The Ulrich/Baker Ancestral Lines

It is said that when Jacob Hochstetler was with his two boys, before they were taken away, he told them their Swiss dialect, “If you are taken so far away and be kept so long that you forget your German language, do not forget the Lord’s prayer.”

Christian’s captivity experience is bookmarked by the Massacre in 1757 and his marriage shortly after he returned in 1762 or 1764, which was an assurance to the community that he had officially returned to remain with the white community. 

Christian’s captivity began with being ‘adopted’ by an old Indian who would have treated him like a son.  The old Indian lived secluded and not with the full tribe, Christian’s responsibility was to hunt game and provide for the Indian and himself.  Both of their survival depended on Christian’s hunting abilities.  A story is told that after a lengthy hunting trip, Christian returned empty handed and forlorn.  The Indian had gone out for a short hunt himself, trapped some wildcat kittens, and that Christian returned to a stew and a full meal.  It is said that the Old Indian believed in the Great Spirit and would send Christian out in the direction that had been revealed by the Spirit where he would find game. This relationship and scenario ended at the Old Indian’s death, 1-2 years after Christian’s arrival. 

According to Indian customs, after the death of the ‘Father’, Christian was to choose a brother, 

“…to whom he also became deeply attached, and for his love for this brother and the kindness he had received from the hands of the Indians generally made him very unwilling to leave them, and he found it hard to become reconciled to the ways of the whites after his return to them.”  (DJH, pg. 37)

Christian’s return – while petitioned through the councils and agreements between Col. Bouquet and Chief Custaloga – was a personal and surprising return.  All historical and verbal history of the events coincide that Christian – a full Indian warrior – found the house of Jacob Hochstetler and arrived at dinnertime.  He approached the house, had some interactions with Jacob and the family, who did not recognize him.  He say outside the house until they had finished eating, Jacob went and sat outside to talk to the Indian.  It was at that time that Christian advised in German, “My name is Christian Hochstetler.” Another record of the event states that he began to recite the Lord’s Prayer in German to Jacob.  

Christians joyful return was marked by his subsequent marriage and conversion to the Dunkard church.  The later was less joyful.  Christian became a Dunkard preacher and since it was a stricter sect of the Amish / Mennonite community, Christian later shunned and stopped communication with his Father, Jacob.