52 Weeks Photo Week 27 Patriotic - I wish I had a very old picture of a relative to share, but I don't.
I am sharing the story of my husband's 4th great-grandfather and his family with you.
Johannes Hess Jr. (my husband's 5th great-grandfather) was the second son of Johannes and Catherine Lubosin Hess.
Johannes Hess Jr. was born May 5, 1722 at Palatine in the Mohawk Valley, NY. He married Anna Margaretta Young: The Record of Johannes Hess Jr. and his children was obtained from an old Hess family Bible in Schenectady, NY by Mr. Henry M. LeRoy, whose wife was a Hess. The Johannes Hess home was used as a Fort during the Revolution, and known as "Fort Hess". Quoting from "The Historic Mohawk", by Mary Riggs Deifendorf, published by G.P. Putnam's Sons; "Quite a number of the more substantial private houses were made ready for defense (during the Rev.) among which might be named the old Van Alstyne building, and Forts Ehle, Failing, Wagner, Fox, Hess, Klock...", page 198. Also "Frontiersmen of New York", Vol.II, pages 382-383.
His father was Johannes Hess Sr., who married Catherine Lubosin, August 1711, presumably in Holland. Their oldest son, Augustine, served in the Revolution with five of his sons, from him was descended F. Judson Hess of Rochester, NY.
So before Johannes Hess Jr. is even born his grandfather and five of his great-uncles have already served in a war, and his grandfather was killed by the Indians. I think I wrote about him in another story.
Now four sons of Johannes Hess Jr. served in the Revolution, his oldest son John was Lieut. in Colonel Jacob Klock's Reg. Tyron Co. Militia and three younger sons were in the same Regiment - Frederick (my husband's 4th-great grandfather), Dewalt David, and Daniel. Johannes Hess Jr was killed by Indians about 1768-1770. A sudden attack by marauding Indians forced him and his family to take refuge in the woods, taking with them what food they could hurriedly seize. After a few days, thinking the Indians had left, he ventured from their hiding place, but they were lying in wait, and captured him, scalping him and killing him, within hearing of his wife and children. The family remained secreted for some time longer, when two of the boys ventured to return to the house, which the Indians had burned. They were captured by the lurking Redskins, and dragged away. Daniel, aged 9, escaped the second day, but Frederick aged 16 years was kept prisoner for 3 years.
. The record of Frederick's service taken from the payroll, from the New York State Library at Albany reads as follows; "Cert. #38334, for $2, dated 26 October 1782, Issued to Fred' k. Hess for services as private in Captain Philip Helmers' Company of Colonel Jacob Klock's Reg. of Tyron County Militia (Palatine District)" "Cert. #38420, for $1-13s-9 1/2d., date burned, issued to Fred'k. Hess for services as private in Captain Peter Wagoner's Company of said Regiment."
As previously stated, Frederick Hess Sr. and his younger brother were captured by Indians, shortly after his father Johannes was killed by them. Quoting from a paper written by a grandson - Daniel McDougal Hess in 1883 - "My grandfather was taken prisoner by the Indians, when a mere lad, he was made to travel for three days without giving him a morsel to eat, the reason they gave for doing so, was that they thought at the end of that time he would be willing to eat such food as they gave him. They kept him a prisoner for three years, but he gained their confidence, and they allowed him to hunt and fish when and where he pleased without anyone to accompany him. He secreted ammunition in small quantities at a time - to avoid suspicion, and also some provisions; when his arrangements were all made, he started one morning as usual to spend the day hunting and fishing, but he soon cast away his fishing-rod, and took the most direct course he could for home. He traveled only at night and lay secreted during the day, and knowing the great sagacity of the Indians in following their game, he took every precaution he could to escape them, whenever he found a fallen tree, he would walk the length of it and then jump as far as he could, and if he happened to bend down or break a weed, he would right it up or remove it, to obliterate all trace of his track. After traveling many miles through a dense wilderness, without a path or anything to guide him but the sun and stars, he arrived at home in safety."
So, because of him, my husband was born.