author
Henry Harbaugh
1817–1867
A preacher, editor, and poet from Pennsylvania, he became one of the best-known voices of the German Reformed Church in the mid-1800s. His writing moved between theology, hymnody, and affectionate portrayals of Pennsylvania Dutch life.
1 Audiobook
Harbaugh's Harfe: Gedichte in Pennsylvanisch-Deutscher Mundart
by Henry Harbaugh
About the author
Born near Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, in 1817, Henry Harbaugh grew up in a large farming family and worked in practical trades before pursuing higher education. He studied at Marshall College and the theological seminary at Mercersburg, then entered the ministry of the German Reformed Church.
Harbaugh served congregations in Pennsylvania and became widely known as a church leader, religious writer, and editor. He was associated with the Mercersburg school of theology and later taught theology at Mercersburg, while also editing important church periodicals.
Alongside his religious work, he wrote poems, hymns, and prose that helped preserve Pennsylvania Dutch language and culture. That mix of pastoral warmth, literary energy, and regional feeling is a big part of why his work still attracts readers today.