THE HOPPES FAMILY INDIAN ATTACK STORY

My parents, Charles and Margaret (Troxell) Hoppes, graduated from high school in Lehighton, PA in 1928. One of their classmates was Willard Hausman, who later married Evelyn Shankweiler. Evelyn's mother was Minnie (Hoppes) Shankweiler, the so-called "Christian Hoppes family Historian" in Ellen Priscilla (Zehner) Carpenter's well-known book: The First Zehner --Hoppes Family History, published in 1939 by Mirror Press of South Bend, IN. My parents saw Bill and Evelyn Hausman every year or so, and it was they who first showed my parents a copy of the Zehner -- Hoppes book. While still in grade school, I can remember my mother copying/typing that part of the book that dealt directly with the history of the Hoppes family. To me, and probably to most of the individuals who have read that section written with the assistance of Evelyn's mother, Minnie Shankweiler, the most fascinating parts of the Hoppes history were the iron-maker tradition and the Indian attack that killed our first American ancestor. The latter account is told on pages 101-102 of the book in the following words:

Our first American ancestor came to make their home in the United States, as near as descendants are able to ascertain, in 1740. Johannes Michael Habbas (German), John Michael Hoppes (English), came from the Hanover Kingdom of Wurtemberg (Wittenberg State), on the Rhine, Baden, Germany. He had a wife, one or more daughters and four sons. The family is one of the oldest in the region where he settled 6 or 12 miles southeast of Tamaqua, West Penn Twp., Schuylkill Co., Pa., then included in Northampton Co., Pa., at a time when the Indians were still troublesome in that part of Pa., and where the settlers were never safe from raids and attack.

One night the Hoppes family's home was surrounded and attacked by a band of wild Indians and the first American ancestor and two of his sons were killed while defending their home and family. The other two sons fought until they routed the Indians and thus saved the mother and their sisters.

The next day the father and two sons were buried beneath a pine tree near the house so the Indians would not discover or molest their graves. Jonas, as the father was called, (for short), was aged 63 years, 2 months and 28 days. The place was not marked except by a tree, and it is not known now just where it was. But there are those still living who remember seeing it often. The names of the rest of the family are not known, nor what became of them later in life.

One of the remaining sons became discouraged and somewhat disgusted with their ill fate and subsequently went to Virginia where he acquired a valuable plantation, and owned slaves, and as far as is known remained single. The other son, which was our ancestor, was named the same as his father, Johannes Michael Habbas. He spent his life in Pa.

As a child growing up not far from the site of the reported Indian attack, I must have read this story a dozen times or more. Even today I can recite much of the above passage from memory. When exactly did the attack occur? Why couldn't I find it in any other history books? Surely, it wasn't dreamed up out of thin air because it was so rich in detail, very little being of a positive nature.

Every chance I got, I tried to learn more about the reported attack on the Hoppes family. My curiosity probably was due in large part to the culture in which I grew up. All my life, I had been immersed in Indian folklore. My mother taught school for as long as I can remember in the nearby town of East Mauch Chunk, the words Mauch Chunk meaning "sleeping bear" in the Leni Lenapi (Delaware Indian) language. Their athletic teams were the Warriors. Lehighton's teams were the Indians. I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard the cheer that ended: "Lehighton Indians, Rah! Rah! Rah!", either as a member of the high school marching band at the football games in fall or as an official score-keeper at basketball and baseball games. And I also was co-editor of the high school newspaper, the "Leni Lenapian", and the Gachtin Bambil ("Year Book" in Indian). In 1955, the town celebrated the 200^th anniversary of the infamous Gnaden Huetten ("tents of mercy" in German) Massacre by publishing a 78-page commemorative booklet, called "the Lehighton Story", whose cover showed two marauding Indian braves with raised tomahawks prowling around in front of a rapidly burning log building. At the lower end of the street where I grew up, a marble slab with the following inscription covers the graves of the victims: To the memory of Gottleib and Christina Anders, with their children: Johanna, Martin, and Susanna Nitchman; Ann Catherina Senseman, Leonard Gattenmyer, Christian Fabricus, Clerk, George Schweigert, John Frederick Lesly, and Martin and Presser; who lived at Gnadenhuetten, unto the Lord, and lost their lives in a surprise from Indian warriors, November 24, 1755. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. -- Psalms CXV 1-15. This inscription appears on page 13 of "the Lehighton Story", which also mentions the equally well known "Gilbert Family Captivity" (my account of this tragedy appears on pages 57 - 58 of "Swiss Roots"), the December 10,1755 raid on the Hoeth family about 12 miles east of Gnaden Huetten, and the daring Indian raid above Allen's town (Allentown) in October 1763. The booklet contains a lengthy account of the latter atrocity, stating in part:

Passing by Mickley's house, the Indians came to that of Nicholas Marks, whose family, seeing them coming, had made their escape. The house was fired. At Hans Schneider's nearby, the household was surprised, and father, mother, and three children ruthlessly slaughtered. Two daughters who had attempted to escape were overtaken and scalped, but subsequently recovered. Another daughter was carried away as a captive, and her fate was never known. It was the screams from the terrified people at the Schneider house which were heard by the boy, Peter Mickley, in his place of hiding. Their bloody work being done, the Indians left in all possible haste in the direction of the Blue Ridge.

I could find dozens of cases of Indian attacks on settlers, but nothing involving the Hoppes family. The situation became much clearer when I discovered the family biographies written between 1880 and 1920, which were the ego publications of their day. In the "Schuylkill County Pennsylvania: Genealogy -- Family History -- Biography", published by J. H. Beers & Company in 1916, I struck pay dirt. It contained biographical sketches of two descendants of the Michael Happes who had fought in the American Revolution: Charles Henry Hoppes and Joseph S. Hoppes. Both bios contained the identical paragraph, which stated:

John Michael Hoppes, the emigrant ancestor, came to this country from Baden, Germany, it is said about 1740, but the family history of that period is incomplete. He made his home in what is now West Penn township, Schuylkill county, then included in Northampton county, Pa. He had four sons. Life in this region was full of dangers in those days, for the settlers were never safe from Indian raids, and the father of this family eventually lost his life defending his home against the savages. A band of Indians surrounded and attacked the Hoppes home one night, and in the fight which ensued John Michael Hoppes and two of his sons were killed. The other two sons fought until the attackers withdrew defeated and saved the mother and daughters. The three victims were buried next day under a pine tree near by, and the survivors decided to break up the home being thoroughly discouraged by the evil turn of their fortune. One of the sons moved to Virginia and made a permanent settlement there. He succeeded in life, acquiring the ownership of a valuable plantation, and owned slaves. The other son, Jonas, remained in Pennsylvania.

Suddenly, it became apparent where much of Minnie Shankweiler's background information about the Hoppes family came from. But where among Michael Happes' descendants did it originate? Another biographical sketch, this one coming from the much earlier "Biographical & Portrait Encyclopedia of Schuylkill Co., Pa." published by Sam T. Wiley in 1898, provided valuable clues. This book contained a biographical sketch for Andrew Hoppes, son of Christian Hoppes, son of Michael Hoppes. In it, not a word was mentioned about an Indian attack on the Hoppes family or about a Michael Happes, father and/or son, who was called "Jonas". Rather, it furnished the following introduction:

Andrew Hoppes, a well known business man, and large real estate owner of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, is a son of Christian and Salma (Stegerwald) Hoppes, and was born on January 19, 1826, in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania.

His great-grandfather was a native of the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany, and emigrated to the United States at a very early date. He became a citizen of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, which at that time had not been separated from the county of Northampton. He died in that county. His son, Michael Hoppes, grandfather of he subject, was born in Northampton county, and continued a resident in the vicinity of his birthplace throughout life, which he passed in the peaceful pursuit of agriculture. During the War of Independence he shouldered a musket and took part in the memorable conflict which resulted in our national freedom.

The differences between these two accounts are remarkable, although Joseph S. Hoppes was born on April 7, 1843, only 17 years later than his uncle Andrew. The two accounts are in substantial disagreement about the German location from which their first American ancestor came, the name of their Revolutionary War ancestor, and the conditions of agrarian life during those times. Joseph S. Hoppes was the second son of Solomon Hoppes, his older brother being Daniel Hoppes, Minnie Shankweiler's father. It appears that the families of Solomon Hoppes and his younger brother Andrew Hoppes had very different concepts about the early history of the Hoppes family. But why?

I didn't get a chance to explore this issue until 1971 when I was in the middle of my tour as the Director of the Research Analysis Corporation Field Office, Europe (RACFOE) located in Heidelberg, Germany. It was then that my wife Riki and I would visit parishes in the area looking for references to early Happeses in surrounding-area churchbooks. Eventually this led us to Switzerland where Riki, or I, or both of us would spend days in the archives in Zurich and Winterthur poring through old documents, some of which hadn't been opened in hundreds of years because the sand that had been used to dry the ink kept pouring into our laps or onto the table as we paged through them looking for Haps family information. At first, I tried to fit all the Happes data we uncovered into the framework of the Indian attack. As we acquired more and more information from US and European sources, however, this became frustratingly difficult to accomplish. Through my parents and on my own, I began to correspond with Evelyn Hausman about her mother's information. On February 6, 1972, for example, I sent Evelyn a lengthy letter summarizing my findings, which included the following words that clearly reflected my doubts about the Indian attack:

The tax rolls of Northampton County, Pa., for 1781 show two Michael Hoppeses -- apparently Michael who immigrated from Germany and our Michael born in 1753. As closely as I can determine Joh. Georg's brother Michael was born in 1722. If he, indeed, is the Joh. Michael who is reported in Mrs. Carpenter's book to have lived to age 63 years, 2 months, and 28 days, then he would have died in 1785. This fits nicely with Michael being on the Northampton County tax rolls in 1781 and missing from the Census of 1790. But it doesn't fit at all with the verbal tradition that Joh. Michael was killed by Indians along with two of his sons, and that our Michael (born in 1753) helped drive the Indians away. The age of 63 years, 2 months, and 28 days appears far too old for Joh. Michael to have four sons and one daughter still living in the same household. Besides, we already know that, according to the tax records, our Michael was living in a separate household in 1781 and that the two Hoppeses mentioned in the 1781 assessment were the two Michaels. By 1785, moreover, the Indian Wars were over and any Indian attack that killed settlers as late as 1785 should have been well documented. (The Gilbert Family Captivity of 1780, for example, received much publicity). If you have any thoughts on this subject, I would be extremely interested in learning them. I am also fascinated with Michael's reported age: 63 years, 2 months, and 28 days. These figures appear so specific that they probably were documented somewhere. Would you happen to know where?

In an earlier letter to Evelyn Hausman dated December 12, 1971, I also groused about the "nickname Jonas" by pointing out that my wife Riki and I "have spoken with several genealogists over here about the possibility that someone with the name of Joh. Michael around 1750 could have been nicknamed Jonas and have repeatedly received the reply that, because Johannes and Jonas are two entirely different biblical characters, an individual named Joh. Michael would not be called Jonas for short."

Evelyn's rebuttal in a letter to me dated February 23, 1972, was directly to the point and extremely enlightening. It went far toward answering my questions about the original source of the description of the Indian attack that had appeared in the biographical sketches in 1912 and in the Zehner - Hoppes History of 1939:

. . . . I have printed proof of the Indian attack I discovered in my mother's Bible. I'll copy this partial information on a separate sheet. Here is where our John Michael is called Jonas, his nickname, in two places. The one article containing the story of the Indian attack was from a paper dated Nov. 21___ & in the Allentown Chronicle. The other clipping I believe came from the Mahanoy City paper Sept.12, 1899. Basically they tell about 4 Hoppes brothers Daniel, Elias, Joseph and Solomon who served in the Civil War, and give information concerning where they served, etc. Each of these clippings is about 15 inches in length. Yesterday, my husband tried to have copies made, but the paper has become too brittle and so he had 3 copies of the Mahanoy City paper, but not the one which tells about the Indian part.

As I looked thru the family history book last week on page 110 I came across the same story: Indian plus Civil War record. At the end of this part in parenthesis it says (Copied by Elias Hoppes at Pottsville, County seat of Schuylkill Co.). . . .

This newspaper clipping should be proof of the story of the Indian attack as I have heard it numerous times from my mother. Grandpa would point out the tree every time they drove from Mahanoy City to Allentown to visit grandma's family. This was an annual event. Even grandma knew the spot until recent years before her death (1941). She could tell where it was located. . . .

The article names those 4 brothers, and I'm sure it would not have been printed if it were not true. The Hoppes family was a very religious one. Our John Michael gave 100 acres for the church & he & Christian hauled stones from the nearby mountains to build it. They are buried here. I think this was part of a land grant given to John Michael (Jonas). . . .

Last week end I wrote to your parents. I know that your Dad questioned this Jonas name, but I heard it often used by my mother. The newspaper clipping verifies this.

From what I can figure out -- the story (Civil War) service of the 4 Hoppes brothers began in 1899 when there was a National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic held in Phila. Evidently an article appeared in the Phila. Record newspaper concerning these brothers marching together. This Phila. Record paper was read by a newspaper man in Mahanoy City & he wrote the article for that paper. Then on Nov. 21 & I'm not sure it was 1899 but I have a feeling that it was from condition of paper, the article I copied for you appeared in the Allentown Chronicle This elaborated more with the history of the family . . . .

The article appearing in the Allentown Chronicle undoubtedly was the source of the later version printed in the 1912 biographies and the still later Hoppes - Zehner Family history. The first part of Evelyn's hand written copy to me is reproduced below:

FAMILY OF SOLDIERS

of which it can be proud.

They are fighters from way back.

One served Under Washington.

There are few families in this country that can show a better war record than the Hoppes family of West Penn township, Schuylkill county. The first American ancestor died at the hands of the Indians while defending his home and family and from that same family home there went to the front different representatives of the Hoppes family during the different wars of the Union.

The first American ancestor, Hoppes, came to this country from Baden, Germany, about the year 1740, as near as the descendants are able to ascertain. From that time on the leading facts of the family history are on record and proven. He made his home in West Penn, Schuylkill county. He had four sons. His life in that region fell in a time when the Indians were still troublesome in this part of Pennsylvania, and when the settlers were never safe against an attack. One night the Hoppes home was attacked by wild Indians. Mr. Hoppes, the father, and two sons were killed. The other two sons fought to the end and SAVED THE MOTHER AND SISTER.

Next day the father and two sons were buried under a pine tree, near the house. One of the remaining sons subsequently went to Virginia, where he acquired a plantation and kept slaves. The other son, whose name was Jonas and who was born January 12^th, 1753, served under George Washington. . . .

So now it was crystal clear that the Indian attack story had originated within the family of Solomon Hoppes and his wife Polly, nee Snyder. It also was clear that the Indian attack had been documented earlier than I had suspected, in fact, probably around 1900. But could it really be true? Fortunately, I didn't have to wait much longer for a definitive answer. In addition to writing to Evelyn Hausman, I was sending letters to a number of data sources in the States. Through my letters to the State Archives in Raleigh NC, I learned of a retired police officer, Duane "Red" Borden, in Denver, CO who was interested in the Hoppes family because one of his Borden ancestors had married a Hoppes girl in Nebraska. Between the two of us, we located a will for Michael Happes of Penn Twp., Northampton Co., PA dated March 5, 1785 and recorded March 21, 1787 in the county courthouse in Easton, PA. Basically, it gave the farm to Michael Happes, Jr., with the stipulation that he pay each of his sisters and brothers a specified amount on a specified date. More specifically, the will stipulated the following division (according to my translation of the Pennsylvania German):

To Jacob Cunfer, married to his oldest daughter Catherine, her father gives an inheritance of 23 lb, 4 sh, and 3 pence to be paid by Michael Hoppes, Jr. on 27 November 1785.

To Joh. Adam Hoppes, his father gives an inheritance of 23 lb, 4 sh, and 3 pence to be paid by Michael Hoppes, Jr. on 27 November 1787.

To John Lechleitner, married to his daughter Elisabeth Hoppes, her father gives an inheritance of 23 lb, 4 sh, and 3 pence to be paid by Michael Hoppes, Jr. on 27 November 1788.

To Jacob Hoppes, his father gives an inheritance of 23 lb, 4 sh, and 3 pence to be paid by Michael Hoppes, Jr. on 27 November 1790.

To Henry Hoppes, his father gives an inheritance of 23 lb, 4 sh, and 3 pence to be paid by Michael Hoppes, Jr. on 27 November 1791.

To John Hoppes, his father gives an inheritance of 23 lb, 4 sh, and 3 pence to be paid by Michael Hoppes, Jr. on 27 November 1792.

To Catherine Hoppes, her father gives an inheritance of 23 lb, 4 sh, and 3 pence to be paid by Michael Hoppes, Jr. on 27 November 1793.

With the discovery of this document, the Indian attack that killed our first American ancestor evaporated overnight. It was now certain that our first American ancestor had died in an orderly manner. Another document I obtained from the Northampton County Courthouse in Easton, PA, proved that it was the very same Michael Happes who had provided the land on which Zion's (Old Stone) Church was later built. The place that Evelyn's grandfather Daniel would point to as the grave of our first American Hoppes ancestor on his way to and from Allentown and Mahanoy City was on this same land (and not Michael Happes' farm several miles away, where he would have been buried the "next day" had an Indian attack occurred). Although it may not be precisely correct to state that Michael Happes, Sr. was buried at Zion's Church, I believe that the book "Swiss Roots" is correct in stating: "He was buried on the land he had donated for the erection of church, school, and cemetery facilities, the first of a line of Happeses to be buried at what later would become Zion's (Old Stone) Church".

Evelyn accepted the news about Michael Happes' 1765 will and the copy I sent her very graciously, and our correspondence moved on to other Hoppes issues, leaving the subject of the Indian attack behind us. Nevertheless, old legends die hard; and I still would like to know how the story began in the first place. My own belief is that it originated with Solomon Hoppes' wife Mary Magdalena, nee Schneider. Her parents were Michael Schneider and Mary Magdalena Sanders/ Xanders/ Zanders. If her father Michael were the grandson or some other relative of the Hans Schneider whose family was butchered by Indians in the 1763 raid above Allentown, then Solomon's wife Polly would be the logical source. Can anyone out there help me on this?

The other remaining issue is where did Michael Happes' reported life span of 63 years, 2 months, and 28 days come from? I fits very nicely with my estimated dates of 1722 - 1787, which could easily be 1723 - 1786, or even 1722 - 1785, if Michael Happes' Will of March 5, 1785 took over a year to be recorded after he died. In the Zehner - Hoppes History, the newspaper account from around 1900 was altered by someone who added: "so the Indians would not discover or molest their graves. Jonas, as the father was called, (for short), was aged 63 years, 2 months and 28 days. The place was not marked except by a tree, and it is not known now just where it was. But there are those still living who remember seeing it often". I believe these are Ms. Carpenter's additions to the newspaper articles Minnie Shankweiler sent to her. Evelyn Hausman was kind enough to send me copies of all the known correspondence between her mother and Ellen Carpenter. From them, it is evident that Minnie Shankweiler did not know the location of an old family bible or some other source of early data about the Hoppes family. Christian Happes had older brothers and sisters, who may have passed along data about the age of our first American ancestor when he died. Does anyone who reads this essay have any idea where the 63 years, 2 months, and 28 days comes from? If so, I'd love to learn more.

Harry Hoppes Sunday, February 20, 2000.