This sort-of dramatic story with a happy ending comes from an Amish community in the excellently-named Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It turns out that an Amish horse collapsed while traveling on a highway – falling into water of some sort. The details come from a law enforcement roundup report at the Perham Focus: [May 11] 11:40 a.m., Horse reportedly collapsed on the roadway after suffering…
An Amish family in Juniata County, Pennsylvania was involved in an incident Wednesday while dismantling a trailer home. A roof collapsed, pinning a man underneath. This accident was first reported two days ago, with relatively few details. Now a fresh report informs us that the man pinned under the structure has died. From WGAL: WALKER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Juniata County Coroner said the man…
After last week’s story of an Amish neighbor unexpectedly returning a favor, Haley Straw returns with a story in a similar vein. Only this time the favor is of the “pay-it-forward” variety – and on a much larger scale. Snuggled warm in bed, hoping to catch up on sleep, my phone rang interrupting a sweet dream. Blurry eyed, I fumbled for my phone thinking, “It…
It has been three months since the devastating February 3rd crash in Jay County, Indiana that killed four members of the local Amish community. The crash drew national attention to the question of “chameleon carriers” in the shipping industry. Since the tragedy, there have been several significant developments — including that the semi driver has been formally charged, and the van driver who survived has…
A three-year-old Amish boy was seriously injured yesterday afternoon after being run over by a horse-drawn planter on a farm in Centre County, Pennsylvania, as reported by WTAJ. Pennsylvania State Police say the accident happened Monday on Brush Valley Road in Rebersburg. The Daily Voice notes that emergency crews treated the child at the scene before he was airlifted to Geisinger Hospital in Danville, where…
We’re back with Part 3, the final part of our conversation with Don Burke and Laura Graber on Amish horse-drawn transport in Jamesport, Missouri. In Part 1, Don and Laura covered the smallest and largest vehicles on the road — from pony carts to draft horse wagons. In Part 2, they moved to the three most common buggy types: the standard enclosed buggy, the surrey,…
Author and Amish taxi driver Haley Straw is back to share a new story – of an Amish neighbor who remembered a kindness – and made sure to pay it back, in his own way. The gravel crunched under my tires as I pulled into the pasture, the old ticket booth still sitting where it had been for two years—waiting. I had big plans for…
A young Amish man in the Seymour, Missouri community was tragically killed Sunday in a frankly head-scratching set of circumstances. He was struck while riding his bicycle in the very early hours of the morning – reportedly without lights and traveling on a highway in the middle of the passing lane. From the report at the Webster County Citizen: A 25-year-old man was killed early…
We’re back with Part 2 of 3 of our conversation with Don Burke and Laura Graber on Amish horse-drawn transport in Jamesport, Missouri. In Part 1, Don and Laura covered the smallest and largest vehicles on the road — from pony carts to draft horse wagons and the church wagon. Here in Part 2, they get to the vehicles most people picture when they think…
We have more details this week following Sunday’s deadly explosion and fire at an Amish home in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, which killed mother Sarah Stoltzfus, 34, and her six children, aged 2 to 11. We’ve also got information at bottom on how to help. Amish community member David Stoltzfus is the husband and father. It’s not really thinkable to place yourself in the shoes of…