Peace Bridge

Peace Bridge. . Peace-Loving Amish Pioneers Build Brotherly Native American Frontier Relations, An unbarred log cabin door could mean vulnerability. But for one of the earliest pioneering families of the Ohio country the peace-loving Amish Jacob Mast family of Walnut Creek (1812), it could mean surprises. The Masts had arrived only three years after the arrival of the first white settler in what would become eastern Holmes County - the Amishman Jonas Stutzman in 1809., Only one mile west of here and across a gently flowing stream is the Jacob Mast cabin site. Occasionally late on a frosty winter night 2 to 4 Native Americans returning home from their night's hunt, instead of passing by, would try the door and then silently slip in to sleep in front of the fireplace., In the morning before venturing down from the sleeping loft of their log cabin, the Masts cautiously peered down through the loft hole. Yes, as sometimes occurred, there they were, the sleeping frontier Indians lying on the floor in front of the fireplace., Mrs. Mast would carefully descend through the loft hole to prepare breakfast. For this provided the Christian opportunity to provide a brotherly breakfast to their drop-in guests., After the peaceful fellowship with the Masts, the Indians proceeded farther up the hollow to their encampment. (Does the raised two fingers suggest that they had harvested two deer during the night?) This story speaks well for peaceful Christian relationships between frontier Native Americans and the Amish., Instead of forcing the Native Americans off their land or shooting them the Amish believed in sharing Christian hospitality with them. Originating in 1525 during the reformation era, neither Catholic nor Protestant but a third way, the peaceful Anabaptists (including modern day Amish and Mennonites) believe following Jesus means Christians never kill their fellowman. May we cross the bridge of peace, kindness and goodwill to all people., This history reflects the heritage of Holmes County which was to become home to the largest Amish settlement in the world. We welcome you to enjoy this heritage of peace in "the Amish Country.", Arriving on the sailing ship the "Charming Nancy" were the 11 Amish families who landed at the port of Philadelphia, PA in 1737. After being at sea for 83 days and sailing for approximately 4000 miles, the Swiss immigrant pioneer Jacob Mast family disembarked and took deep breaths of the fresh air., Since the "Charming Nancy" brought such a large group who formed the first sizable Amish church community in America, it is sometimes referred to as the "Amish Mayflower.", These Amish families were too poor to purchase land in the Lancaster-area so they traveled-north through that great wilderness to what was to become Berks County. Here they carved out farms near the Blue Mountains which was also to be the site of the massacre of the Jacob Hochstetler family by the Indians. As was typical of the Amish, Jacob Hochstetler believed and taught Jesus' teaching, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Matthew 5:44, The thread of peace continues. To avoid intense pressure to join the colonial militia units and train to kill one's fellow man during the U.S. Revolutionary War, European immigrant Jacob Mast's son Joseph moved to the western frontier of Somerset County PA. Joseph married and raised a family which included the peace loving Jacob Mast who married and moved to the Walnut Creek Valley of castern Holmes County, Ohio to raise a Christian family., If you would like to immerse your family in more of the drama and saga of biblical love and peace as lived by Jacob Hochstetler and his two sons who were captured and adopted by the frontier Indians, you may wish to purchase as gifts for your children and grandchildren the book, Test of Faith, at Behalt Amish and Mennonite Historical Visitor Center., Compliments of: , Roscoe Miller, Carlisle Printing, Roy Yoder Construction, Swiss Valley Fence, Walnut Creek Glass, and James D. and Betty Hershberger