I, Catherine Huber, sit at table, pen in hand. In trepidation, we await the ever brewing battles we have rumour of. Simple farmers we are and have no need for war, but face it we must. My honorable husband, John, is working the field alongside our eldest son, Isaac, today as every day. They work so very hard to keep this land producing food for our family and neighbors, our country. The Shenandoah Valley is a fertile valley. We pray the soldiers won’t take our son when they come. We await their arrival.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are in a quandary tonight. Isaac must leave and go to the new territory they call Iowa. As we are Brethren (people call us “Dunkards”) our children are not full members of our church until they reach age to make their own decision about baptism. The Anabaptists have been forced to pay a fine and a percentage of our property value to the government so that our men do not have to fight in this war. We are a peace loving people, and we cannot raise arms against another. This would be to commit a sin in our God’s eyes. We have the “option” of paying someone to take his stead, but we believe this is also against God’s word. We could not send another to die in our place. Some people here in the Valley have sent slaves, but we do not believe in enslaving another. The Dunkards hold no one slave.
Since Isaac, seventeen years of age, is not a member of our church yet, he will be forced into serving in this war unless he leaves here. We have chosen Iowa, as a few family members are already there. With saddened hearts, we prepare for his leaving.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We’ve secreted Isaac away to relatives in Iowa. He is safe, but we mourn his going. His father will need the help of neighbors, now, to work the land. My daughter, Eliza, has married a good Mennonite boy, David Bowman. They have a large farm with a mill and much livestock, which David inherited from his father, Jacob. Eliza is expecting her first child in a few weeks.
There are many who do not agree with this war, but who dare not say. Many say this war is about money, land and power, as well as slavery. All are corrupt in our eyes, and we only wish to exist as the farmers and peaceful people we are.
Mr. Kauffman, the first Mennonite preacher in Rockingham county, stopped by to wish Isaac well and brought his good wife, Barbara. New Market is not far down the Pike and they were on their way to auction there.
I must go….there is a wagon rumbling up the road, and John has called me from the house.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The wagon held old Peter Neff with news of a battle forming near. He saw some bluecoats all couter'd up and heading that down the old Pike road. I remember seeing a camp of grays not far from here, when John took me to see how Mrs. Heatwole was farin' after the birth of their new child.
All the young men, no matter what side, look so afraid and lonely, homesick. My heart aches for them all.
John tells us all to stay close to home. The raiders will be comin' through. They'll be needin' food, supplies and horses. We've taken the pigs to the forest, but the horses are needed in the fields. Pray they won't take what little we got.
I so miss our Isaac, but am relieved he is safe from this condition of war.
The lamp is burning low now, and I must attend to our meal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Be Continued.....
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 64
This is why I submitted to some family history groups. Thanks.
This is a fascinating view because of its currency then and now.
Thank you, Debra! That means much to me!
great story! 10!
They were called Dunkards because they believed in full immersion baptism. This story is about my own ancestors life in the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. I have researched their story for years, and have had this 'book' burning on the back burner for some time. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Thank you, Lune! Very much, for taking the time to come here and read!
Spartan...I, too, and an avid historical (hysterical? lol) drama fan! Thank you! Keep reading, I promise you are in for an adventure!
Faith, yes, reminiscent of Cold Mountain, with a Mary Chestnutt flair. This voice of Catherine, through her g-g-g-grandaughter (me), I hope....will bring her story to the front as true as I know it. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Heidi...that is funny! A Drunkard Woman's Journal.....gives me another idea for a story! LOL! Thank you for the 10!
Landen, yes, period pieces are tricky, especially written in this manner, speaking through my ancestor's voice. Thank you for the encouragement!
Lloyd...thank you!!!
The American Civil War had so many factions, it would not have made a difference if a few peaceful peoples had joined in the bloody conflagration or not.
620,0000 people were killed in this horrible war. More than WWI, WWII, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam War, and the Gulf War combined.
The Union, as well as the Confederates, forced these peaceful people into a desperate situation. They held no slaves. They refused to become involved in politics. One must understand their religion before sentencing them. They truly believed God first.
Some did enter the war, some fought. Others could not bring up arms against their northern or southern brothers and sisters. They still believe it is wrong to kill another or bear arms against another.
War is not always the solution.
Thank you for saluting my ancestors!
I learned a lot; I thank you for that. It will be an interesting book. Why isn't this written about more, I wonder? They somewhat remind me of today's Jehovah's Witnesses who will not fight or vote or be political, and were sent to concentration camps for their opposition to Hitler. Good historical piece; nothing better than a personal journal.
Very well written piece :)
One of my ancestors, a Huber (pronouned Hoover-no, not of the future presidents ilk), was actually burned at the stake for his religious beliefs. In all my research, I found historians were lacking in recording the history of the PEOPLE....it seems they know every battle, every date, every rank, every place....but they hardly acknowledged what happened to the everyday people the war affected.
Not much is available in recorded history about what happened in the Shenandoah Valley of Virgina, either. If it weren't for journals, like Catherine's, we would be deprived of this important history. Catherine, I believe, has a different story to tell. Most journals are based on either Union or Southern sympathizers. Hers is neither.
Researching my ancestry has afforded me the privlege of an insight not many are 'privy' to. My ggggrandmother has story that needs to be told. Not as a Union supporter....not as a Southern supporter. But as a woman caught in the middle of a battle that bloodied this nation, supporting neither side, and.....well, I cannot divulge what happens.....to her, her family, or her friends.
Yes, this country was founded on religious freedom, but when challenged, this country has failed to support that platform. Those who will not go against their God are doomed, in history, to go down as 'non-supporters' of others political and religious beliefs.
My intention was not to turn this into diatribe about the political or religious 'correctness'....my intention was to offer yet another, hardly recorded, voice.
So, thus....Catherine speaks.
I have learned much while researching my own family history. I never knew, while growing up, that I had ancestors of this religious background, nor did I know what happened in John and Catherine's lives....and the lives of their children.
I know now. And I think it is important to let Catherine speak. Another layer of understanding will be applied.
All people must speak and be heard, understood, or the delicate balance of our collective understanding is undone.
I appreciate honest critique.
Very compelling. I think the Shenandoa Valley is one of the most beautiful spots in the east. You certainly brought a chapter of its history to life.
I subscribe to the CPT online news reports. Christian Peacemaker Teams (MennoLink) - are in several places around the globe right now, as peace witnesses and advocates, working with other Peacemakers in each area: Iraqui peacemakers, Palestinian peacemakers, Israeli peacemakers; they're monitoring events in Columbia, also at the Arizona/Mexico border; also at BEAR Butte in USA,and also at the 2 D.U. weapons mfg sites in the USA Southeast, where people are getting cancers, having children with birth defects,the works.
Mennonites - good people.
WVA became a state of the Union on June 20, 1863. The portion of Virginia that became WEST Virginia, is where my ancestors, John and Catherine, were born.
Their relatives, and THEY....voted against succession.
"Mennonites - good people. " Thank you, Carolion...I knew you'd understand!! The Mennonites reach into antiquity with their beautiful stand of Peace.
Yes, it is exactly what Jesus tells us will happen for following him.
Thank you for commenting, Samantha!!
Since you asked, I would offer that some phrasing is somewhat distracting in the sense that it creates the impression of a sort of "looking in" from a broader perspective than what one would expect such a person to have. For a few examples;
We now think nothing of refering to farmers as "simple", but it seems somewhat odd for them to speak of themselves as such.
Or the phrasing "This would be to commit a sin in our God's eyes" . . . The notion that other folks had "other" Gods, as well as the concept that there was any possible distinction between what was sin, and what God saw as sin, are, I think somewhat modern. Would not the more probable statement be something like; 'As we read the Book, that would be sinful', placing all doubt about the matter in the minds of men.
Or the sentence; "All are corrupt in our eyes, and we only wish to exist as the farmers and peaceful people we are". Again, there is a sort of "third person" point of view to this, and I would think such a person would more likely speak of wanting to farm and live in peace directly, and not as something referred to about people like themselves.
None of this is required, of course, and the story can certainly be told from a perspective which somewhat anticipates out current conceptions, as is often done, but it does tend to prevent an "authentic" feel which might enhance it's telling.
Thank you, Jay, and Carole D...I appreciate you stopping by!
Thanks, Ruth....without giving away the story, I do believe Catherine's perspective will shed new light, even some 140 or so years later, into the events and people of the Shenandoah Valley.
Hi, Liz! Thank you! I hope you will enjoy the 'next installment' as well!
Don't worry, Diana.....I have been working on this idea for quite some time. All the years of genealogical research made me think I should write a book about it.
Thanks, Michele! I'm glad you found it interesting, and I hope to see you back for the 'rest of the story'! ;)
This Dunkard/Brethren/Mennonite family went on to produce soldiers and sailors who fought valiantly in World War II, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the current War.
My own father was in seven major sea battles in WWI. All four of his brothers served in that war. Their sons served in Vietnam. Both of my nephews served in the Gulf war, and the current War.
Of course, that part of the family were no longer of the Brethren after Isaac went to Iowa.
Just so's ya know! ;)
I was listening to James Horner while reading this (not purposefully thats just what I've been listening too lately) and that really added something to it for me, since he's the one who did the music to "Glory", Thank God a "Glory" song did not come on I might have cryed then.
Trista, I'm happy to hear you are interested in research and history. Had I not been interested in researching my family history, I would not have known about my ggggrandparents and their travails in the Civil War.
Keep researching and have fun with it! Thank you for commenting!
Duh. That's a typo...I meant WWII...
LOL (I just noticed)
I know there are many journals out there...but I have yet see one from a Brethren woman. So....thus, my story.
Thanks for commenting! And, please let me know if my story needs any correction....I'm very open to help and critique!
One burning question arose from this (my mind works in very strange ways)-
Who in Hell was "Mennon" and how was he associated with the Anabaptists?
wishing you laughter
Simon Menno was the leader of the group of anabaptists, thus=Mennonites. :)
Yes, Quinn....these sentiments are still relevant, aren't they?
Thanks for your comments!!