Amish History

We’ve got a winner today of last week’s History of the Bernese Anabaptists contest. As you’ll recall, the book was written in German by Ernst Müller and published in 1895.  It waited over a century for its first English translation, a task which John Gingerich took on a few years ago. I’ve done a bit of translating [...]

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About four years back, Geauga County, Ohio native John Gingerich undertook to translate a text very important to the history of the Amish and other Anabaptists. History of the Bernese Anabaptists was written by Ernst Müller and published in 1895.  Up until now it has never been available in English. In today’s interview, John explains [...]

Continue reading John Gingerich on History of the Bernese Anabaptists: Interview and book giveaway

Back in January, I shared a few slides of Lancaster County, circa 1963.  Here are a few more: Would today’s Lancaster Amish women consider this overdressed? Lancaster County has the second-most covered bridges of any county in America.  The #1 county? Parke County, Indiana, where a group of Lancaster Amish moved in the 1990s.  Here’s [...]

Continue reading Lancaster County, 50 years ago (part 2)

Northkill was an Amish settlement existing in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the 1700s.  It was home to some of the earliest Amish settlers in the New World. It was also the site of a brutal massacre still recounted by Amish today. During the French and Indian war, Amishman Jacob Hochstetler’s home came under attack by [...]

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The Martyrs Mirror is revered by Amish and other Anabaptists.  It’s a 1,000+ page book recounting the stories of Christian martyrs.  In addition to Biblical-era martyrs, it includes tales of the many early Anabaptists persecuted in Europe. The Martyrs Mirror is in the news because a very old (1748) German-language edition is up for sale [...]

Continue reading Why do we treasure old books?

Say the words “Pennsylvania Amish”, and Lancaster County inevitably comes to mind.  But Pennsylvania is a state covered with Amish settlements, with over 50 as of 2010 (see Young Center 2010). The Amish community in Juniata County is one of the Keystone State’s many lesser-known settlements.  I had a chance to visit Juniata County last [...]

Continue reading The Amish of Juniata County, Pennsylvania

Today, January 6th, is the Epiphany.  It is also known as “Old Christmas” or “second Christmas”.  From the Pinecraft Pauper: January 6th is still widely observed as a holiday by many plain folks, who commemorate the Epiphany with rest and fasting.  The Epiphany, traditionally, is the day in which the wise men brought gifts to [...]

Continue reading Amish celebrate Old Christmas today

Last week, an excerpt from The Amish Way mentioned a gentleman named Abner, a deceased Amish historian whose trade was bookbinding. Abner was apparently quite a remarkable person who touched a lot of people in his community.  Brad Igou (The Amish in Their Own Words) knew Abner well and has shared some remembrances which he [...]

Continue reading Abner the bookbinder

Sometime in the next few weeks, we’ll be launching a new feature on Amish America. The Amish State Guide will provide a state-by-state look at Amish communities in all 28 states (plus Canada) where they are currently present. The Amish State Guide will cover locations of present communities, history of Amish settlement in the state, [...]

Continue reading Previewing the new Amish State Guide: Michigan Amish

David Luthy shares the history of Nathan Smiley, born in Ireland to a British mother in 1797. At age four, Nathan arrived in America with his mother, and for reasons unexplained was placed in a foster home in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.  That home happened to belong to an Amish family. On coming of age, Nathan chose [...]

Continue reading History of Amish names: A ‘Smiley’ Amishman by way of the British Isles