Inventory of Andreas Hagenbuch’s Estate
Reconstructing the past can be a challenging task. The further one digs back through time, the fewer records exist to point the way. Such is the case when researching the first Hagenbuchs to emigrate from Europe to the Americas.
Recently, a fascinating discovery was made. It has begun to reveal new facets from the life of Andreas Hagenbuch (b. 1711) and his family, who settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1738.
Andreas Hagenbuch died in 1785 at the age of 74. In his Last Will and Testament, he gave large sums of money and land to his children. However, his will did not account for everything in his estate. As a result, an inventory was compiled of the remaining pieces of his estate after he died.
Below is a transcription of this inventory with only minor adjustments made for spelling. The appraised value of each item is noted on the right in Pounds (£), Shillings (s), and Pence (p).
This document is a significant find, shedding new light on the first American Hagenbuch family. Through it, we now know what clothing Andreas Hagenbuch wore and can assess some of the valuables he owned. We are able to see how the family generated income through the production of linen goods and the distillation of brandy. We can even know the people who Andreas lent money to and collected interest from.
Future articles will further examine this document and explore the specific items listed within it.
Inventory and Appraisement of all the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of the Estate of Andreas Hagenbuch, late of Albany Township in the County of Berks and in the State of Pennsylvania, deceased, which came into the hands of the Executors of the said deceased.
| Item | £ | s | d |
|---|---|---|---|
| two hats | 4 | ||
| a brown coat and a blue jacket without sleeves | 15 | ||
| a brown jacket and a white jacket without sleeves | 6 | ||
| two jackets | 10 | ||
| a greatcoat | 10 | ||
| two pair of deerskin breeches | 15 | ||
| a linen jacket | 3 | ||
| a pair of striped drawers | 3 | ||
| three pair of linen drawers | 5 | ||
| four shirts | 12 | ||
| four new shirts | 18 | ||
| two pair of stockings | 5 | ||
| two pair of shoes | 10 | ||
| a book | 5 | ||
| a great pewter plate | 8 | ||
| a little pewter plate | 3 | ||
| a great pewter dish | 6 | ||
| a little pewter dish | 5 | ||
| eight plates | 6 | ||
| three spoons | 1 | ||
| nineteen yards of fine flax linen | 2 | 17 | |
| twenty yards of linen | 3 | ||
| fourteen and a half yards of linen | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| five yards of toile linen | 10 | ||
| two tablecloths | 8 | ||
| twenty nine yards of coarse linen | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| six fine tablecloths | 1 | ||
| two coarse tablecloths | 4 | 6 | |
| two spotted towels | 1 | ||
| a pair of mittens and three man caps | 4 | ||
| one spotted tablecloth | 3 | ||
| a white bag | 1 | ||
| three coarse linen sheets | 9 | ||
| a blue coverlet and two pillow coverlets | 10 | ||
| one hundred gallons of brandy | 10 | 16 | 8 |
| an old iron kettle and an iron pot | 8 | ||
| a tea kettle | 6 | ||
| a sprinkle pot | 4 | ||
| a pewter can | 1 | ||
| a peppermill | 1 | ||
| a tin bowl | 1 | ||
| a bond of Michael Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1785 | 40 | ||
| a bond of Michael Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1786 | 40 | ||
| a bond of Michael Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1787 | 40 | ||
| a bond of Michael Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1788 | 40 | ||
| a bond of Michael Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1789 | 40 | ||
| a bond of Michael Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1790 | 40 | ||
| a bond of Michael Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1791 | 40 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1783 | 40 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1784 | 75 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1785 | 75 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1786 | 75 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1787 | 75 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1788 | 75 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1789 | 75 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1790 | 75 | ||
| a bond of Christian Hagenbuch payable the 27th Nov. 1791 | 75 | ||
| a bond of Michael Reichelderfer payable the 27th Nov. 1784 | 40 | ||
| interest | 2 | ||
| a bond of Michael Brobst payable the 17th Oct. 1783 | 25 | ||
| interest | 1 | 10 | |
| a bond of Jacob Kistler payable the 27th May 1786 | 17 | ||
| interest | 12 | 8 | |
| a bond of Gottfried Seidel payable the 27th Nov. 1784 | 21 | 4 | |
| interest | 2 | 10 | 4 |
| all his book debts | 39 | 13 | 3 |
| cash | 3 | 5 | |
| notes of banknote interest | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| banknotes for 3500 dollars continental money | |||
| Total | 1105 | 17 | 5 |
| cash | 6 | 15 | |
| 1112 | 12 | 5 |
The Inventory and Appraisement was made and appraised by us the subscribers (who being first duly qualified for that purpose) according to the best of our knowledge and understanding in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals dated the 8th day of October AD 1785.
Signatures of Jacob Smith and John Brobst
Registers Office Reading in Berks County, October 11th 1785 appeared Jacob Smith and John Brobst and on their solemn qualification did say that they have appraised the goods in the above Inventory to the best of their understanding.
Coram me Henry Christ, Register
