Author: Erik Wesner

Erik Wesner is the creator of amishamerica.com, and author of Success Made Simple: An Inside Look At Why Amish Businesses Thrive. Erik began visiting Amish communities in 2004 – eventually meeting thousands of Amish families while selling books.

He began writing about the Amish on this website in 2006, and is often cited in national media, including USA Today, The New York Times, and others on a wide range of Amish topics. A native of North Carolina, Erik has visited dozens of Amish communities across the country, and loves spending time with Amish friends and discovering new Amish places.

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Sheriff: EZ Pass-Style Buggy Alert System Could Save Amish Lives

Sheriff: EZ Pass-Style Buggy Alert System Could Save Amish Lives

Following numerous serious car-buggy crashes in his state, a Virginia sheriff is proposing that a new light system – triggered by passing Amish buggies – could warn drivers of horse-drawn travelers on the roads ahead of them. Similarly to how flashing lights draw attention to upcoming stop signs on secondary highways, a flashing light system could tell drivers to expect to see horse-drawn vehicles just…

Caught: Two More Arrested In Amish Robbery & Assault Case (Ohio)

Caught: Two More Arrested In Amish Robbery & Assault Case (Ohio)

Looks like they got the rest of them. At yesterday’s press conference on the brutal home invasion and assault of an Amish man and his eight-year-old son, we learned that one of three suspects – a man named Bradford James Hosler – had been arrested. Geauga County, Ohio Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand stated then that “I feel very confident that within the next couple days the…

Amish Man & Young Son Assaulted, Tasered & Robbed In Brutal Home Invasion (Ohio)

Amish Man & Young Son Assaulted, Tasered & Robbed In Brutal Home Invasion (Ohio)

In a crime described as “appalling”, an Amish man and his son were assaulted by three assailants last Thursday, and the home robbed. The perpetrators threatened to kill the victims, and even attempted to abduct the eight-year-old boy. This happened in Middlefield Township in the Geauga County, Ohio Amish settlement. A blurb on this incident was released earlier today. The Geauga County Sheriff’s Department just…

Amish Woman Killed When Buggy Hit By Semi On Highway (Ohio)

Amish Woman Killed When Buggy Hit By Semi On Highway (Ohio)

This happened yesterday in Geauga County, Ohio. Both occupants of the buggy were ejected when hit by a semi. The 62-year-old Amishman who was driving survived the initial crash. His passenger – who, having the same last name, was likely a relative (his wife?) – did not. Reported in the Geauga County Maple Leaf: A two-vehicle crash on U.S. Route 422 near state Route 528…

Trial For Man Who Hit “Multiple” Amish Children Riding Bikes, Killing A 10-Year-Old Boy

Trial For Man Who Hit “Multiple” Amish Children Riding Bikes, Killing A 10-Year-Old Boy

This is one of the more gut-wrenching incidents you’ll come across leading to a young Amish person’s death. It happened last December. A 29-year-old Vicksburg, Michigan man drove his pickup into a group of Amish children who were headed to the local schoolhouse. It was said he “didn’t see the children.” From WZZM 13: Investigators say a group of four kids were riding their bikes…

Report: Amish Acres Is Coming Back…As Amish Acres

Report: Amish Acres Is Coming Back…As Amish Acres

That’s the gist of the just-out report by WSBT on the former Amish Acres property, long a mainstay of the Nappanee, Indiana community. Now, I don’t know if the new name will in fact be “Amish Acres” – maybe it will – but it sounds like it is coming back in the same spirit, regardless. New owner Brad Juneau seems to be putting out the…

Behind The Van Door: Inside The World Of An Amish Taxi Driver

Behind The Van Door: Inside The World Of An Amish Taxi Driver

Haley Straw guest posts today about her experiences as an Amish taxi driver. This is the first of a planned series of posts giving you an insider’s look at Amish taxi driving. A special thanks to Haley for sharing with us.  I’ll always remember standing in my Amish friends’, the Millers’, front yard, our little girls giggling and frolicking about, while Delbert and I visited….

Jeep Smashes Buggy, Ejects Family Of 9 Amish (Indiana)

Jeep Smashes Buggy, Ejects Family Of 9 Amish (Indiana)

There were six juveniles in the buggy, and everyone was ejected when rear-ended by a Jeep. The father had to be airlifted to hospital, while five of the children went there by ambulance. This happened late last night – around 11 PM – in the large Adams County, Indiana (Berne) Amish settlement. From WZBD: BERNE – A late-night collision between a Jeep and an Amish…

20 Photos That Capture The Charm Of An Amish Pumpkin (& Mum) Auction

20 Photos That Capture The Charm Of An Amish Pumpkin (& Mum) Auction

This is a look back at a neat photo set, and timely given the season. Here we have a pumpkins, gourds, and mums sale held at the North Missouri Produce Auction (Jamesport, MO community). This particular set of photos, by Don Burke, dates to 2018 (*update: in fact, Don has brought to my attention that these date to prior to 2018, possibly a few years…

Judge May Throw Out Samuel Hochstetler’s Confession In Murder Of Amish Woman Rosanna Kinsinger

Judge May Throw Out Samuel Hochstetler’s Confession In Murder Of Amish Woman Rosanna Kinsinger

This was not really reported on much at the time, but Samuel Hochstetler – charged with the murder of Amish woman Rosanna Kinsinger, who was found dead in her Ohio home in March – was back in court in late September. And apparently his legal team argued for his confession of the killing to be ruled inadmissible in the trial. This is being reported on…