Hans Jacob Hess
John Jacob Hess was a Swiss-German Anabaptist minister and martyr.Early life
John Jacob Hess was born in Wald, Zurich, Switzerland on 17 May 1584 to Hans Heinrich Hess, a bailiff, and Adelheid Kuntz. He had eight older full siblings: Margaretha, Christian, Matheus, Hans, Elsy, Margaretha, Heinrich, and Dorothea; five older half-siblings from his father's first two marriages: Adelheid, Barbara, Veronica, Catharina and Anna; and one younger half-brother, Hans, from his father's fourth marriage.Marriage and children
He married Anna Egli on 27 April 1606. They had 7 children: Anna, Christian, Heinrich, Hans Egli, Samuel, Veronica and Dorothea.In 1637, he was arrested for being Anabaptist, and locked in Othenbach Prison for 19 days. Later that year, he was again arrested, this time spending eight weeks in Othenbach Prison. In 1638, he was arrested for the third and final time, and thrown in Othenbach Prison for 83 weeks. While imprisoned, he was stripped and put in iron bonds for 16 weeks. He, along with his wife, who was imprisoned for 63 weeks, contracted tuberculosis, and died. His property was seized and sold for 4,000 guilders. None of the money was restored to his descendants.