania in North America; and received through Holy Baptism the name Maria Magdalena the 21st day of October in the year 1827 by the Honorable Mr. Johan Zülch, Reformed Preacher. Baptismal Witnesses were: Robert Stapleton and his wife Magdalena.

This Taufschein began as a broadside illustrated by Johann Ritter (b. 1779) and printed in Reading, PA. It was then hand-colored and inscribed by Timothy Hagenbuch. The Taufschein records the birth of Maria Magdalena Friess who was born on September 11, 1827 in Albany Township, Berks County, PA and was baptized on October 21, 1827.

Detail of the bottom portion of the Taufschein, including that the broadside was printed in Reading and designed by Johann Ritter

Curiously, Timothy Hagenbuch inscribed her name as “Pallä” only to have another person scribble it out and write “Maria Magdalena.” After pondering the name Pallä for awhile, I realized this is likely a Pennsylvania Dutch pronunciation of “Polly”—a nickname for Maria or Mary. It appears Timothy was told the girl’s name, and he inscribed it based upon what he heard. A member of the Friess family later replaced it with her full name.

Maria Magdalena’s father was Peter Friess and her mother was Maria (Lang). Research shows that the Friess and Lang (also written as “Long”) families lived near the Hagenbuchs in Albany Township. In fact, one of Peter’s relatives, Cornelius Friess, settled upon a 200 acre parcel of land that Andreas Hagenbuch (b. 1715) had received a warrant for in early 1738. (Andreas later abandoned that lot and built his homestead elsewhere in 1741.) Additionally, Timothy mentions a Michael Friess in an 1839 letter. Michael Friess appears to be the older brother of Peter Friess and, according to the New Bethel Church baptism records, his sponsors were Michael Hagenbuch (b. 1746) and Eva Elizabeth (Kunz) Hagenbuch (b. 1745).

New Bethel Church also recorded that Peter Friess was born on April 23, 1799 and was baptized June 16, 1799. The sponsors were Peter Donat and Magdalene Klingaman. The Taufschein lists that he married Maria Lang (b. 1801), who was probably from a nearby family headed by John Lang (or Long). Peter and Maria’s children were all born in Albany Township. The family appears on the 1830, 1840, and 1850 census for that location.

Detail of the middle portion of the Taufschein, showing details about Maria Magdalena Friess, as well as her parents, the preacher, and the sponsors. Timothy Hagenbuch’s signature is at the very bottom of the image.

By 1860, the couple had moved to Walnut Township, Pickaway County, Ohio. Others from Albany Township had already relocated here, including Anna Elizabeth (Hagenbuch) Reichelderfer. However, the Friesses didn’t stay here long, and in 1870 they were living near Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana. The census for that year shows them residing in the same home as their son, Isaac Friess, along with his wife and two young children. Peter and Maria (Lang) Friess seem to have died before 1880 and are likely buried in Indiana.

Little is known about their daughter, Maria Magdalena Friess. According to the 1850 census, she was still living in Albany Township, Berks County, PA, although she had moved out of her parents’ home and into the house of Daniel and Mary Schollenberger. She may have been a servant or caretaker for the couple’s three young children. She probably married and may have followed her parents and brother west to Indiana. This theory is based upon the fact that her Taufschein was shipped from a location within the state.

Additional information can be gleaned from the document too. The minister who performed Maria Magdalena’s baptism was Reverend Johan Zülch. Research shows that Zülch lived in Lynn Township, Lehigh County, PA. This area borders Albany Township to the east. Reverend Zülch was a minister for the German Reformed Church, a Calvinist denomination. Some Lutheran and Reformed congregations shared worship spaces in union church arrangements.

Michael and Abigail (Stapleton) Hagenbuch’s names are engraved in stone on the farmhouse at the Hagenbuch Homestead.

One final detail worth noting are the sponsors for the baptism: Robert and Magdalena Stapleton. The couple owned land that adjoined the Hagenbuch Homestead. Robert and Magdalena Stapleton also appear to be the parents of Abigail (b. 1811). Abigail would eventually marry Michael Hagenbuch (b. 1805), who was the last family owner of the Hagenbuch Homestead. Michael and Abigail’s names appear on the stone farmhouse that was built there in 1851.

Documents, photographs, and written records all work to bring our family’s history alive. The 1827 Taufschein for Maria Magdalena Friess perfectly demonstrates this idea. Nearly two centuries old, the birth and baptism certificate captures the handiwork of Timothy Hagenbuch and chronicles relationships within a close-knit, Pennsylvania community.

Special thanks to Jean McLane for translating the Taufschein from Pennsylvania Dutch to English.