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: Amish Father in Ohio Lake Incident Intentionally Drowned Himself; Investigators Believe Mother Put Child In Water

Sheriff: Amish Father in Ohio Lake Incident Intentionally Drowned Himself; Investigators Believe Mother Put Child In Water

ByErik Wesner
10 Comments

Following the discovery of the body of his 4-year-old son in a recreational lake, an Amish father, previously considered missing, was also found deceased Sunday morning at the lake. Divers discovered the 45-year-old man’s body around 50 yards from the dock near where his son was found. Tuscarawas County, Ohio Sheriff Orvis L. Campbell has also revealed some additional shocking details as to how authorities…

Foul Play Suspected As 4-Year-Old Amish Boy Found Dead In Lake; Mother Made “Concerning Statements”; Husband Remains Missing (UPDATE: Husband’s Body Found In Lake)

Foul Play Suspected As 4-Year-Old Amish Boy Found Dead In Lake; Mother Made “Concerning Statements”; Husband Remains Missing (UPDATE: Husband’s Body Found In Lake)

ByErik Wesner
2 Comments

This is a truly bizarre and disturbing story involving a family from the Holmes County, Ohio Amish community. A four-year-old Amish boy’s body was recovered from a local recreational lake Saturday – while the boy’s father remains missing. And the Amish mother has come under suspicion, after it was determined she intentionally drove a golf cart into the water Saturday morning – with several of…

Former Amish Acres Sold For $2.5 Million in “Bidding War”; Auctioneer Hints At Its Future Use

Former Amish Acres Sold For $2.5 Million in “Bidding War”; Auctioneer Hints At Its Future Use

ByErik Wesner

The Barns at Nappanee (formerly Amish Acres) was sold last week at auction – for the second time in five years. Via the Goshen News: NAPPANEE — The former Amish Acres property, later known as The Barns at Nappanee, has been sold. An auction for the property, which includes 10 buildings across 54,000 square feet of space on the west edge of Nappanee, ended at…

12-Year-Old Amish Boy Killed in Farm Accident – While Discing A Field

12-Year-Old Amish Boy Killed in Farm Accident – While Discing A Field

ByErik Wesner

Details are scarce, but a 12-year-old Amish boy was killed yesterday in St. Lawrence County, New York in an accident on an Amish farm. From WWNY: TOWN OF DEKALB, New York (WWNY) – A 12-year-old Amish boy was killed in a farming accident in St. Lawrence County. The sheriff’s office was called to a farm on Risley Road in the town of DeKalb on Wednesday….

Amish 15-Year-Old Ejected From Buggy In Missouri Crash

Amish 15-Year-Old Ejected From Buggy In Missouri Crash

ByErik Wesner
2 Comments

The Jamesport, Missouri Amish community was the scene of an accident which caused a 15-year-old Amish boy to be ejected from the buggy he was driving. The boy landed in a ditch on the side of the road, sustaining “moderate” injuries in the crash, which happened yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. More: An Amish buggy crash on Wednesday afternoon injured a 15-year-old boy on Highway 190 two…

Right Place, Right Time: Firefighters At “First Responder Night” Flock From Racetrack To Put Out Amish Home Fire

Right Place, Right Time: Firefighters At “First Responder Night” Flock From Racetrack To Put Out Amish Home Fire

ByErik Wesner
1 Comment

An Amish home in Clayton, New York went up in flames last week – but thanks in part to a First Responder Night happening at a local racetrack, part of the home was able to be saved. That’s because the track was quite near the fire – meaning a heavy response was at the ready. More from WWNY on the story: Last Friday, a home…

Virginia Man Faces “DUI Maiming” & Other Charges In Crash Injuring Six Amish

Virginia Man Faces “DUI Maiming” & Other Charges In Crash Injuring Six Amish

ByErik Wesner
1 Comment

This is a follow-up on the buggy crash which happened Sunday evening in Buckingham County, Virginia (Farmville community). Authorities have now released the name of the driver, who is facing an array of charges. From CBS 19: Police say a 2005 GMC Yukon hit the rear of the buggy and initially left the scene of the crash. It stopped a short distance away, and the…

Ohio Amish Co-Op Cheese Recall: Over 5,000 Lbs. May Be Contaminated With Listeria

Ohio Amish Co-Op Cheese Recall: Over 5,000 Lbs. May Be Contaminated With Listeria

ByErik Wesner
6 Comments

An Amish cheese co-op in Geauga County, Ohio has recalled over 5,000 pounds of cheese, over concerns it may have been contaminated with listeria. Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op announced the recall yesterday, following the discovery of contamination while running its own tests. As noted on this business page for the co-op, it is made up of 90 farmers, 98% of whom are Amish. Middlefield is…

Hit & Run Driver Injures Six Amish, Kills Horse (Virginia)

Hit & Run Driver Injures Six Amish, Kills Horse (Virginia)

ByErik Wesner

Six Amish people were injured – including three juveniles – in the latest buggy wreck in Virginia. This one happened yesterday evening in Buckingham County, VA, (Farmville community) site of previous crashes including one which left eight Amish children orphaned. In this crash it appears that everyone has survived – though some may be seriously injured. From WDBJ: BUCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) – Virginia State…

Helping Hand: Local Business Raising Money For Amish Family Who Lost 4-Month-Old Baby Girl in Crash

Helping Hand: Local Business Raising Money For Amish Family Who Lost 4-Month-Old Baby Girl in Crash

ByErik Wesner
4 Comments

After a week of bad news, it’s nice to see this story of neighborly love in response to tragedy. Last week we learned of a buggy crash in Montcalm County, Michigan, which left five Amish children in states ranging from “Serious” to “Critical” (injuring their mother as well). If you missed my update coming a day after the accident, one of the injured children, a four-month-old…