Christian Fast ^{3 4}

  General Notes:

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3823]
From Fast Reunion Booklet - 1883

In 1781 Christian Fast, then about 19, when marching under the U.S. flag, a young lady saw him, and as he appeared young and small in stature she remarked, "What young snot-nose of a boy is that?" On August 24th he was captured by Indians and taken to Upper Sandusky a prisoner. At the time of his capture he was in a boat a few miles above the falls of the Ohio river; the boat was shoved to a shoal and a buffalo heifer shot, and when in the act of cooking the heifer for breakfast, those on board were attacked by Indians. The frightened soldiers were unable to shove the boat in to the current. As the Indians rushed down the shore, firing into the boat, Christian leaped over the opposite side of the boat, and at the same time received a flesh wound in his thigh. On striking the water he was caught by one of his comrades and they both sank to the bottom of the river. After extricating himself, he arose to the surface and struck out for the other shore, and when he arose to ascent the bank he saw two Indians approaching, who said, "Come on brother, we will use you well."

He threw himself back into the water, just in time to dodge their bullets and swam to the middle of the river. With vigorous exertion he overtook a small horse boat and boarded her just as she surrendered. After 2 or 3 days march, the Indians built a campfire and the prisoners were made to dance once around before being tied up for the night. Christian fast plead off because of his painful wound, but they would take no excuses; so he limped along for a few steps, then springing to his hands, he elevated his feet and commenced a sort of bear dance, turning somersaults and yelling like an Indian. Those gymnastic maneuvers captivated the Indians and from that time on he was the hero of the party, and no longer tied at night.

After enduring the hardships of Indian life for about a year, there was a grand council held by several Indian tribes at Chillicothe. There is was resolved to raise an army to operate against the border settlements of Virginia and Pennsylvania. Christian Fast, having won the confidence of his captors, volunteered for the expedition if they would let him have a gun. The chief promised that the first white man they would kill, that had a gun, he should have it. He was painted in true warrior style, his hair being put up in a cue and drawn through a silver tube and ornamented with feathers. He was furnished with a tomahawk, scalping knife and bow. His object in volunteering was to get to place that he was acquainted with so as to make his escape. The expedition passed down the old Wyandotte rail, through what are now Crawford, Richland and Ashland counties and proceeded to and attacked the small fort at what is now the city of Wheeling, West Virginia. On the 3rd night of the siege he said to Kawasa, his Indian brother that he was thirsty and desired him to go with him to the river and get a drink. Kawasa answered him in a cross way, "go yourself, no one will harm." He willingly complied. Taking his camp kettle with him, he left it on the bank of the river to make the Indians believe he had fallen in and drowned. He carefully wended his was through Indian lines in the direction of Fort Rice. He hastened to his old home in what is now Fayette County, Pennsylvania. On arriving at the cabin of his parents he so resembled a wild Indian warrior that they were unable to distinguish him. At length his mother recalling some peculiar spot near the pupil of his eye rushed forward to embrace him in her arms. This was late in the fall of 1782. In 1783 he met the young lady before mentioned, who was so inquisitive to know who he was, and to whom he had the honor himself of informing her. Her name was Anna Barbara Mason, and she became the happy bride of the little snot-nose soldier boy.

Christian located in Dunker Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania, where he remained until the year 1815. When he moved to this farm in Orange Township, Ashland County, Ohio, then an unbroken forest. That same evening they were visited by 8 or 10 Indians headed by an old warrior who had seen their light. The old Indian looked at him for a moment and then rushing forward exclaimed, "Tuckwecoby!", his Indian name. He offered his hand in friendship. That old warrior was Thomas Lyons, who was present at his capture and who was along with the expedition at Wheeling when he made his escape, 33 years earlier. The Delaware Indians always regarded him and his children as of their tribe, and called his children half Indian.
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In 1778, Christian enlisted in the Virginia Regiment in the service of the Colonies.

In May 1780, he substituted for his brother Jacob in Colonel Minor's Virginia Regiment.

In June 1780, he enlisted in the Fayette County, Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Near Laughry's Creek he was captured by Indians and in September 1782 he escaped his captors in Miami County, Ohio.
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[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 4, Ed. 1, Tree #0408]
On assessment roll Greene Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania for year 1784.
Head of family in Dunkard Creek in 1790 Census: 1-M, 4-M, 3-F.
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[Genealogy.com, LLC WFT Vol. 62, Ed. 1, Tree #2330]
Christian Fast Sr. died on his farm in Orange Township, 1849. Lived in Dunker Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania till 1815 than moved to Orange Township, Ashland County Ohio. At the age of 17, he volunteered as a cavalry man from what is now Fayette County, Pennsylvania, then a part of Westmoreland County
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He has alternate birth date of 20 May 1762 and a birth location of , Frederick County, MD.

Although the memorialized gravestone in the "Fast Cemetery" has his birth date as May 20, 1762, many researchers and court documents provide a birth date of 22 Jun 1762.
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• He signed a will on 5 September 1837 in , Richland County, OH.

Will of Christian FAST; 5 Sep 1837

In the name of God, Amen. I, Christian FAST, of Richland County State of Ohio considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being desirous of disposing of my worldly affairs do make and publish this my last Will and testament in manner following that is to say.

First. I do give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Anna Barbary the use and occupancy of all and singular my real and personal of which I may die seized and possessed, said real and personal estate to be managed by my executors hereinafter named or the person or persons who may execute this my last Will and testament, and the entire use, profits benefits, and a vails of said property shall be given and applied to the use of my beloved wife aforesaid during her natural life which I bequeath to her in lieu of dower. It is understood however that my executors shall be and are hereby authorized to sell at private sale a sufficient amount of my person al property to pay all my just and honest debts and the necessary costs and expenses of settling my estate.

Second. I give and bequeath to my son Jacob FAST one dollar to be paid out of my estate after the decease of my beloved wife.

Third. I do order and direct that, after the decease of my beloved wife my executors hereinafter named or the person or persons who shall execute this my last will and testament shall cause all my estate of which I m ay die seized and possessed both real, and personal and mixed to be appraised by three disinterested freeholders and if my son George and my son-in-law Nathaniel BRYTE shall choose to take said property at the appraised value thereof, they shall have the privilege so to do by paying said amount and in that case this shall be a sufficient evidence of title to said property when appraised value aforesaid shall be paid. But if my son George and my son-in-law Nathaniel BRYTE shall not choose to take said land and property at the appraised value then and in that case my said Executors or the person or persons who shall execute this my last will and testament shall proceed immediately to sell said property both real and personal at public or private sale and make and execute and deliver to the purchaser or purchasers a conveyance therefore which conveyance so made shall convey to them the said purchasers of said real estate a good estate of inheritance.

Fourth. I do further order and bequeath that my executors or other persons as aforesaid shall after paying all necessary expenses in settling my estate as aforesaid, divide the avails of said sale when received equally among my children hereinafter named (to wit) my sons Martin, Nicholas, William, Christian, David, Francis, George, and John and my daughters Margaret, Barbary, Elizabeth, and Christena all both sons and daughters lastly above named to share and share alike of the avails of the sale of my property aforesaid after discharging all necessary expenses as aforesaid.

Lastly I do constitute and appoint my son David FAST and my son-in-law Nathaniel BRYTE Executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 5th day of September A.D. 1837.
His Christian X Fast (seal) Mark

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named Christian FAST to be his last will and testament who in his presence and at his request have signed our names as witnesses thereto.

J. P. REZNOR
Silas ROBBINS. Co-executor
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• He was buried after 23 June 1841 in the Fast Cemetery in Bailey Lakes, OH.

Find A Grave Memorial 22508721

The consolidated Fast Cemetery has been the subject of many researchers statements with some expressing what had been found decades ago. In 2002, I talked with the land owner/farmer who currently owns the land surrounding the cemetery. He knows that for many years the annual plowing of the fields would occasionally bring up fragments of gravestones and that he and the preceding land owners would consolidate the fragments in one centralized pile.

When the first Fast family members were buried here, Ashland County did not exist until 1846 and the land was actually part of Richland County. Apparently over the years and with the change in county designations, the records of burials at this location had long since been lost or destroyed so to this day, nobody knows for sure how many people had been buried there nor their exact locations. What you see today is a compromise worked out with the farmer/landowners and the relatives of the Fast family, namely a consolidated memorial cemetery that is less than 20 feet wide and fenced in with a very neat looking white wooden fence. The farmer easily grants permission to anyone wanting to visit the cemetery but there is no vehicular traffic for the last several hundred feet and one is literally walking through a farmer's field to get to the cemetery.

The drive to the cemetery is marked with a sign "Fulk Drive," half-way to the farm buildings. The drive bears to the left and ends at the cemetery. Located nearby the cemetery is Spring Lake, which is the headwaters of the Vermillion River which flows into Lake Erie.
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Christian married Anna Barbara Mason, daughter of Martin Mason and Christina Waite, on 1 August 1783 in Dunkard Township, Washington, PA.^{1 2 3} (Anna Barbara Mason was born on 9 September 1768 in Ohio,⁵ died on 18 August 1855 in Orange Township, Richland, OH ^{3 5} and was buried after 18 August 1855 in Bailey Lakes, OH ⁵.)

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage location is given by some researchers as Dunkard Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania on 1 Aug 1783. Greene County was not actually formed until 1796. Prior to that, it was part of Washington county.
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