Indiana is home to the third-largest Amish population
Indiana, with the world’s third greatest Amish population, also has the most settlements over 10 church districts in size.
‘Swiss’, Swartzentruber, New Order, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania-transplant Amish contribute to the diverse range of Amish groups found in the Hoosier State.
An Amish buggy near Shipshewana, Indiana
Amish communities in Indiana
From the youngest Amish settlements in the southern end of the state to the oldest at Elkhart-Lagrange Counties (1841, 137 districts) in the north, Indiana is home to a wide diversity of Amish groups.
- Lagrange-Elkhart Counties–the northern Indiana community is the largest settlement in the state, and 3rd-largest nationwide
- Nappanee–a stone’s throw from the Lagrange-Elkhart settlement and 3rd-largest in Indiana
- Adams County (Berne)–the Hoosier State’s 2nd-largest community and an example of a Swiss Amish group
- Allen County–another Swiss Amish group a short distance from the Adams County community
- Daviess County–the sizeable southern Indiana group features Dinky’s auction house and a wide range of small businesses
- Pennsylvania Amish in Indiana–In the 1990s two groups of Amish left crowded Lancaster County for the Hoosier State
- Small Indiana Amish settlements–Indiana has around a dozen more settlements of a few church districts or less in size
Lagrange-Elkhart Counties
The settlement at Elkhart and Lagrange Counties is the largest, oldest (founded 1841), and best-known in the state. Amish occupy the eastern portion of Elkhart County and the western half of adjacent Lagrange County (where they constitute over a third of the highly rural county’s population). The total Amish population in this community is approximately 20,000, spread over roughly 140 separate congregations (see Amish Studies web site).
The Elkhart-Lagrange Amish settlement is the largest in Indiana
Elkhart-Lagrange differs from Holmes County, Ohio, in that it is home to a single affiliation of Amish, though one whose churches range from progressive to conservative.
The more conservative groups are generally found on the eastern side of the settlement. This creates some distinct differences; for instance the gasoline-engine lawnmowers commonly seen in the western half of the settlement give way to rotating reel push-mowers in the east.
Full-time farming is not common in this settlement. Rather, Elkhart-Lagrange is highly oriented towards factory work. The majority of Amish household heads here find employment in the local recreational vehicle industry.
Many RV companies are headquartered in the area, and employ heavily-Amish workforces. In recent years, due to economic difficulty and high fuel prices, the RV industry has struggled. The many layoffs occurring in the industry have forced some Amish to shift into small business.
Farming has declined in Shipshewana and other areas of the northern Indiana Amish settlement
Farming has also declined to low levels, as in other Amish settlements. However the occasional Amish-owned dairy can still be found. In addition to milk production, there are a number of hog and poultry producers raising chickens, turkeys, and ducks in this community. Produce farming has also become popular for some Amish, particularly in the eastern end of the community, with a local auction offering an outlet for Amish fruits and vegetables.
The Elkhart-Lagrange community was featured prominently in the 2002 Rumspringa documentary ‘Devil’s Playground’. It is also home to the Shipshewana Flea Market, an event which draws thousands weekly to the tiny 500-person hamlet. The flea market is held every Tuesday and Wednesday from 8am to 5pm (May-October).
The main towns in this settlement include Shipshewana, Middlebury, Topeka, and Millersburg.
The Nappanee Amish Community
Also found in northern Indiana, the well-known community at Nappanee is located a few miles to the southwest of the Elkhart-Lagrange settlement. The Amish at Nappanee are similar in lifestyle and church rules to those in the Lagrange settlement. Though it was founded at around the same time, Nappanee is much smaller, with 37 church districts as of 2010 (see Amish Studies website).
However, with the continuous outward spread of both settlements, it’s possible that one day in the future the two will merge to form one contiguous settlement rivaling Lancaster County in size. Even in 2006, Amish settling in the region between the two communities were faced with the choice of which settlement to attend church in.
An Amish buggy travels through the town of Nappanee, IN
Nappanee is another tourist favorite, with the often-visited Amish Acres off the main drag west of town. Not far to the north of Nappanee at Wakarusa is also found a small horse-and-buggy Old Order Mennonite community. Old Order Mennonites are similar to Amish in some beliefs and practices but outwardly-differentiated by their plain but patterned clothing, lack of beards, and use of electricity.
Adams County
Straddling Fort Wayne in the northeastern part of Indiana are two ‘Swiss Amish’ settlements, located at Allen and Adams Counties. The Adams County settlement is slightly older (1850) and the larger of the two, with 50 church districts as of 2010 (see Amish Studies website).
The Adams County group, which also takes in parts of neighboring Jay County, is centered around the town of Berne, a community founded by Swiss settlers in the mid-1800s. The area also features a tourist attraction known as Amishville, a camping resort featuring a number of tourist-oriented events such as hayrides and gospel concerts.
Amish farm near Berne in Adams County, Indiana
The Amish in Adams County are more conservative than those in northern Indiana, and are visibly plainer in practice and dress. Amish in this community have maintained a farming tradition to a significantly greater degree than those in the more progressive communities. The Swiss Amish of Adams and Allen Counties also have a specific history and set of customs rooted in their distinct heritage.
The Swiss Amish
The Swiss Amish of Adams County, like their counterparts in Allen County, have different origins than the majority of North America’s Amish. The ancestors of Amish in these and other Swiss communities arrived in America in the mid-1800s from Switzerland and surrounding areas.
Swiss Amish have maintained distinct customs and generally more conservative practices than the Pennsylvania German-ethnicity Amish (with ancestry in France, Germany and elsewhere) today found predominantly in Pennsylvania, Ohio and other states.
Indiana Swiss Amish women
Swiss Amish only travel by open buggy. Swiss Amish in the Adams or Allen County communities speak a different dialect from their cousins in Elkhart-Lagrange, Nappanee, and other Pennsylvania German Amish settlements. The difference between the two dialects can be distinct–for example, a Pennsylvania Amishman noted that he actually spoke English with Amish in Allen County.
Many readers may be familiar with ‘Miller’ and ‘Stoltzfus’ being common names among the Amish. Distinctive Swiss names are found in these settlements. For instance, ‘Schwartz’ is by far the most common moniker in the Adams County community, with hundreds of households bearing the name. Other typical Swiss names include Graber, Lengacher, and Wickey. Swiss Amish have other distinct cultural markers, including the practice of yodeling as well as atypical burial customs.
Read more on Swiss Amish.
Allen County
The Allen County group was founded about the same time as the Adams County community(1852), though is smaller (18 districts as of 2010). In contrast to the Adams County group, the Allen County Amish have visibly higher standards of living, with fancier homes and carriages.
Many Allen County Amish have prospered in the construction industry, which is key to the Amish economy in this settlement. Full-time farming in this community has almost completely died out, and home shops and businesses are relatively few compared to other Amish settlements.
The open-topped buggies characteristic of the Allen County, IN Amish
Interestingly, unlike most other Amish settlements in Indiana and elsewhere, brick is a popular building material in this community. Some Amish homes even employ faux-brick siding to achieve the desired visual affect. One tends to see a uniformity of construction styles in Amish settlements and among certain affiliations. This is quite noticeable in Allen County, with the homes reflecting the prosperity of the community. The Adams County Amish, in contrast, maintain a “plainer” appearance when it comes to their homes.
The Amish of Daviess County
Another Amish group with Swiss ties is located in the southern part of Indiana, in Daviess County (founded 1868, 26 church districts). The Daviess County group is not a fully “Swiss” group however, as it is comprised of a mix of Swiss and Pennsylvania German-heritage Amish. Unlike the Adams or Allen County groups, Amish here use closed-top buggies.
Daviess County Amish speak with a distinct southern twang that is instantly noticeable when members move to other communities. Daviess County Amish also have a reputation for friendliness. Even Amish in other communities in Indiana and elsewhere comment on the congenial nature of Daviess County Amish, a fact which holds true on meeting the locals.
Daviess County is located in a decidedly rural part of the state, full of dusty roads, a few of which turn to mud during downpours. Small businesses such as furniture shops and construction crews are common in Daviess County. Dinky’s Auction Center is a local institution located in the middle of the community. Weekend auctions at Dinky’s are a popular draw for Amish and non-Amish alike.
Lancaster County Amish in Indiana
In 1991 gray buggies first found their way to Indiana when Amish from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania relocated on the western edge of the state, forming a new community at Rockville in Parke County (5 church districts). A few years later, a second Lancaster group set up shop on the opposite side of the state in Wayne County (1994, 4 church districts).
Lancaster-style gray-topped Amish buggies have traveled Indiana roads for 20 years
Amish in America’s best-known settlement have long faced population and other pressures, and migration is one way Lancaster Amish have maintained traditional lifestyles. Cheaper land and less-crowded roads have been strong draws for Lancaster County migrants to Indiana.
Notably, the Pennsylvania Amish migrants to Indiana decided on slightly different church rules that, for example, prohibited the growing of tobacco, commonly raised as a cash crop in the home settlement at Lancaster. Amish here maintain close ties with the Lancaster community, and are frequently “back-and-forth” with their mother settlement.
Smaller Amish settlements in the Hoosier State
Though Indiana has over 2/3 the Amish population of Pennsylvania, it has less than half as many church districts. This reflects the fact that Amish in Indiana reside in more concentrated areas making for larger-sized settlements on the average.
Indiana has the most Amish communities with over 10 church districts, with five. In comparison, Ohio has three, while Pennsylvania has four.
A store run by conservative Amish in southern Indiana
Indiana does have a fair share of smaller communities, however, with around a dozen comprised of just a few congregations or less. The third-oldest community in the state is actually one of Indiana’s smallest. The settlement at Kokomo in Howard and Miami Counties was started in 1848, experiencing periods of growth and decline over its long history. Today the community is only 2 church districts in size.
The vicinity of Vevay, Indiana is home to two separate Amish groups. A Delaware-style buggy parked in downtown Vevay
Indiana also exhibits a diverse Amish population. The state is home to conservative Swartzentruber Amish in Orange County (1994, 2 districts), as well as another conservative but unrelated group in the same county at Paoli (1957, 2 dsitricts). A New Order Amish settlement is found at Worthington (1992, 1 district).
Other small Indiana communities include Milroy in Rush County (1969, 4 districts) and Swiss daughter settlements at South Whitley in Whitley County (1974, 1 district), Salem in Washington County (1981, 2 districts) and Vevay in Switzerland County (1987, 3 districts).
Amish in Indiana
Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania comprise America’s “Amish Heartland”. Roughly 65% of the total Amish population is found in these three states.
Though in recent years Amish have migrated to less-populous areas of the country such as the western and northern states, Indiana retains its position as a leading state for Amish settlement.
With its abundant farmland and relatively low population density, Indiana remains an attractive place for Amish to live, with a rate of growth over the past 2 decades that has outpaced both Ohio and Pennsylvania.
For further information, see:
Plain Diversity: Amish Cultures and Identities, Steven M. Nolt and Thomas J. Meyers
An Amish Patchwork: Indiana’s Old Orders in the Modern World, Thomas J. Meyers and Steven M. Nolt
“Amish Population by State (2010)” Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College(http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/Population_by_State_2010.asp)
“Amish Population Change Summary 1991-2010.” Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College. http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/PDF/Statistics/ Population_Change_Summary_1991_2010.pd
Amish Settlements Across America: 2008, David Luthy
Amish America Furniture Directory: Indiana Amish Furniture.
Photo credits: Shipshewana buggy-Anita Ritenour; Elkhart-Lagrange Amish buggy; Amish team in field-Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership; Nappanee buggy-ChicagoGeek; Berne Amish-Manuel Reinhard; Swiss Amish women; Grabill Indiana carriages-Renee Johnson; Southern Indiana Amish store-Cindy Seigle; Vevay Amish buggy-Kendal Miller, Switzerland County (IN) Tourism
64 responses to Indiana Amish
Greetings!!
Love the article Erik, very informative!! Also love the pictures, they are awesome!!
Shutting down my computer today to do a complete hard drive reformat, should be back online later today or by tomorrow morning at the latest.
have a great day!!
Blessings, Alice
Adams County Amish
Where in Adams County (IN) are the amish primarly located?
Indiana Amish Locations, Adams County
The Amish in Adams County live mostly just barely East of Portland Indiana, Bryant Indiana, and Bern Indiana. Most live just East of Bryant and Portland. Only about 10 Miles from the Indiana/Ohio boarder. They are VERY consertive compared to other Amish, and the church’s have split a few times over the past 30 years or so. Hope that helps:-)
-Ethan
Indiana Amish businesses?
Thanks Alice, and I do wish you luck with the hard drive fun.
I’ve got plans for a return visit to Indiana this summer as it has been a few years.
If anyone has any particular Amish business recommendations–shops, etc. worth visiting in any of the Indiana settlements–I am all ears.
Going to Indiana?
Erik,
Have you been to Indiana yet this summer? I would like to invite you to my home town and maybe we could meet. You had a very correct, in-depth story about the magazine The Connection. Can you let me know if you are coming to my neck-of-the-woods?
Rockville/Marshall
You can’t go wrong with Swarey’s Variety Store, Peachey’s Bulk Store on Mull Road, and the Nyesville Bakery and greenhouse in Rockville/Marshall area. They are such kind people and have authentic wares.
Rockville
Is there any Amish “tourism” in Rockville? Restaurants etc for family visit? We are south of Indy. Are there any Amish settlements nearer to us?
Thanks!
Amish store
The Troyer family run an Amish general store at their farm, located on SR 3 about 3 mi. or so south of Milroy, Indiana. There is also a new Amish restaurant that recently opened on the far east side of Milroy (north side of the highway). You have to look for it, it’s easy to miss. It is also located on an Amish farm.
Amish store
The Amish also have a quite large general store just south-west of Nappannee. It’s a little difficult to locate. It’s about 2 mi south of Highway 6. Unfortunately, the last time we there there this summer, the sign along 6 was missing. The name of the store is RENTOWN.
Ren Town near Bremen is the best place to get your cheese! Much
of it comes from Walnut Creek across the Ohio border. Also get my
lamp oil, wicks and glass there.
Harley runs the Tri-County-Foods store just north of there, mostly
dry goods. Corner of St Joseph, Elkhart and Marshall county lines.
I’m sure they would love your patronage…..
YAY
Come visit Dinkys in our part of the world!(;
Dinky's???
It would be nice if you’d post the locaton. Impossible to visit if we don’t know where it is. Thanks.
Dinky's Auction Center address-Daviess County, Indiana
Jack, Peyton and Macin can probably tell you more, but here’s the address and info for Dinky’s:
4140 N 700 E
Montgomery, IN 47558
(812) 486-2880
It’s right in the middle of the Daviess County Amish community. Typically packed with Amish on Friday evenings. They have a regular Friday night auction as well as other auction events, including horse and pony sales, carriage, tack, consignment auctions, livestock, antiques.
Here’s the website as well: http://dinkysauctioncenter.com/
Indiana Amish
Daviess County, IN
We have a good ole population round here. come visit us to see many amish stores and especially Dinky’s! They have good sales and it is cool to see how amish auction(:
looking for an amish (female as am i) e-mail pal re; your lifestyles and intrests. please respond asap! thank-you, God speed.
HELP
I am a nursing student at Galen college in Louisville Ky. I am doing a project on Amish people and their way of life. I am looking for a Amish community in salem Indiana, that I can drive to, to take a look at. I’m having trouble finding a address and wondered if you could help?
Natalie Case — I would suggest you go to the New Philadelphia area east of Salem, off Highway 56. You will find many Amish living in that area. I would suggest that when you get to the area, look for signs by driveways on the farms that say things like “Eggs for Sale” or “Maple Syrup” or “Handwoven Rugs”, etc. Best time to go would likely be on a Saturday morning. This is an Old Order Amish settlement.
There is a New Order Amish settlement in the Rosebud area southwest
of Salem. There is an Amish salvage grocery store at Rosebud
that may be helpful. It might be interesting for you to observe
differences between the Rosebud and the New Philadephia Amish
communities.
When at Salem, you won’t be too far from Paoli. There is a
settlement there east of Paoli in the Bromer area. Several farms
on Lynd School Road usually have things for sale.
Indiana Amish
buying from the Amish
I live in jay county bordering adams county and i drive out into the country and you can usually go right to an Amish home all over the county and find almost anything to buy from the Amish. I find that you get better deals buying at there homes than you can at Amish stores. I`ll give you an example, I but tomatos at $40. a lb and 5 cucumbers for a dollar etc. etc.
Hi Ronnie do you know Andy Yoder who is from Geneva and lives close to New Cordon.
Marcus Yoder
OMG I KNOW ANDY YODER..
It’s Ethan here…he know’s me..wild!
Andy is my brother. His boy is also Andy Yoder, and lives in Geneva.
Marcus Yoder
If I can, I will try to add to the info about Indiana’s Amish.
When the Lancaster Co. Amish first came to Parke Co., they were treated very rudely and coldly by the locals, even the real estate agents and bankers were loathe to help them, until… The first Amish to commit went to the bank to open an account and the bankers thought it was only going to be a few thousand, so they rudely humored the man. They were floored when the Amishman pulled out a valid check of well over 7 figures! Things changed quickly with the Amish being asked where they wanted horse tie-ups put, how many they needed, how big, etc. and other welcoming gestures. This community has large farms and large Amish owned/ run factories because of the money generated by selling out in Lancaster and buying much cheaper property in Indiana.
The Amish of Elkhart/LaGrange/Nappanee are one fellowship, except for 5 districts that just could not go along. But they are not the only Indiana Amish that could not get along. In Davies Co, they might be friendly to other people, but in church business, they have lots of problems. There is a district that had so many problems that they had gone 8 YEARS without communion. I was told this by a horse trader from that community while I was Amish, and that it was not a isolated thing. When one looks at Raber’s Almanac, you notice that this community often does not have a full compliment of ministers in each district, and it was worse a few short years ago. In David Luthy’s book “Amish Settlements that Failed”, a lack of leadership is cited as a leading cause settlement failure. I wish Davies Co a quality, Godly leader that pulls the community together soon.
Adams and Allen Cos. have spawned several daughter communities in Branch and Hillsdale Cos. of Michigan. These communities tend to be more conservative. Indeed, the California Amish of Calif. township, Branch Co. are notably very conservative. They also are in a very small area, with smaller than usual properties for such a conservative way. I have a friend that joined the Amish and he also was much more interested in conservative Amish then the progressive main stream. So he visited Calif. to see if they were for him. He drove his buggy from Allen Co to CA (40+ miles) and when he got there, they searched him! I guess they wanted to make sure he had nothing that would violate the Ordnung and pollute their minds!?
There is also a New Order group near Salem (West Washington School Rd area). I believe this was the first New Order settlement outside of Ohio. They have had periods of growth and decline and are rather small today. For a long time, they had a lot of help from outsiders bringing them abandoned cocaine babies, most of which were adopted by members of the church. It was quite unusual to see so many black children speaking PA Deitsch.
Indiana Amish
Amish Doctors in Southern Indiana/Ohio Valley
Indiana Amish,
A friend of mine who used to have a business specializing in Amish style herbology and medicine/healing, said he had training with an Amish doctor in Indiana.
I do not remember where in IN he went or how to contact that old friend anymore.
Would you be able to recommend any of the Southern IN Amish communities opened to a woman learning the Amish medicinal and healing ways?
in search of an old Amish friend
Howdy, im from the philippines..I really had a hard time searching for my very dear amish family who helped me all the way from grade school. They’ve been very special to us. Letters and correspondence lost us 1990. Could you please help me locate them.They are the LAMBRIGHT FAMILY..My grader friend is SUSAN LAMBRIGHT who marries MAHLON BONTRAGER…
I don’t have an address but i found a Susan Lambright born january 4 1980 that married Mahlon A. Bontrager born september 22 1978. He was Ordained Minister in 2004.Their last two children were born in Elkhart county, Indiana.Someone with an Amish directory for northern Indiana would be able to come up with an address.If this info does’nt match up let me know.
Marcus Yoder
Indiana Amish Businesses
I enjoy going to E & S Sales, which is a bulk food and grocery store, and Eash Sales, which is an Amish hardware. They also sell outdoor furniture. They are located on State Road 5. There are many other Amish shops in Shipshewana.
I know the Elkhart/LaGrange settlement is a popular weekend getaway place for people from the Chicago area.
I’d love to hear the yodeling Amish! I’ll have to poke around online and see if there are any recordings.
Yodeling CD's
Lindsay,
Stephen and Rosetta Schmidt have some really awesome yodeling CD’s. I used to love taking Stephen’s grandmother to Berne, she would yodel the entire two hour drive ! Google “The Schmidts Yodeling By Request” for order information. You may also enjoy hearing John Schmid’s (slightly different spelling and they are not related). “In Dutch” and “In Dutch Again” CD’s…they aren’t yodeling songs, but they are songs sung in the Amish language. BTW..Stephen’s sister Laura Yoder sings back up and I believe it is his uncle who plays fiddle on the CD.
Indiana Amish
Indiana Amish
The part how they were rude and cold to them till they showed their money. Goes to show thats all alot of people think about, the money. Sad to say. Also the fact about the abandoned cocaine babies and them speaking PA Deitsch I never would have guessed that.
Indiana Amish addendum
Great addition Lance, thanks. I’ve heard other Amish talk about Daviess County in similar tones. I’ve also heard Indiana people talk about other IN communities in less-than-glowing tones. I guess it’s people being human, but probably not without basis in some cases.
Bizarre search story with the MI Swiss Amish. I remember reading about people in this community wanting to get away from the Allen Co settlement because of worldliness. Is California Amish what they call themselves? I’ve also been to the small Swiss South Whitley settlement, which has been there forever but only one congregation in size. They seemed a bit plainer than Allen Co.
Indiana Amish
California Amish
I grew up in the Quincy Settlement and the Amish in southeastern Branch County near California Township refer to themselves as the Branch Settlement. Those in southwestern Branch County are in the Bronson Settlement. My family had 27 vans and we ran an Amish Taxi service taking the people to weddings, funerals, grocery shopping and to doctor appointments as well as to other settlements to visit relatives.
Indiana Amish
Looking for info on Amish and Mennonite Communities in Madison County
Hi! I am looking for information on the Amish and Mennonite communities in Madison County or surrounding counties. I am doing research on different cultures in our community and have always been very interested in finding out more about the Amish and Mennonite communities in my area. Any info that you could provide me with would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ann, I agree that it is sad that the Parke Co were treated that way. They are growing very fast and the shops are more like factories. I like them and would be glad to have friends there. The cocaine babies came to the Amish as infants, so as they grew up, they learned PA Deitsch first, like any other Amish child.
Erik, to the best of my knowledge, they call themselves the CA Amish. There are at least 6 different communities in Branch and Hillsdale Cos. From east to west: Pittsford/Osseo, Reading/Camden, Montgomery, California, Kinderhook, Bronson/Orland. The first and last in the list are not Swiss Amish, the others are. Since I discovered the South Whitley settlement, they have changed quite a bit and now resemble Allen Co, except some are farmers.
Indiana Amish
Here is a youtube video about either Adams or Allen Co. The video is by a foreign news service. I think it is Allen county, but cannot be sure. The Amishman has a very low opinion of the future of the Amish there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukYOtnxYcJE
California Amish
I believe the “California” title comes from the name of the township.
Steuben County
Steuben County also has a settlement from Allen/Adams counties. It is located near Hamilton, which is where I grew up.
Amish businesses
Erik, my family and I love to go to Swarey’s Variety Store, Peachy’s Bulk Foods, and Country Corner Greenhouse. They are all near Marshall, Indiana, in Parke County.
Same here! The young single woman proprietor of Swarey’s Variety Store is a delight! Ironically, although the Amish in the Rockville area were not well received at first, we have found them to be the kindest, most welcoming people…
Her name is Lydia, and she is one of the reasons we keep going back. I have become friends with two of her brothers also.
I was really looking forward to reading the entry about the Indiana Amish in the Amish State Guide and enjoyed all of it.
I liked the picture of the “store run by conservative Amish in
southern Indiana” and think it’s Petershiem’s store in Orange
County; have been there many times. They sell books, baked goods,
housewares, toys, etc., and it’s always amazing to me how many
different types of things small Amish stores like Petershiems sell, and usually the stores are so neat and orderly. Petershiems
have great persimmon cookies in the fall — many people in southern
Indiana love anything made with persimmons. For being a small settlement, it’s interesting how many Amish grow and sell produce
at their farms — one day I counted at least nineteen farms that
were selling produce. Also, several produce maple syrup — very
good and very reasonably priced. My friends in the settlement now
talk about the “Shetler District” as well as the North District and
South District, so I think there may now be three districts. I’m
not sure if the new district was begun due to population growth or
differences in ordnung.
I always enjoy reading about Amish in Daviess County. There is an interesting book “The Amish Community in Daviess County, Indiana,”
by Bill Whorall, 2003, that I’ve learned much from. It’s a long
book, 358 pages, but has many, many pictures. Daviess County
has a very successful produce auction which is in a building completed in 2010 and is across the road from Dinky’s Auction. If anyone is planning a trip to Dinky’s on a Friday evening, I encourage them to try to also attend the produce auction on Fridy morning during produce season (May through Oct). I’ve found that it’s easier to find Amish people to visit with at the produce auction rather than Dinky’s, but both auctions are great!
Indiana Amish
Al, the “Shetler” district is due to a split.
The curse of the Swartzentrubers is multiple splits that rarely ever get reconciled.
In addition to the Wakarusa area, there are buggy Old Order Mennonites between Rochester, Mentone and Argos. This community is growing and they are primarily dairy farmers.
There is a dwindling group of buggy Old Order River Brethren or German Baptists of some kind between Camden and Flora. These are some very nice, but also very poor people that look like mid-low Amish. They speak English only and insist that being dunked in a river is the ONLY baptism of any value. I really let the air out of one of them when I disagreed. He must have had me married to someone already in just 20 minutes of talking! I last heard there are only 18 families left and another 1 was moving to MO.
Indiana Amish
Fascinating information about the Old Order Mennonites. My father’s family is from there and, in fact, goes back to an ancestor in Switzerland who in the early 1600′s was martyred for his faith. He was an Anabaptist. I am partial to “dunking” myself because of that.
Fascinating information! I grew up near the Elkhart/LaGrange Amish, and you presented some facts here that were new to me. And great additions in the comments as well. I’m definitely bookmarking this site!
Thanks everyone for your contributions here, which have added a lot to the entry. And Sarah, thanks for visiting!
Indiama Amish
Eric, this was a fabulous article! I’m very familiar with the area since I’m only 2 hours from northern Indiana. For about 25 years we have been traveling the area, backroads, etc., and we love the peaceful atmosphere and the countryside. It’s probably one of my favorite places in the country.
Thanks for sharing all of the information and pictures. Now I need to plan a few days in Indiana very soon!
Nancee
Indiana Amish
need some help to find a store
I live in Chicago area and i,m traveling to amish family to byu eggs butter,honey,milk and cheese.it takes me 4 hours traveling one way,i hear that there is an amish store in Indiana 2 hours away from Chicago could you help me to get an adress please.Thank you.
You might find some information here on Amish America on the Indiana Amish Markets post.
http://amishamerica.com/indiana-amish-markets/
Erik, was there a bulk food store post with answers to Diva’s question?
Looking for Camden family
So glad to have found this. My great-grandmother was born into the Deer Creek (Camden), Indiana OGBB congregation around 1890. Her maiden name was Lydia Cripe. My geneological research on her dead-ends with her parents; not sure how much truck that community had with county registrars. (They’re horse-and-buggy to this day.)
She left the church and never looked back when she married a Methodist man from Logansport. But she did retain a lot of the medicine and other folkways throughout her life, and left me a gorgeous pile of quilts.
Anybody have thoughts on where I should dig next? Thanks.
Indiana Amish
Interresting, some of my family comes from Deer Creek and Sharon area. They were the Todd and Shanks family. Don’t know of any Cripes.
Would Lydias’ parents name be Henry and Anna?
Marcus Yoder
I think that might be correct. I know they own Swarey’s Variety Store just north of Rockville in Marshall.
Salvage grocery Southern IN?
Are there any salvage stores in the Southern Indiana area? I currently go to several located in Western KY but thought I would see what was nearby. Also what about furniture stores? We are building a house and need some sturdy pieces.
thanks!
Kathryn
Lydia Cripe
You can try writing to Paul Royer at 2577 N 175 W Camden, IN 46917 for info on the Cripe family. Good luck.
Hello from Goshen! Enjoying Elkhart/Lagrange and the people who live here. Holy cow, the biggest eye-opener is the roving gangs of Amish cyclists! Young, old, large and small they rule the roads! My favorite siting of the day was an Amishman on a sweet Cannondale road bike with aero bars! I suppose you have to work off the pie somehow….
Hmm Question about Adams County Amish area
Hey folks, Ethan here, raised with Sam & Lydianne Schwartz from Adams County, (Old Reuben Graber’s Amish) Are there any forums for folks like me from more southern Indiana? Trying to get in touch with family and everyone that we USED to call there, who had a phone near an Amish farm has passed. I was with Reuben Graber, Eli Cobelentz’s church, I think Reuben has passed on and daughter Hilda has taken over his farm. Also looking for “Blind” Amos Graber there..any ideas? I’m currently (Now) An Actor here in Los Angeles. -Ethan Tudor W.
Indiana Amish
Maybe try the MAP Ministry forums. Good luck, that seems hard search for using the internet.
Here is just a BIT of the beginning of my book I'm writing about living with the Amish.
Please forgive the spelling errors and whatnot, this is just a TINY bit from my book about living with the Amish of Adams County Indiana. Let me know if this is something YOU would be willing to read, shoot me a note. After 20 years, I’m thinking of telling my story.
I had always known that I had a spirit of adventure that was born and bred in my soul. Call it karma, instinct, or just a plain curious nature, I always had the urge to experience every aspect of life to the fullest. I had a wanderlust that could not be contained, and this adventure was no different.
It was slightly cold and still dark as Sammy shook me awake. While I had been living with the Amish for a few days now, it was still strange to be awoken by a tall thin man carrying a kerosene lantern, his long beard and plain John Denver glasses casting shadows on the walls in the early dawn. I was surprised at how well I had slept. The sound of Sammy tramping down the stairs telling me he would meet me in the barn was enough to remind me that the days among the Amish started early.
I crawled out of my warm bed, a corn husk matteress with two down comforters, one to sleep on and one to pull over you, and quickly got dressed. Amish clothes, while plain in fashion, can be a little hard to put on in the dark. The broadfall pants had more buttons then I was used to, but at least the shirt was easy to pull on and there were only three sets of hook’s and eyes to connect. I pulled on my shoes and watched out the second story window as Sammy made his way across the yard tword the barn, milking bucket in one hand and kerosene lantern in the other. I could hear an Amish buggy making it’s way down the gravel road that ran in front of the house. We were not the only ones getting an early start on the day. I tied up my boots, pulled up my suspenders and headed flashlight in hand down the stairs.
I had chosen the Amish of Adam’s County Indiana after almost two years of research. No small feat for a young teenager. After first hitchhiking from Portland Oregon to Lancaster Pennsylvania to meet with some Amish friends I had come to know there, I had decided to head back west to Indiana, to a more remote and consertive Amish group that had not been so touched on by the outside world and the tourist industry. The Amish of Adams County had been much more responsive to me, as an “Outsider” or “English” joining their group. Over the years both community’s had seen their fair share of folks with interest in their culture, but only two or three had ever stayed for any amount of time. I think my young age and respectiful nature had put them at ease. It was as simple as walking up to an Amish farm not far from Portland Indiana and knocking on the door that had got me where I was. Call it luck, but it just happened to be the home of Eli Cobelentz, one of the deacons of the district, and after a few meetings and attending church at several Amish homes over a couple of months, it had been decided that I was sinscear, and I moved out of my rented room on East North St. in Portland Indiana to move in with Sam and Lydianne Schwartz. They were a middle aged couple with a small farm that they shared with Lydianne’s brother, Amos Graber. Amos was blind and Sam and Lydianne who could not have children of their own, could use the help on the farm.
As I opened the door at bottom of the stairs the scene was surreal. Two rocking chairs on each side of a plain table, a bench along one wall and a writing desk with a shelf and a daybed along the other wall were all the furnature that decorated the main sitting room. To the left a coal burning stove radited a warm and much welcome heat in the mostly empity room. It was not a large house even by Amish standards, but large enough to accomidate the entire church when the Sunday’s came around that we were hosting. It was plain and suited the small family well.
I wandered out to the kitchen and was greeted by Lydianne who was loading wood and a chunk of coal into the kitchen stove. After a quick ladle of water out of the stainless steel bucket that sat near the sink, I headed out tword the barn but not before Lydianne had reminded me to take my straw broad brimmed hat off the peg by the door. Not only was this my working and everyday hat that I would wear during my entire stay with the Amish, but it was part of the Ordnung, the rules of keeping ones head covered. Hats for the men and bonnets for the woman. It was rare to see an Amishman without his hat, and now I had two. This straw everyday hat, and a black broad brimmed beaver felt hat that I wore on Sunday’s.
I had not been living with the Schwartz’s more than 24 hours before Sammy had taken me by buggy to Bern to purchase my hat’s and black Redwing boots, and upon returning home, Lydianne had already made 3 full sets of clothes for me by hand on the treadle sewing machine that sat descreetly by a window in their small bedroom. It also doubled as a table, as most everything in an Amsh home does. It was a memorable day for a couple of reasons. It was my first time ever wearing “Plain” clothes, and the first time I had ever driven a horse and buggy. I was rather proud of myself but I dared not show it.
Donning my hat, I picked up my flashlight and headed out into the darkness tword the barn.
My interest in the Amish had started about a year earlier. Having been in the film business I had worked on the Paramount feature film “Witness” both as an Actor and as an Asstient locations manager in Pennsylvania. I had come to know the Amish in Lancaster well, and while I was never an overly religious person, I admired their Christian faith and simple lifestyle. I read every book on the subject, knew the entire history of the Anabaptist movement and had even learned a good deal of “Hoch-Deutech”, the “High-German” spoken by the Amish. I was sad to discover that the Amish of Lancaster had been abused by the tourist industry over the years and were very wary of outsiders. The Indiana Amish had not suffered this fate and were more consertive even by Amish standards, still that did not stop me from teaching in an Amish one room school out side of Intercourse Pennsylvania many years later. But the Amish of Adams County had accepted me, at least on trial. I was young and I was off to a good start.
The Schwartz farm, like the house, was not as large as some of the other Amish farms in the district. There was about 35 acres of farmable land where seed corn and soybeans were raised. There was a 2000 pullet chicken house, a good sized pigpen, and a barn that housed not only the 6 milking cows who’s milk we sold to a local dairy for grade B cheese, but also provided shelter for the two massive Belgin’s, “Mack” & “Maude”, that pulled all the farm tools and equipment, but also housed our driving horse and a number of cats that ran wild and seemed to always be having kittens.
Indiana Amish
searching for an amish female pen pal or e-mail pal.( i am a female.)my address 1807 s. olive street , bloomington, ind. 47401 hopefully in southern indiana area close to me. God speed.
October travel
We are traveling to visit relatives in tennesee and then Kentucky, and plan to go back to Michigan
through Indiana. As lovers of all things Amish, we go to Berlin Ohio area yearly..and would like
to see or do things in South Indiana. Where, what can you suggest? Restaruants, motels,
sites of interest, in perhaps two stop overs for two days. We have done North Indianna, SHipshewana
several times and would like something new. Many thanks…Sherrie. (4 adults )
Indiana Amish
Sherrie,
In Daviess County, Indiana, the social event of the week is Dinky’s auction on Friday nights. Gasthof in Montgomery, IN, has a motel, restaurant, shops, and a weekly flea market. One store is Amish Kountry Korner, 3516 Hwy 50 East, Washington, IN, phone 812-254-3284. Ask for a map of Amish shops. The Visitors Bureau in Washington, IN has brochures, phone 812-254-5262.
www.daviesscounty.net/amish has tour, food, and shopping information, and a calendar of events.
Indiana Amish
Amish Tools in Southern Indiana
Where in Southern Indiana (New Albany, specifically) would one be able to find good high quality Amish forged steel tools for cheap? Thanks in advance!
Well..
Umm..as far as I KNOW Even the BEST Amish that are Blacksmiths make very few “Tools”..Amish buy their tools at Sears..(Craftsman’s Life time Guart. if they break keeps them coming back.) Like everyone else. They may REPAIR a LOT of large and small farm tools, but I have yet to find an “Amish Toolmaker”, or let alone an “Amish Cobbler” (As this seems to be the OTHER question I get a lot..”Who Makes The Shoes??” (It’s Red Wing for the adults, Doc Martins for the kids…..go fig!)
-Ethan
Indiana Amish
Mee Ledris
I haven’t read all the posts, so maybe someone already past this along.
Mahlon Bontrager with wife Susan
18568 County Road 126
Goshen, IN 46528
Not sure…but worth a post card
Amish Builders (Pole Barn) Salem, Indiana
I am looking for an Amish building crew from Salem Indiana. I live in Greenville, Indiana just a few miles Southeast of Salem. I am looking to build a pole barn but am having a hard time finding a crew in this area. Any help would be appreciated.
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