The Massacre in the Newspapers
In due time the news of the massacre reached the Philadelphia papers. The Pennsylvania Journal of October 6th had this: “From Reading we have advice that last Wednesday the enemy burnt the house of one Hochsteller and killed Hochstelle’s wife and a young man, and himself and three children are missing.” The other English paper in Philadelphia, the Gazette, about the same time had this: “We hear from Reading that on Thursday and Friday last some people were murdered in Bern Township by the Indians and others carried off.”
The German paper in Philadelphia was The Journal, published by Christopher Sauer and issued twice a month. The issue of October 15th, 1757, under a general heading, Philadelphia, October 7th, has this: “In the same week the Indians came to Hoffstettler’s place; the man called on his neighbors for help; meanwhile the Indians killed his wife and carried away his children, and burnt the house and barn. One son escaped.” The same paper has the following from Tulpehocken, under date of September 30th: “I am sorry that I can not send you better news, as the Indians have again murdered many inhabitants beyond us. It is reported that there have been between forty and fifty Indians not far from Nicholaus Langen’s place. The poor people beyond us will all be obliged to move away. We stand in great fear. Yesterday we heard all day long of murder and death. No one however is ready to oppose the enemy.”
Taken from p. 32 of Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler, by Rev. Harvey Hostetler, D.D., 1912. This portion was prepared by William F. Hochstetler.
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