The Hochstetler Massacre - Christian's Experience

Sorry for the long post the last time, but I thought it was better to keep all of that explanation together. Today's post will be at the other end of the spectrum.

Experience of Christian
Among the descendants of Christian there are several written accounts of his life, prepared at different times and by different persons and which vary more or less in details. These accounts make his age at captivity about ten years, which corresponds quite closely to the statement of his age made by his father in his petition to the Governor [editor's note: I have omitted this part, but will include it before finishing this series]. Some of these accounts make his stay among the Indians seven years, while others make it as high as eleven years, which last is quite unlikely, as two of these accounts speak of his stay with the Indians “till the end of the war,” and “peace was now restored,” and “prisoners exchanged,” which might refer either to the year 1762, but most appropriately to the year 1764. These accounts speak of his marriage shortly after his return, and his marriage is referred to as one of the elements that finally secured his consent to remain with the whites.

Taken from p. 36 of Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler, by Rev. Harvey Hostetler, D.D. This portion was prepared by William F. Hochstetler.