Scott Zesch

Scott Zechs’s great-great-great-uncle, Adolph Korn, was captured by Indians in 1870. From family stories, Zesch learned that his relative had difficulties readjusting to a farming life once he returned. He decided to find out more about his Uncle Adolph’s life. Since it had been so long and only a small amount of information specific to his uncle was available, he expanded his research to similar situations. This book describes the capture, captivity, release, and ultimate outcomes for nine such individuals, ranging in age from eight to fourteen at the time of their abduction. Most were held by Apaches or Comanches. All were from the Texas hill country and most were German immigrants.

The former captives spoke highly of their Indian families, and the vast majority did not want to leave them. This occurred at the time of the last Indian Wars, just before the native people were forced onto reservations and required to change their culture. Be prepared for descriptions of brutality. Also be prepared for the racism of the time, which is obvious from the newspaper quotes.

Some former captives adjusted well to their return, and others yearned to return to the untamed nomadic life on the plains. Almost all lost their native German or English language and were fluent in their Indian dialect. I did not find it surprising that these young people would adapt to a new life relatively quickly, since these were their formative years and they had no way of knowing if they would ever see their birth families again. They were taken far away, and it would be almost impossible for them to find their way back alone through harsh territory. It is reflective of the resilience of youth.

This book is a well-researched history. It is thoroughly documented in footnotes, some of which supplement the text and are interesting reading. The author, in his Afterward, outlines his research techniques and assumptions in deciding among the different versions and accounts of what transpired. It reminds me that each generation experiences a gradual decline in those that can recall it from experience. In the 1920s and 1930s, it was a gradual fading of memories of life on the frontier. This book does an excellent job of compiling and preserving a subset of these memories. I found it extremely educational and engrossing.
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