Enoch Hagenbuch: Early Family Historian, Part 4

We continue with the fourth and final installment of Enoch Hagenbuch’s history of the Hagenbuch family (Read: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3). In this, Enoch details information about the lives of his children and grandchildren.

History of the Hagenbuchs in America (Part 4)

Fifth generation – Harriet, daughter of Enoch, born the 13th of July, 1835. Married Elias Erb the 25th of March, 1858, in La Salle county, Ill. She was born in Berks county, Pa. Nine children were born. Two died infants. Seven are still living – six sons and one daughter (Melinda) – Henry, who stands six feet two inches in his stockings, Enoch, Frank, Lewis, James and Elias. Henry, Enoch and Frank took Horace Greely’s advice¹ and started west for Dakota the 10th of March, 1884. They took eight horses and two wagons by rail. Each took up a homestead there. They took with them a bridle that was brought by their grandfather from Pennsylvania when he moved to Indiana. Their mother being then three years old. It was made of leather tanned by their great-grandfather and made by their grandfather’s brother, Timothy. Good luck to you, boys.

Lydia, second daughter of Enoch, born the 2nd of March, 1837, in Berks Co., Pa. Married the 22nd of April, 1859, to James E. Watt in La Salle county, Ill. He was born in Scotland. They move in February, 1874 to Benton Co., Indiana.  They own 240 acres of land. They have eleven children – seven sons and four daughters.

James W., son of Enoch, born the 20th of July, 1838, in Delaware Co., Ind., and his mother rocked him in a sugar trough when an infant. In September, 1864, he was drafted for the late civil war. He procured a substitute and paid him $850². He belonged to the Grangers³. Time rolled around till he got 160 acres of land in La Salle Co., Ill. On the 22nd of July, 1866, he took unto himself a wife and took her right home with him. Her name was Elizabeth Myers. She was born in Switzerland, Canton Bern, the 7th of September, 1844. Came to America in 1852. They have five children – two sons and three daughters – making the sixth generation: Ida, born the 13th of July, 1867; Ira, born the 25th of August, 1869; Elizabeth, born the 30th of April, 1872; Carrie, born the 17th of August, 1874; James, Jr, born the 22nd of October, 1882.

Clara, daughter of Enoch, born the 28th of January, 1842, in Delaware Co., Ind. Married John Gilmore the 21st of December, 1871, in La Salle Co., Ill. They have seven children. In 1882 they move to Independence, Kansas, where they now live on their 160 acres of land.

Lucinda, daughter of Enoch, born the 2nd of March, 1845, in Richland Co., Ohio. Married the 23rd of March, 1871, to Saban Brobst, in La Salle Co., Ill. He is a mason by trade. They had six children. Three are living – two sons and one daughter. They have 80 acres of land.

Enoch, son of Enoch, born the 14th of September, 1846, in Delaware Co., Ind. He now lives in Benton Co., Ind. and owns 160 acres of land, and is engaged in stock raising and in keeping bachelor’s hall⁴.

Amos Hagenbuch with an unidentified, second wife c. 1902. Credit: MikeHaydock.com

Amos, son of Enoch, born the 27th of March, 1848, in Delaware Co., Ind. He married the 20th of February, 1873 to Louisa M. Douvia. She was born in France the 15th of February, 1849. They have four sons – the sixth generation in America – Albert H., born the 4th of November, 1874, in La Salle Co., Ill.; Amos E., born the 27th of August, 1876, in Benton Co., Ind.; Allen W., born the 2nd of December, 1877, in Benton Co., Ind.; George W., born the 15th of November, 1879, in La Salle Co., Ill. He lives in Benton Co., Ind. He moved there for the last time in 1880, and lives near Wardina. He has 480 acres of land, well improved, good buildings, and well tile drained. He deals in full-blooded Hereford cattle.

Adelina, daughter of Enoch, born the 27th of July, 1850, in Delaware Co., Ind. She married, the 9th of February, 1871, Adolph Bartaway. They have six children – four sons and two daughters. They lived together near thirteen years; then he commenced drinking. She then obtained a divorce. She owns 100 acres of land in Benton Co., Ind.

Melinda, youngest daughter of Enoch, born the 14th of September, 1851, in Delaware Co., Ind. Married the 18th of January, 1874, to Edward Ferry. He was born in France. At twenty-two years of age her weight was 260 pounds. They had three children – two sons and one daughter.  Two sons are now living. At 33 years of age she weighs 309 pounds⁵.

Now I say good bye. God bless the whole fraternity, and may every one answer the design of the Creator in his life and life-work. Now don’t find fault with what I have written, for I am sensible of many errors in this memorial, but hope some good friend will make an improvement upon it.

Yours for the right, always,
May 15, 1884 ENOCH HAGENBUCH

Portrait of Enoch Hagenbuch, c. 1870

This ends the history lesson, detailed and very interesting, taught to us by Enoch Hagenbuch, great grandson of Andreas. This is the type of family history everyone of us should write down for future generations. Not only does one have an understanding of this large Hagenbuch clan but we are also treated to insights into the the character of a man who was proud of his family. His final paragraph is so very meaningful and with the publishing of his historical account in this setting, maybe some little improvement has been made on a monumental family piece.

Notes to Enoch’s history:

1. Horace Greeley was editor of the New York Tribune from 1841 until his death in 1872. In 1865 he popularized a quote by John Soule which first appeared in an 1851 Terre Haute Express editorial: “Go west young man, and grow up with the country.”
2. In March, 1863 the Civl War Military Draft Act was passed by Congress which provided new recruits for the Union Army. As a way to compromise with pacifists, a provision of the Act allowed draftees to opt out of the military by either furnishing a substitute or paying $300 to the government. It seems that James found a substitute but had to pay him dearly to take his place in the army ranks!
3. See Part 2, footnote #4.
4. Although unmarried with a “bachelor’s hall” at the time that Enoch wrote this, Enoch, Jr. did get married in about 1888 to Sarah Katherine Stanfield. They had 5 children: Enoch III b. c.1888 married to May Childress; Earl b. 1890 married to Lottie Lockhart; Edwin b. 1891 married Alice Ferguson; Olive b. 1894 married to George Hollingsworth; and Carl b. c.1896 married to Madeleise Graves. (Note from Mark Hagenbuch: In 1980 while visiting the mid-West Hagenbuchs, I met Olive “Hagenbuch” Hollingsworth who at that time was 86 years of age.)
5. Thirty-three years old and 309 pounds!  Just one of the many details that makes Enoch’s history so fascinating.