Hidden Riches

by Romaine Stauffer

Hidden Riches puts a face on history through Christian Burkholder, a real person. Many of us do not know the names of our ancestors who braved the Atlantic to come to North America. We forget the persecution and suffering of our forefathers and how they risked their lives. When we take these things for granted, we risk becoming comfortable and lazy in our faith. The story of Christian and his family migrating to Pennsylvania from Germany will help you to comprehend the sacrifice of those who came to America in search of religious freedom and to appreciate more deeply the faith and freedom we enjoy.

Genres: Historical Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1983

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

When it comes to providing a rich historical backdrop, this novel does really well; when it comes to providing some narrative tension, however, the book does less well. (There really isn't much tension at all.) Interestingly, the family settles in the very part of Pennsylvania where I passed my childhood: I could picture the second half of the novel unfolding before my eyes and thus enjoyed that section quite a bit. My take: this feels more like a book homeschooling parents would have their kids read for school rather than a novel someone would pick up and read just for fun, but as long as you know what you're getting into when you crack the cover, it's not a bad read.

[Theresa Petoskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

a decent book based on a real family that came to america to escape the tragic predjudice in europe against mennonite & the amish faith

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is 1752, and six year old Christian Burkholder, called Christli by his family, lives with his father, also named Christian, mother Elizabeth, older sisters Barbara, Anna, and Elizabeth, and older brothers Ulrich and Peter, on a farm near the little village of Gerolsheim in the German Palatinate hills. His grandfather, Hans Burkholder, and his uncle Abraham Burkholder with his family, also live there. The Burkholders are “Swissers” or Mennonites whose ancestors moved from Switzerland to Germany to escape persecution. Now, Grandfather Hans wants them to go to Pennsylvania in America for the same reason, although young Christian wants to go just to see some Indians.

Unfortunately, both Hans and Christian Sr. die over the next two years, but, keeping a promise that she had made to her husband, in 1754 Mrs. Burkholder and the children, along with their neighbors, the Jacob Frey family, finally make plans to emigrate. However, their journey will involve a treacherous boat ride down the Rhine River, a dishonest person claiming to be a guide to the New World, and a dangerous crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, with a terrible storm and outbreaks of dysentery, measles, and scurvy. In fact, Peter’s best friend, Hans Frey, and Christian’s best friend, Martin Frey, both die, and Christian himself becomes very ill. Will they survive the trip? Will they make it to their new home? And if they do, will Christian ever see any Indians?

Hidden Riches is an interesting fictionalized account of the coming of the boy Christian Burkholder, a real person, and his family to Pennsylvania from the Upper Rhineland Palatinate of Germany in 1754. Author Romaine Stauffer has managed to blend a good story with lots of historical facts, including information about the Mennonites, German immigration to Pennsylvania, and even the work of Ben Franklin in Philadelphia. According to the Epilogue, Christian Burkholder (1746-1809) became an outstanding Mennonite Church bishop of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. One does not need to be a Mennonite to appreciate the courage, sacrifice, and perseverance of this family which resulted from their deep faith in God. Such stories help to make us all more thankful for the religious freedom which we enjoy.

[Maggie Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hats off to this author who has managed to blend a good story with lots of historical facts. I think children will find this to be an interesting read. This novel allows the reader to feel how terrible and scary the journey to the New World was. It is good to be reminded that ocean travel and travel in general had lots of dangers to it in the 18th century. Good job, Romaine.