December, 1992: The Final Issue of The Beech Grove
As most readers know, one of the inspirations for Hagenbuch.org came from my father Mark’s family newsletter, The Beech Grove, which was published between 1982 and 1992. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few people still have their copies tucked away in a box somewhere!
In 2024, my father wrote an article about the stories that led to him to create The Beech Grove, how the periodical evolved over 11 years, and the decision to end the newsletter. He explained its conclusion and what came after in the following passage:
The final Beech Grove was rolled out in 1992. I was not happy with its looks, subscriptions were decreasing, the costs to send out the newsletter were rising, and I was running out of ideas. Thus, came the desert years from 1992 through 2014. During these years, I basically did no genealogical work at all. I’ve written about this time and the things that kept me busy: three children as well as their involvement in school and other activities, my all encompassing career as elementary principal, and possibly the largest genealogical interference of all—living history reenacting. Throughout those 20 years I would, at times, look at the bound Paper Archives, I would sort through some old photos and receive some photos from relatives who wanted me to continue my work. I even stopped going to Hagenbuch reunions.
I remember my father working on this piece and fretting that he could not find his copy of the last issue of The Beech Grove. He searched for days and kept coming up empty handed. Eventually, he settled upon using the June, 1991 newsletter instead.
Page 1 of The Beech Grove from December, 1992
This past weekend, I was in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania visiting my mother, Linda. While there, she suggested I look through a filing cabinet full of my father’s old papers. Initially, I didn’t see much of interest: notes from organizations that Dad was a member of, bills and statements from various accounts, and some old newspaper clippings. Then, I saw a folder in the back of a drawer. When I opened it, I found a number of issues of The Beech Grove, including the final one that was published in December of 1992!
Upon closer inspection, I realized why these newsletters were in a folder together. They were addressed to siblings Bruice H. Hagenbuch (b. 1913, d. 2002) and Julia C. Hagenbuch (b. 1915, d. 2012). When Julia died in late 2012, the documents must have been given to my father. Wisely, he saved them to add to his own archives.
Back address label from the final issue of The Beech Grove
Leafing through the December, 1992 issue, I enjoyed the introduction my father wrote about his memories of Christmas from his youth, along with the candle-lit services at Oak Grove Lutheran Church. I also appreciated his report on preparing for Christmas in 1992. He wrote:
Last Sunday, we put our Christmas tree up. Andrew and I cut it to the right size and carried it in. After I put on the lights (which Linda and Katie untangled), Andrew, Katie, and Julie put on the decorations. They did it all themselves; the crowning touch being Andrew’s train underneath. I think it’s the most beautiful tree we’ve ever had!
Another piece in the newsletter was entitled “DECISIONS, DECISIONS.” Undoubtedly, this was the information Dad was looking for when he wrote his 2024 article about the end of The Beech Grove. The article starts by noting that he made the decision to stop publishing the periodical on December 7, 1992. This was something he “was not feeling very good about it.”
Page 3 of The Beech Grove from December, 1992
Dad continues by describing how the impetus to create The Beech Grove stemmed from his interest in Andreas Hagenbuch (b. 1715, d. 1785). (Similarly, this same ancestor would spark my interest in genealogy decades later!). After mentioning an upcoming family trip planned for 1993, Dad finished with the following:
It has been eleven years of learning since I started the newsletter Although my end goal may be a book, my ongoing goal throughout these years was to lead descendants of Andreas Hagenbuch to know each other. I think this goal has been achieved and I think ALL OF YOU in having the interest in our family, its traditions, and its proud history to keep in touch with each other and find the common goal that links us all—love of family, and a man who had the courage in 1737 to start a new life in a new country.
The December 1992 issue goes on to discuss several Hagenbuchs who arrived in the Carolinas in 1743 but provides no answer as to how they are related. (These Carolina Hagenbuchs will require more research and may be related to Jacob Hagenbuch who settled in South Carolina in 1734.) Next, the publications lists relatives who made donations and provides a recap, written by Florence (Hagenbuch) Robb (b. 1925, d. 2002), of the 51st Hagenbuch Reunion. Finally, the newsletter presents newspaper clippings about recent weddings, deaths, and other newsworthy snippets.
Reading through the final Beech Grove, I am reminded of my father’s passion for genealogy and amazed at how much time he invested in creating the periodical from 1982 to 1992. Although Hagenbuch.org has surpassed The Beech Grove both in how long it has existed and the number of articles published, it is less intensive to produce. A paper-based newsletter must be carefully laid out, then physically printed, folded, addressed, and mailed. Online publishing is a simpler process. One only needs to write, post, and share—providing more time to create new stories.
Mark O. Hagenbuch looking at the grave of Henry W. Hagenbuch (b. 1834) in St. John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery, c. 1978
I can imagine someone reading this article might wonder if I am preparing to bid farewell from Hagenbuch.org, just as my father once did with The Beech Grove. That is not the case! Thankfully, with the invention of research tools like Findagrave and Ancestry, there remains plenty of grist for the mill to keep me writing. Still, I can understand why my father ended his newsletter when he did. Like him, I now have three children, a house, a job, and other responsibilities. Yes, there are many more stories out there, but only 24 hours in a day!
I want to conclude by pointing out the motto “For the Right Always” that my father placed below the Hagenbuch family coat of arms on The Beech Grove. I found this a curious addition, as I didn’t remember him using it on earlier issues. After reviewing the June, 1990 copy of the newsletter, I found an explanation. The phrase was coined by Enoch Hagenbuch (b. 1814, d. 1895), and it was chosen by popular vote to become the motto of The Beech Grove starting in 1990. Perhaps, we should start using this again?
