This is the third week of the “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” challenge. This is not exactly a nickname, but it is a name: Molunthe. Who was Molunthe? He was my 5th-great-grandfather, Christian Fast, born in 1762 in Frederick County, Maryland. His parents were Johann Nicklaus and Caderina Margaretha (Dörner) Fast, originally from Göcklingen in the Rheinpfalz. The family later moved to the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania (Greene County), where they were living when the American Revolution began.
As pioneers, settlers in the region were vulnerable to attacks by British and Native American forces during the war. Christian volunteered for local militia duty in 1779 and 1780. In 1781, George Rogers Clark organized an expedition against the British stronghold at Fort Detroit, seeking volunteers from Virginia and Pennsylvania. These volunteers would travel down the Ohio River and head north. Despite being only 19 years old, Christian—already experienced as a militiaman—volunteered to join the effort; however, the expedition turned into a disaster. The group led by Col. Archibald Lochry, which included Christian, was ambushed, with all members either killed or captured.
Christian Fast, however, was fortunate. Although wounded, he amused his captors by demonstrating his ability to walk on his hands. This act not only saved his life but also endeared him to his captors, who adopted him into a family of the Delaware tribe. The family had lost a son in the wars and gave Christian a new name: Molunthe. He became part of the tribe, living among them, wearing the paint of a young warrior, and even participating in a battle against Fort Henry (in present-day Wheeling, West Virginia) on the side of the Native Americans.
Not long after that battle, Christian learned of a planned attack on his home settlement. Under cover of darkness, he escaped, leaving his belongings by a river to make it appear as though he had drowned. Knowing the route to the fort, he warned the settlers of the impending attack. When he tried to alert his parents, they did not recognize him due to his appearance and initially refused to believe his story. Only when he repeated his warning in their native German tongue were they convinced he was their son.
Christian was now reunited with his family. His bravery and dramatic return caught the attention of Anna Barbara Mason, then about 14 years old. They married a year later and went on to have 15 children. Initially, the couple farmed in Pennsylvania, but in 1816, they moved to Richland (now Ashland) County, Ohio, where they established a new farm. It is said that Christian’s tribal brothers occasionally visited him there, reminiscing about their shared past.
Christian Fast lived a remarkable life in a remarkable era of our nation’s history. He passed away in 1841 at the age of 79, leaving behind a legacy that included his family, centered in Ashland County, Ohio, and later Barton County, Missouri, through a grandson.
This story comes from service and pension records at the National Archives and various other vital records. Christian’s story has been passed down through the family and is commemorated on his own Wikipedia page and even in a historical novel for young readers.
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