Tragedy in the William B. Hagenbuch Family

Earlier this year, we received a message from Susan (Irwin) Mendenhall that included the following:

I stumbled upon your website and have looked at your wonderful Beechroots tree! Sadly, you are missing my great grandmother Ellen Sarah Hagenbuch (b. 1881, d. 1966).

While my father, Mark, and I have made significant progress documenting our Hagenbuch family in Beechroots, we recognize that much work remains. Anytime we learn of someone we have missed, we are presented with a new opportunity to discover more stories. Susan concluded her message with a tantalizing detail about her great grandmother’s father, William B. Hagenbuch (b. 1851):

William was a sheriff’s deputy and was murdered one night while out in the barn by a disgruntled prison escapee.

This was fascinating stuff, and I asked Susan if she would be interested in writing about her 2nd great grandfather, William. She agreed. Susan’s Hagenbuch family line is Andreas (b. 1715) > Michael (b. 1746) > Jacob (b. 1777) > Amos Hagenbuch (b. 1808) > William B. (b. 1851) > Ellen Sarah Hagenbuch (b. 1881, m. George John Stoll) > Olga Cecilia Stoll (b. 1903, m. George C. Irwin) > Robert Gene Irwin (b. 1937) > Susan (Irwin) Mendenhall.

According to the documents that Susan provided, William B. Hagenbuch was born on November 7, 1852 in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania near the town of Snyders. (This contradicts historian Enoch Hagenbuch—William’s uncle—who wrote that his nephew was born on November 4, 1851. Enoch is known to have made errors, though.) William’s father, Amos (b. 1808), grew up on the Hagenbuch Homestead in Albany Township, Berks County, PA.

William B. Hagenbuch, c. 1872

Amos moved William and the rest of his family to Mason County, Illinois in the spring of 1859. William grew up and on March 5, 1874 he married Fannie Buehler. Eventually, the couple relocated to neighboring Logan County, Ill. An 1893 map of landowners shows that William owned 77 acres of land near the town of Chestnut, Ill. He worked as a farmer and also owned a livery stable. Later he served as deputy sheriff, a role that would contribute to his demise.

William and Fannie had six children together: Daniel Fred (b. 1874, d. 1885), Lewis Edward (b. 1877, d. 1885), George Albert (b. 1879, d. 1888), Ellen Sarah (b. 1881, d. 1966, m. George John Stoll), Louisa (b. 1882, d. 1973, m. Fred William Stoll), and Clara (b. 1891, d. 1965). All three sons died as children. In 1885, Daniel and Lewis drowned while swimming in Salt Creek, near Mount Pulaski, Ill. Then, just a few months later, George was thrown from a pony and dragged to death.

William B. Hagenbuch family in front of their home, c. 1893. L to R: Unidentified boy (on horse), William, Fannie, Clara, Louise, and Ellen.

In 1908, tragedy struck again. Susan provided the following article from the Illinois State Journal which tells the story:

WM. B. HAGENBUCH SHOT TO DEATH AT CHESTNUT

HENRY HATCHETT, AN ESCAPED LUNATIC, HAS BEEN ARRESTED, BEING CHARGED WITH THE AWFUL CRIME, WHICH OCCURRED LAST FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 17, 1908

William B. Hagenbuch, a prominent citizen of Chestnut, Logan County, and located about eight miles northeast of Mt. Pulaski, was shot and fatally injured shortly before 3 o’clock Friday evening, January 17, 1908 a few yards from his residence, the crime supposed to have been done in a fit of insanity. Mr. Hagenbuch was taken on the Illinois Central southbound Diamond Special about 3:00 o’clock Saturday morning to the Springfield hospital in Springfield, where he died at 5:00 o’clock while on the operating Table.

Never in the history of Chestnut had such such a crime been committed in the village, and the news of the awful deed spread like wildfire for many many miles around. The bold crime completely unnerved the peaceful citizens and for fear that others would become victims, guards were stationed at several points in and near the town and kept watch until the news came late Saturday afternoon of Hatchett’s capture. Hatchett escaped after the shooting and several hours afterwards a Decatur bloodhound was put on the trail which led off toward Decatur.

Hatchett had made threats against Mr. Hagenbuch’s life; also against some other Chestnut citizens, though it is said Mr. Hagenbuch never feared him. He has for several years been subject to insanity and several times was sent to an insane hospital. He had lately been in the asylum and last summer escaped and has been staying around Decatur. He arrived in Chestnut Friday evening and was seen with a gun some time after 7 o’clock. His son Samuel wanted him to go into the house and eat supper, but Hatchett refused to do so and left.

Henry Hatchett, 1908

Mr. Hagenbuch was down town early in the evening in company with a relative, Louis Rentschler. At a little before 8 o’clock they returned to the home of Mr. Hagenbuch, where Mr. Rentschler had left his horse. When starting for his home in the country, Mr. Hagenbuch followed Mr. Rentschler to the street corner and was in conversation with him when a man came along whom they thought was another citizen they knew and paid no particular attention to him. He advanced to within a few yards of them and saying something shot at Mr. Hagenbuch the shot taking effect in his abdomen. The shot frightened Mr. Rentschler’s horse, which started to run, and undoubtedly saved his life.

William B. Hagenbuch was born in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania on the 7th of November, 1852 and at the time of his death was aged 55 years, 2 months and 22 days. Mr. Hagenbuch is survived by his wife and three daughters, Mrs. Fred Stoll, Mrs. George Stoll, and Miss Clara, of Chestnut. He was in the livery business in Chestnut for a number of years, but retired three years ago. He was also a retired farmer, and had fortune of about $20,000.

William B. Hagenbuch family, c. 1897. L to R: William, Ellen, Louise, Clara, and Fannie.

This last tragedy reminds the people that this is the fourth tragedy in the Hagenbuch family. In 1885 and 1886 while residing on the old Mantle farm on Salt Creek, four miles north of Mt. Pulaski, he lost three sons. Two were drowned while swimming in the creek, and a few months afterward another son was thrown from a runaway pony and dragged to death. The father and three sons are all buried in the Mt. Pulaski cemetery.

The remains of William B. Hagenbuch arrived from Springfield Sunday, and taken to the family residence. Monday morning, Jan 20th at 11 o’clock funeral services were held at the Lutheran church in German, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Ernest Biel. Owing to the prominence of the decedent, the high respect in which he was held and the unfortunate manner in which he met his death, and the large number of sorrowing friends in attendance at the funeral, English services were also held just across the street in the M. E. church by Rev. R. Brenner of the First Lutheran church, Mt. Pulaski. The remains were then brought to Mt. Pulaski and laid to rest in Mt. Pulaski cemetery.

The popularity of the decedent was attested by the large attendance at the funeral. Almost every resident of the village was present to pay homage to the man, whose tragic death has greatly stirred this place. Both churches were crowded to the doors. Farmers for miles around came to the city to attend the services.

Louis Rentschler, whom William was speaking to when he was shot, was a nephew through his sister Elizabeth “Eliza” (Hagenbuch) Rentschler. Subsequent newspaper articles describe Henry Hatchett’s motive for the murder: He believed that William B. Hagenbuch, while deputy sheriff, had been one of the people responsible for him being committed to an asylum. Hatchett wanted revenge. Ultimately, he was tried and convicted of murder. He received a life in prison sentence and died there in 1915.

William’s wife, Fannie, died on February 28, 1912, less than five years after her husband was killed. She is buried in Mount Pulaski Cemetery beside her husband and near the couple’s three young sons—Daniel Fred (b. 1874), Lewis Edward (b. 1877), George Albert (b. 1879). The couple’s youngest daughter, Clara (b. 1891), is buried close by. She never married, and, according to the family’s oral history, may have suffered brain damage as a child after contracting the measles.

Louise and Ellen Hagenbuch, c. 1900

The remaining two of William and Fannie’s daughters did marry and have children. In fact, they married brothers! Ellen Sarah (b. 1881) married George John Stoll (b. 1877) and Louisa (b. 1882) married his brother, Frederick “Fred” William Stoll (b. 1879). Susan (Irwin) Mendenhall, who first reached out to us about William B. Hagenbuch, is descended through Ellen Sarah (Hagenbuch) and George Stoll. They are her great grandparents.

Our Hagenbuch family is full of stories—some humorous, some inspiring, and still others tragic. No one would argue that the deaths of three children constitutes a terrible tragedy. Add to this the murder of their father and the toll on one family is simply incomprehensible. Yet, even through all of this suffering, William B. and Fannie (Beuhler) Hagenbuch’s descendants persevered. Their line continues to this day, enabling us to know them and their story.

Many thanks to Susan (Irwin) Mendenhall for preserving her family’s history and sharing it with us!