author
Henry Harbaugh
1817–1867
A Pennsylvania Dutch clergyman, teacher, and writer, he became one of the best-known voices of the German Reformed Church in the mid-19th century. His work blended pastoral warmth, poetry, and a deep interest in Pennsylvania German life and language.
1 Audiobook
Harbaugh's Harfe: Gedichte in Pennsylvanisch-Deutscher Mundart
by Henry Harbaugh
About the author
Born near Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, in 1817, he grew up in a farming family and worked as a farmer, carpenter, and teacher before entering Marshall College at Mercersburg. He went on to become a minister in the German Reformed Church and served congregations in Pennsylvania, gaining a reputation as an energetic preacher and thoughtful religious writer.
He is remembered not only as a clergyman but also as an author and poet. His books include The Heavenly Recognition, which remained widely read for many years, and he also wrote verse and pieces connected to Pennsylvania Dutch culture, helping preserve that regional tradition in print.
Later in life, he served as a professor of theology at Mercersburg. He died in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1867, leaving behind a body of work that joined faith, literature, and local heritage in a way that still makes him an interesting figure in 19th-century American religious writing.