Andreas Hagenbuch’s Continental Money
When Andreas Hagenbuch died in 1785, the inventory of his estate was valued at over 1100 pounds or around $200,000 today. This inventory included personal effects, as well as cash and bonds. One item...
Tagged: Pennsylvania
A Continued Conversation with Andreas Hagenbuch
Newspaper correspondent John Smith continues his conversation with Andreas Hagenbuch one spring evening in 1784 as told in first person by Mr. Smith. In reference to the previous article, Andreas and his son Michael...
Timothy Hagenbuch: Teacher, Scrivener, and Caregiver
On May 12, 1852 Timothy Hagenbuch died at the age of 47 years old. He never married and had no children. Family trees are known as such because they branch and grow as children...
Making Sauerkraut: A Pennsylvania Deitsch Tradition
It was hardly a surprise when, this past summer, my parents told me that they were going to start making their own sauerkraut. My family does, after all, have a reputation for tackling some...
“Wahres Christentum”: Andreas Hagenbuch’s Gift to His Son
Andreas Hagenbuch died in 1785. Previous articles have examined his last will and testament, as well as the inventory of his estate. See the full text of Andreas Hagenbuch’s will Read an analysis of...
Bacon Stone of Albany Township, Berks County
Andreas Hagenbuch and his family arrived in Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1738. Here, they established a homestead along with a new life in the American colonies. Albany Township is situated within the...
Schambacher’s Tavern: A Real Ghost Story
The scariest ghost stories are the real ones. And while not all the facts in this one can be verified, many can be. Best of all, this particular story is connected to the Hagenbuchs...
Andreas Hagenbuch in Court
Piecing together family history is rarely a simple task. The further one goes back through time, the less there is to work from. Memories fade, photographs are lost, and documents are destroyed. Precious little...
The Scheitholt Zither: An Early Pennsylvania German Instrument
Before the invention of sound recordings, instruments and the skills to play them were especially valued. As discussed in the previous article, Music of Andreas Hagenbuch’s Time, there are no historical records of the...
Family Folklore and the Tale of Hungry Sam Miller
Genealogists deal with more than names, places, and dates. They must also attempt to separate fact from fiction when it comes to oft-told family stories. I am always careful who I tell that I...
