The Hagenbuch Family

Edwin Hagenbuch in Biographical Record of Champaign County, Ohio

The full biographical sketch as printed, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.

EDWIN HAGENBUCH.

Few men are more prominent or more widely known in the enter- prising city of Urbana than Edwin Hagenbuch. He has been an import- ant factor in business circles and his popularity is well deserved, as in him are embraced the characteristics of an unbending integrity, unabating

energy and industry that never flags. He is public-spirited and thor- oughly interested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of Urbana.

Mr. Hagenbuch was born ini Salem township, Champaign county, May 8, 1850, and is a son of Henry and Martha J. (Long) Hagenbuch. The father was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, about 1809 and comes of a family of Holland Dutch lineage. When a young man he sought a home in the west. At the early age of twelve years he had be- gun earning his own living by clerking in a store in Pennsylvania, and steadily worked his way upward until he became a partner in a mercan- tile enterprise. Thus having accumulated some money, he sought a broader held of labor in the west. He made his way to Kings Creek, Ohio, where he had a cousin living, and there it was that he met the- lady who became his wife. He purchased a store and mill there, con- ducting both business enterprises with success for many years. Event- ually, however, he sold out and purchased farm land, giving his attention to agricultural pursuits throughout his remaining days. His marked energy, keen business sagacity and unflagging enterprise, were the means of bringing to him creditable and gratifying success. In 1865, he re- moved his family to Urbana, where he spent his remaining days. In politics he was a stanch Republican and a strong Union man, who gave liberally of his means to aid various societies during the war. He held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife also- belonged. She was born in Champaign county, and was a daughter of James and Susan Long, pioneer settlers of this portion of the state. Two children were born of this marriage that grew to years of maturity. The younger was Ella, now the wife of L. C. Moore, of Urbana.

\ he elder is Edwin Hagenbuch, of this review. He spent the first fifteen years of his life on the home farm and afterward continued his studies in the -schools of Urbana, while later he entered the Ohio Wes-

leyan University, where he remained for six months, when he was com- pelled to* leave that institution on account of failing health and was never able to return. He took a deep interest in his father’s business and practically managed his affairs for some time, relieving him of all care and responsibility. He was also in the employ of the United States Rolling Stock Company, car manufacturers, acting as clerk and store keeper, and since that time he has been largely interested in farming and stock raising, making a specialty of fine blooded sheep of the Ramboullet breed.

I11 1880 Mr. Hagenbuch was united in marriage to Miss Nellie Howard, a daughter of George Howard, of Champaign county, and unto them have been born two ’sons, George Edwin, who is a member of the junior class in the Ohio State University, and Frank, who1 is a member of the senior class in the high school of Urbana.

In his business affairs M'r. Hagenbuch is energetic, prompt and notably reliable. Keen perception and honesty of purpose are among his chief characteristics and have been salient features in this prosperity. He has been successful in business undertakings, yet it has not alone been the goal for which he has been striving, for he belongs to that class of representative American citizens who promote the general prosperity while advancing individual interests. He has rendered effective service to his city and district in public office. He is spoken of as one of the best councilmen that ever served in Urbana. While on the finance com- mittee he was influential in re-adjusting the natural gas debt at a saving tO' the city of about thirty thousand dollars, and his efforts along other lines were equally beneficial. In 1899 he was elected to> the general assembly, and in 1901 was re-elected by an increased majority. He served as a member of the committee on finance, salaries and claims in the seventy-fourth general assembly, and in the seventy-fifth was chair- man of the committee on railroads and telegraph and second on the

finance committee. His ability was early recognized in the general as- sembly. where out of ninety applicants for membership on the finance committee he was selected for that important position. Socially he is •equally prominent. He belongs to Harmony Lodge, No. 8, F. & A. M. ; to Urbana Chapter, No. 34, R. A. M. ; Urbana Council, No. 59, R. & S. M. ; Raper Commandery, No. 19, K. T. ; and in the Scottish Rite he has attained the thirty-second degree as a member of the consistory at Cincinnati. He is also a member of Antioch Temple of the Mystia Shrine at Dayton. He has presided over the four local bodies and is at the present time grand secretary of the Grand Chapter of Ohio. Mr. Hagenbuch well deserves mention among the most prominent and hon- ored residents of Champaign county. Such, in brief, is the life history of Edwin Hagenbuch. In whatever relation of life we find him — in the government service, in political circles, in business or in social relations — he is always the same honorable and honored gentleman, whose worth well merits the high regard which is uniformly given him.

Source: Biographical Record of Champaign County, Ohio. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.