Meet “Amish Woman“. She’s a mom of 12 and a recent settler in a young Missouri community. A reporter with a local paper spoke with her and managed to learn a good bit about her life and church. She actually shares a lot more detail than I’d expect from this sort of “our new neighbors the Amish” report. Not the actual “Amish Woman” Amish people…
Next week the annual Jamesport, Missouri Spring Hill School Consignment Auction will be held. This is a large two-day auction drawing a lot of interest. As a preview we have some photos from last year’s event, courtesy of Don Burke. All photos and commentary on this page are provided by Don. You can see more of Don’s Jamesport auction photos and others in full size on his…
Last month, contributor Don Burke gave us a look at the Kalona, Iowa Amish settlement. Don returns today with a selection of photos from the Jamesport, Missouri Amish community. At eight church districts, Jamesport (Daviess County) is the third-largest of Missouri’s three dozen+ Amish settlements, smaller than only Seymour (Webster County) and Clark (Audrain/Monroe/Randolph County). Founded in 1953, only the Bowling Green community is older among the Show-Me State’s…
There’s another Plain program on the airwaves, but this one isn’t about the Amish. National Geographic Channel’s Mennonite Made (despite the name, not a response to Amish Mafia) is about building things–log homes, to be precise. From the Nat Geo website: Mennonite Made follows a tight-knit crew of traditional Mennonites, who practice craftsmanship passed down through generations to build one-of-a-kind log homes. Spearheading the log home…
As promised, more photos today from an auction in the Bowling Green, Missouri Amish settlement. These were taken in May of last year, by Beth Russo. Bowling Green is the oldest Amish enclave in Missouri, dating to 1947. Quilts of course are a staple of Amish auctions. I quite like this design. Lining up for grub. And something for the sweet tooth. Beth says it…
The St. Joseph News-Press is running a nice story on a changing-of-the-guard at a Jamesport, Missouri Amish furniture business. Owner Jake Graber has passed on his company to son John following health problems: Jake Graber survived an aneurysm a couple of years ago and strives now to lead what he regards as a “healthier, more Godly life.” Forgive him, though, occasional moments of exasperation. Some…
Not a 100% Amish story, but interesting nonetheless. Willy Ropp was raised Amish in Missouri and has gone on to become a champion bullrider. In an interview with ABC Australia, Willy discusses his Amish upbringing for about the first 6-8 minutes, including what life was like growing up the youngest of 12 children, how he first became interested in bullriding (sneaking away to watch the…
“It turns out that beach houses and Amish timber frames are a match made in heaven” explains the narrator in today’s video. Below, a neat clip showing an Amish construction crew rebuilding in Texas, post-Hurricane Ike. In the video, Missouri Amish builder Danny Schwartz demonstrates timber frame construction (the kind used on Amish barns, with wooden pegs driven in by mallets). “Our attitude to building…
Beth Russo has kindly shared 10 photos of the Amish settlement at Bowling Green, Missouri (Pike County). Beth recently made a trip during which she visited an Amish woodworking shop and a beekeeper. You can find more of her photos on her Facebook page. Bowling Green is the oldest Amish settlement in Missouri, founded in 1947. There are a total of 3 church districts and…
Did you know that Missouri has North America’s 7th-largest Amish population, with roughly 9,500 Amish (Young Center, 2010)? Missouri is a state, like New York or Wisconsin, that has attracted much Amish settlement in recent years. The “Show Me” State has added roughly 2 dozen new settlements over the past two decades, averaging more than one new settlement per year. Facts about Amish in Missouri: Missouri…