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Another telling of the Hochstetler Incident with editorial comment by Daniel E. Hochstetler
by Laurence Gieringer
(The late creator of Roadside America)
This retelling of the massacre story2 as well as this pen and ink drawing with its caption appeared on a one-page handout prepared by the owner of Roadside America west of Shartlesville, Pa. The handout was passed out at this tourist attraction beginning in the early 1960s and up until the mid-80s to relatives and visitors interested in the Amish history of the area. The backside of this handout features the Northkill Amish and Hochstetler Massacre historical marker erected in 1959 which is now at the entrance to the Hochstetler/Schlappich home just behind the Roadside America parking lot. In reading such accounts as this one, one must clearly distinguish between historical facts which can be documented and fictionalized details which often have only an oral or imaginary source. This version is almost entirely based on information in the genealogy Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler.
"On the evening of September 193, 1757 the young people of the neighborhood gathered at the home of Jacob Hochstetler to assist in paring and slicing apples for drying. After the folks departed the family retired; and just about the time they were sound asleep the dog awakened Jacob, the son, who opened the door to see what was wrong, when he received a gun shot wound in his leg. He realized in a moment that they were being attacked by Indians and managed to lock the door before the Indians could enter. In an instant all the family were on their feet. The Indians, 7 or 10 in number with 3 French scouts, were seen standing near the outdoor bake oven in consultation. There was no moon that night. There being no light in the house, those inside could not be seen. There were several guns and plenty of ammunition at hand. The two sons, Joseph and Christian, picked up their guns to defend the family. Two or three could be shot and the guns reloaded before the Indians could enter; but their father, firmly believing in the doctrine of nonresistance, remaining faithful in the hour of sorest trial, could not give his consent for defence. In vain they begged him; he told them it was not right to take the life of another even to save one's own life. What a night of horror this God-fearing family must have spent the last hours; while the timber wolves were howling and the owls chattering their calls to others; with the dogs barking and seeing their fate outside at the hands of the savage Indians. At daybreak the birds began singing their songs of peace. But with the Hochstetler family there was no peace.
"Joseph ever afterwards claimed the family could have been saved had father given his consent, as they were both good marksmen (their father was also) and the Indians never stood fire unless under cover.
"At daybreak the house was set afire as the Indians watched. As things got too hot in the house and they thought the Indians left the family was compelled to leave by the basement windows to save their lives, but for three who were killed and scalped, the rest were taken prisoner, all but Joseph who escaped.4
"A son John and his family lived on the hill close to the homestead, left the home and hid in the heavy underbrush and watched the whole affair.5 There were over two hundred murdered in this section of Berks County and practically all farms destroyed by fire."
This sign was erected in 1959 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Historical Society of Berks County. It was "dedicated on Saturday June 27, at 11:30 a.m., by pilgrims of Amish, Mennonites and visitors from over the country. There were several hundred visitors here. Published in the Reading Eagle, Sunday July 5th, '59" [from Roadside America handout by Laurence Gieringer]. The sign had earlier been located at several different locations, including the median of Highway 22 before I-78 was built, before being moved to its present location at the end of the lane leading to the massacre site [July 4, 1994 interview with Vincent Hochstetler].
Editor's Footnotes:
1 Roadside America is a large indoor miniature village, a prominent tourist attraction with a large Pennsylvania Dutch Gift Haus, which is located on land that was originally a part of the Jacob Hochstetler farm in Berks Co., Pa. See the map below.
2 A more recent of the many, many retellings of various parts of the Jacob Hochstetler story is "A Reminder of 236 Years Ago" by Dan A. Hostetler (sic) from Topeka, IN. It appeared in The Diary, Gordonville, PA, September 1993.
3 This date (Sept. 19) is a quote from Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler (DJH), p. 29. Elsewhere in DJH, pp. 32 and 75, the dates Sept. 20-21 are used. The historical marker says Sept. 29!
4 Retellings like this, which are primarily based on the "Historical Introduction" in DJH, run the risk of adding or altering details which may be incorrect or unsubstantiated. It is true that Joseph had "escaped" at first, but he was later detected and captured as well (DJH p. 30, 31).
5 People who have visited the area can easily see that the "heavy underbrush" in which the family hid 80 rods south of their home was much too far away from which to watch the whole affair (DJH p. 30, 61). John had then sneaked over close enough to witness the tragedy, but the family apparently did not.
This article is reproduced with permission from the Jacob Hochstetler Family Association Family Newsletter, June 1996, Daniel E. Hochstetler, editor.
