Joshua Hagen ^73,131,132

   Cause of his death was Acute Delitation / Chronic Valvular Disease.

  General Notes:

Joshua is listed in the 1850 Phoenixville, Chester Co., PA census living with is mother, Barbara, and brothers Levi and James. He is also listed in the local Phoenixville census of 1857.
The death certificate for his son, George, gives Joshua Hagen's birth location as Lancaster Co., PA

Joshua first appears in Reading, PA in the 1860 Federal Census for Reading, Spruce Ward, Berks Co., Pennsylvania, page 972B taken July 12, 1860. He is listed as a 26 year old Engineer with wife Sarah (22) and sons John (1) and George (1/12). Living in the same house is Sarah's parents, John and Fanny Reese and siblings Joseph and Anna.

Notes on the founding of Reading appear below.

Joshua is listed as an engineer in the 1870 Federal Census for Reading Ward 9, Berks Co., Pennsylvania page 242. This is most probably a railroad train engineer. This appears to be Levi's brother not only because of the name, location, and age, but because his first sons have the names of his grandfather and father. Joshua is listed as 38, his wife Sarah E. as 32, and children John R. as 11, George S. as 10, Joseph B. as 7, Fanny N. as 6, Mary Ann as 3, and Ella B. as 1.

Joshua is listed in the Reading, Berks Co., PA directories of 1887-1890 living at 849 Muhlenburg. Son Joseph B. Hagen is living there as well. In 1890 the address for Joshua Hagen is listed as 1045 Muhlenburg, which is the same address his daughter, Fannie Hagen, lists on her 1893 marriage license; however, he is found in the 1900 and 1910 census living at the Berks Co. Almshouse. Also, no Hagens are living at 849 Muhlenberg in the 1900 census thus the family had moved. Son George L. Hagen is listed as living at 1024 Elm Street in the same directories. 1024 Elm Street is the home of his in-laws ... see notes below.

The 1880 Federal Census for Reading, Berks Co. (ED#56, page 362) records Wolfgang (59) and Mary (54) Reisinger with children Amelia (19), Caroline (13), and Catherine (10) living at 1024 Elm Street. Wolfgang and Mary are soon to be in-laws of the Hagen family as Amelia will marry George L. Hagen. In the same census, ED# 57, page 402, Joshua Hagen and family are living at 1040 Muhlenberg Street. This is but a few blocks away from where Amelia Reisinger, the future wife of George Hagen, is living. Listed in the household in this census taken June 11, 1880 are Joshua Hagen (48 - PA/PA/PA) and his wife Sarah E. (42 - PA/PA/PA) with children John R. (21 - PA), George L. (19 - PA), Joseph B. (18 - PA), Fannie M. (16 - PA), Marie A. (13 - PA), Ella B. (10 - PA), Minnie S. (8 - PA), James E. (6 - PA), Kate (3 - PA), and Harry (8/12 - PA - Oct). Joshua is an engineer, John and Joseph work in a rolling mill, George is an apprentice machinist, while Fannie and Marie work in a hat factory.

The 1900 U.S. Census for Berks Co., Pennsylvania, ED# 228, page 183A records the widower Joshua Hagan (sic) [Hagen], born Apr 1832, living at the Berks Co. Almshouse. His parents are recorded as from Maryland and Pennsylvania. See general notes on the husband of his daughter Fanny Hagen Schaeffer (1900 census) for where his children Harry and Minnie are now living. I have not found what happened to Joshua's children John, Joseph, and James.

The 1910 U.S. Census for Cumru Township, Berks Co., Pennsylvania, ED# 14, page 23B records the widower Joshua Hagar [Hagen], born ca1833, living at the Berks Co. Almshouse. The place of birth for his parents is listed as unknown. The census reports that Joshua is able to read and write.

http://www.pa-roots.com/~berks/cemetery/index.html
Hagens buried at Aulenbach Cemetery include:
Last Name, First Name, Plot, Section, Date of burial, Age
Hagan, Josian [this transcription should be Joshua Hagen] 60 South C (BUR) Oct 16 1914 age 82
Hagen, Mary A. 60 South C Jul 4 1887 age 20
Hagen, Minnie S. 60 South C 3 (BUR) Aug 24 1938 age 68
Hagen, Sarah E. 60 South C Mar 3 1889 age 54




Notes on the founding of Reading:
Reading was laid out on its present site in 1748 by Thomas and Richard Penn, sons of William Penn. It was named after their native town at Berkshire, England. At that time the population of the territory, now comprising Berks County, was about 10,000. The original lot contained something over 600 acres, and in 1748 only one house. Four years later the County of Berks was formed with Reading as its Seat of Justice. At that time the town boasted of 378 inhabitants.

The first Catholic congregation established in Pennsylvania was in 1734, when Father Greation, a Jesuit from Maryland, built the church of Saint Joseph's in Willings Alley, Philadelphia. In 1741 the German Province of Jesuits sent two of their number to minister to the Germans of Pennsylvania. One of these was Father Theodore Schneider and he began teaching the German children of Berks County, at Goshenhoppen, now called Bally. In 1743 Fr. Schneider built St. Paul's Chapel (now called Most Blessed Sacrament, Bally) on land received from the Mennonite community.

Until almost mid-17th century virtually all of Berks area people were Protestants. The few Catholics who settled in Reading shortly after its foundation, received ministrations from the mission-centre at Goshenhoppen. At first, Fathers Schneider and Farmer served the Catholics at Reading. Afterwards their Jesuit successors did the same, keeping all the records of births, marriages, and deaths in the church at Goshenhoppen.

In May, 1836, the church having become inadequate for the worshippers, a committe was appointed to consider ways and means of enlarging it. Little was done in the matter until 1844. About this time the Reading Railroad was built locating their depot and workshop opposite the little Catholic Church on South Seventh Street. This for a short time did not interfere, but soon became apparent that the increasing business of the railroad acted injuriously on the church. On account of the incessant noise, divine service could not be performed.

With the approbation [approval] of the bishop it was determined to purchase the property on South Fifth Street, where the present Saint Peter's Church now stands. The cemetery adjoining the old church, also known as Nanny Goat Hill Cemetery, was relocated to new burial place at the foot of the Neversink Mountain. The bodies which had been buried in the old cemetery were transferred to their new resting place (Cemetery Marker Readings of Nanny Goat Hill Cemetery can be purchased from Closson Press). Nanny Goat Hill Cemetery is located at 111 Duke St. (now known as 7th Street) Reading, Berks County, PA.

On Sunday, the 24th of May, 1846 the newly built Saint Peter's Church was solemnly dedicated.

  Medical Notes:

Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1924
Name: Joshua Hagan (widowed)
Residence: Berks Co. Almshouse in Cumru
Occupation: Engineer
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 82
Birth Date: 1832
Birth Place: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Death Date: 13 Oct 1914
Death Place: Cumru, Berks, Pennsylvania
Burial: Aulenbach Cem on Oct. 16, 1914
Father's name: Don't know
Father Birth Place: Pennsylvania
Mother's name: Don't know
Mother Birth Place: Pennsylvania
Certificate Number: 9991
Informant: O. H. Bush of Shillington, [Berks Co.,] PA
Note: Oscar H. Bush, born 1865 in PA, is a Clerk at the Almshouse

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Listed as Engineer in 1870 and 1880 Federal Census of Berks Co., PA and Death Certificate.

Joshua married Sarah Ellen Reese, daughter of John Reese and Fanny Bright, circa 1857. (Sarah Ellen Reese was born on 12 May 1838 in Reading, Berks Co., PA, died on 2 Mar 1889 in Reading, Berks Co., PA and was buried on 3 Mar 1889 in Aulenbach Cemetery, Reading, PA.)