Amish America

PA transplants: The Amish of Parke and Wayne Counties, IN

photo:  waynet.org

Indiana is an interesting place when it comes to Amish diversity. 

In the Hoosier state, you will find communities of New Order, Swartzentruber, 'Swiss', and of course, 'standard' Old Order Amish.

One relatively new influence in the state has been the presence of two settlements of Lancaster Amish, which both formed in the 1990's. 

The two settlements, on opposite sides of the state (Parke and Wayne Counties), number just a handful of church districts each. 

The most obvious tip-offs that you are not in a typical midwestern Amish community are the gray-topped buggies, the style of clothing, and the last names.  Stoltzfuses abound.

Lancaster Amish have typically formed daughter settlements closer to home, ie, in other parts of Pennsylvania, or in neighboring states like Maryland.

One attraction of Indiana is the relatively inexpensive farmland.

Conventional wisdom has it that a Lancaster farmer can sell his home farm and buy several similar-sized farms in these areas.  That is a big attraction for the highly farm-oriented Lancaster Amish.

Steven Nolt and Thomas Meyers' book An Amish Patchwork is an interesting look at Old Order diversity in Indiana.  It also examines the Old Order Mennonite presence in the state.  Recommended read.

Photos from the Martins in Poland

 

It's the 'long weekend' in Poland (a combination of the traditional May 1st communist worker's holiday and Poland's May 3 constitution day), and I've just paid another visit to my friends Jacob and Anita Martin, whom I've written about a few times on the blog.

The Martins, who've lived in Poland since 1993, struggled a bit at first, but have been able to build themselves a very basic but cozy home in a birch forest outside of Warsaw. 
 

Anita says that at first the home was not much more than a kitchen, with she and Jacob sleeping on one end and the kids on the other.  The Martins have gradually added on and now have quite a bit of square footage.

It was not until about five years ago that they got an indoor bathroom, but now enjoy a few small luxuries, including a nice-sized fridge and a washing machine.  Anita showed me her new stove, which she uses to bake bread.

The Martins live simply but happily.  They say they get along well with most of the neighbors, who are a mixture of Warsaw 'city people' and long-time locals.  Jacob has a reputation as a dependable worker with 'farm-smarts'.  He gets called out to deliver calves from time to time.
 
Little Krzysiek (Chris) spent most of our walk yesterday trying to feed my brother and I what he called 'chocolate'--dried-up chunks of mud found by the side of the lane.  This got the other kids worked up into a near riot.  'We want you to try it first,' we told the four-year-old, who adamantly refused.

The Martins originally came to Poland with the intention of starting a Beachy Amish congregation, but soon realized that it would be more difficult than they had hoped. 

Two of the original three families soon returned to the US.  Left alone, the Martins now attend a Pentecostal church in Warsaw.

Photos here are from late April and early March.

Click for more on the Beachy Amish from the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online.

An Amish 'computer'?

'Made specifically for the plain people by the plain people'.

The Classic boasts 'unequaled safety'.  It is 'Not just a locked computer', promising 'No modem, no phone port or Internet connection, no outside programs, no sound, no photographs, no games or gimmicks'.

The ad is found on page 3 of this year's Lancaster County Business Directory, a collection of advertisements of hundreds of (mostly Amish and Mennonite) area businesses.

   

Some Amish church districts allow, or at least tolerate, laptops and desktops. 

In others, the line gets drawn at the word processor.

In this regard, the computer is now a bit like the cellphone has become in some communities. 

As with the cell, it has gotten to the point where the computer is openly used in some districts--while in others owning one will get you into trouble. 

At the same time, it's probably not nearly as common as the cell, as it's a lot harder to hide a Dell than it is a Nokia.

Also (somewhat) like the cellphone, the computer has even affected the way some Amish communicate--there are a few Amish that use email, as I've found as I continue to add to my (admittedly still meager) 'Amish email rolodex'.   

More Orange County, Indiana Amish photos

 

A few more of Cindy Seigle's Orange County, Indiana Amish photos with a few of my own comments attached.

Again, we aren't 100% sure which of the two Orange County groups each particular picture is from, but apparently there are similarities between the two groups when it comes to dress and technology.

In this photo you can see obvious signs of a lower-order buggy--no SMV triangle, side-view mirrors, or windows.         

The father's bob-style haircut is typical of the Swartzentruber group, but again, as there are similarities in appearance between the two settlements, he could in fact be a member of the Paoli group.

Some Amish kids enjoy large playgrounds with softball diamonds.  Others make due with what they have.  Meyers and Nolt write that Orange County Amish schools are likely the most austere in Indiana.  Still looks like a lot of fun.

Slowly but surely.  By foot is sometimes the simplest way to go.       

Some people express surprise at seeing more mainstream Amish in sneakers and tennis shoes.  Though I'm not sure that the lower-order groups in these photos would approve of such footwear, comfortable modern shoes are common in many Amish communities. 

In any case, the Amish do not avoid comfort for the sake of suffering.  Amish appreciate comfort as much as you and I do.  Technological restrictions and dress guidelines help to preserve community by serving as a symbolic separation from the world and hampering destructive outside influences. 

 

Open-front buggies are also a sign of a more conservative Amish group.  Many Amish venture into town quite frequently to do shopping or on general errands. 

Do the Amish ever live in town?  In some communities, such as Topeka, Indiana, or Mount Hope, Ohio, a large percentage of a hamlet's residents are actually Amish.  Sometimes elderly Amish will move into town, and some will sell their horse if they become infirm or find they are able to manage without it. 

Steel wheels are par for the course for most Amish-owned farm equipment.  Rubber is used in some groups but is less common.  Steel wheels work fine in the fields, but are a bit 'unhandy' on asphalt, which is the point. 

I remember listening to a steel-wheeled tractor approach on a rural byway near Kalona, Iowa.  You could hear it quite a long way off.  Things are not always to quiet and peaceful in Amish America. 

Thanks again to Cindy for the great photos.

Where Amish scooters come from

'Sylvan', one of my Amish friends in Lancaster County, runs a scooter workshop in addition to milking cows.

In Lancaster County and related settlements, you rarely see bicycles--in Lancaster, for instance, there are only a few church districts I'm aware of that seem to allow them.

I've also seen scooters in use among the Amish of Allen County, Indiana, and I'd imagine they'd be found in other areas that adhere to a somewhat stricter Ordnung.

At least part of the reasoning is that the scooter, with it's foot-on-ground system of propulsion, is a bit closer to walking than a bike would be.

 

Sylvan says that his pink line has never really taken off.  Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen a pink one on the road.  Green, red, and blue are the most popular colors.

Midwestern Amish in contrast to their Lancaster counterparts tend to be a lot more open to using bikes--the Amish around Arthur, Illinois and those in Lagrange/Elkhart counties come to mind right away.  The men there often use them to ride to jobs in the local garage door and RV plants.

I'm also acquainted with an Amishman in northern Indiana who manufactures the recumbent bike--the one that looks like a cross between a bicycle and a recliner.  This particular ride is a hit in a number of the more progressive settlements.  Sort of a luxury comfort ride on the spectrum of two-wheeled non-motorized transport.

Orange County, Indiana Amish reader photos

Cindy Seigle has shared some interesting photos of a conservative Amish settlement in southern Indiana.

In An Amish Patchwork, Meyers and Nolt explain that Orange County is home to two distinct Amish communities. 

The newer of the two groups is comprised of ultraconservative Swartzentruber-affiliated Amish from New York and Ohio who began settling in the area in 1994. 

 

The older of the two groups, which originated in other settlements in Indiana and Pennsylvania and is known as the Paoli group, is in many respects highly conservative as well.

Meyers and Nolt explain that both groups observe similar technological restrictions--very plain dress, buggies without storm fronts or lights, and very restricted use of 'Amish taxi' providers, for example.

 

But the groups are not identical, and in fact are unaffiliated with one another.  The authors explain the key difference:

'Yet in many ways unlike their tradition-minded Swartzentruber neighbors, the Paoli group has staunchly opposed older customs surrounding traditional courtship practices or adult smoking habits.' 

'The Paoli settlement is notable for this combination of intentional traditionalism and intentional reformism.  Their refusal to compromise on issues they deem important has led them to not affiliate with any other Amish settlements in the state.'

I am not sure which community Cindy's photos are from.

As the authors describe the two settlements as being adjacent to one another, the photos may very well be from both communities.

Click for more of Cindy Seigle's Orange County Amish photos.

Dropping in on the 'Polish Amish'

Tomorrow I hit the road to pay a visit to Jacob and Anita Martin, an American couple that has been portrayed as Amish in the national media here in Poland.  The Martins have graciously allowed me and a group from Krakow's Jagiellonian University to stay a couple days at their home in a village about an hour-and-a-half outside of Warsaw. 

photo:  global.net  
Since I'm joining the group late and will miss the pre-arranged transport, I'll have a nearly 10-kilometer walk to get to the Martins' village from the train station tomorrow morning.  Looks like that all that marathon training is going to come in handy.  Or if I'm lucky, I'll hitch a ride on a horse cart headed in their direction.
 

From what I've read, the Martins live interesting lives.  Inhabitants of the village where they live mistook them for Orthodox Jews when they first arrived with two other American families some 15 years ago.  The Martins' dress and appearance do resemble that of various Old Order groups. 

photo:  rozstaje
At the same time, they drive a car, use a computer, attend a Pentecostal church, and have a last name that is more Mennonite than Amish.   The Martins caused a stir when they appeared on a nationally-syndicated talk show last fall, and have been featured in a documentary and in numerous articles in the national media.

In any case, it should be a nice trip.  I've heard they have a large home, and hopefully so, as there will be about a dozen of us, plus the Martins' eight children. 

I'm planning on bringing some Ohio Amish apple butter and some hot sauce that I've smuggled in from the States.  Might end up being a welcome change from powidlo sliwkowe (plum jelly) and chrzan (horseradish), the local specialties here in Poland. 

Raised Amish, headed to Med school

I quite liked this story on a Sugarcreek, Ohio man who was raised Amish and is now planning to attend medical school at Ohio State.  Obviously, it's not typical for someone who only went through eight grades to have such high educational goals.  In fact, Andy Yoder completed his GED and is now finishing his final semester at Goshen College in Indiana.

The first reason that I found this article appealing was that the family involved seems to have a healthy approach to the idea of their children not being members of the Amish church.  As Andy points out, in some communities people who leave the Amish are shunned...though here it is unclear whether Andy was baptized or not, which would make the difference.  The unbaptized, Amish-raised person is not supposed to be shunned.

Certain Amish churches in the diverse Holmes County, Ohio community are more permissive regarding shunning, while others are more strict.  In practice, certain families having both children that are members of the Amish church and ones that are not may consciously or unconsciously treat them differently, even favoring the baptized ones.

Across the nation, different Amish communities approach shunning differently. Click to read about the different types of shunning.

On the other hand, shunning is one of the main reasons the Amish have been growing at such a fast pace.  If the Amish begin to ignore the practice, it would likely result in decreased growth.  Shunning has been a major point of contention since the Amish group was led away from the Mennonites by Jakob Amman over 300 years ago.  And it remains a point of contention today between different Amish groups. 

The other reason that I liked the story was learning of Andy's plans--to study oncology and return to serve the Amish community.  While you may occasionally meet the home-grown Amish chiropractor or herbalist, the Amish depend on services of the modern medical community just like any other Americans.  Having someone that is fluent in their first language and familiar with their culture can only be a plus. 

Swartzentruber to New Order: Donald Kraybill breaks down four Ohio Amish affiliations

One of my favorite pieces on the Amish is a Donald Kraybill deconstruction of the four main affiliations of Holmes County, Ohio.  This work does a great job of describing the cultural variety found within the Amish world.  Reading it one is reminded of the difficulty of making broad generalizations about Amish society.

The Amish in Holmes County follow a conservative-to-progressive arc that starts with the highly conservative Swartzentrubers, ratchets up a notch on the progressiveness scale with the Andy Weaver affiliated churches, moves into what you may call 'mainstream' Amish territory with the Old Order groups, by far outnumbering the other major affiliations, and closes out with the New Order, which are essentially a horse-and-buggy driving, plain-clothes wearing subset of the Old Order.  These are the four major affiliations and the arc they take (with a number of stops along the way), in the largest and arguably most diverse Anabaptist settlement in the world.

How do the groups compare?  A few excerpts from Kraybill's Plotting Social Change Across Four Affiliations, found in the compilation The Amish Struggle with Modernity:

Schooling:

'One minister estimates that about 75 percent of the New Order children and perhaps 20 percent of the Old Order children attend public schools, but very few if any of the Swartzentrubers do.'

Daylight Savings Time:

'The Amish have historically not adopted "fast" time (daylight saving time), preferring instead the traditional slow time.  This not only enforces Amish separation from the world, but also symbolizes their preference for a traditional pace that rejects what some Amish call "crazy time" and avoids "the rat race."  This measure of separation from the world is also eroding.  The Swartzentrubers, however, continue to reject "fast" time and the Andy Weaver group preaches against it and holds its church services on slow time, but as a result of their involvement in nonfarm work some members are following "fast" time.  The Old Orders and the New Orders, with their growing entanglements in the larger society, have for all practical purposes adopted "fast" time--even for their church services.'

Dress:

'Although the four groups embody distinctive Amish patterns, their costume reflects shrinking separation from the world as one moves toward the New Orders.  Near the progressive end of the continuum men's hair gets shorter, beards are trimmed tighter, hat brims shrink, bonnets get smaller, and brighter colors flourish.  The Swartzentrubers are more likely to go barefoot in the summer and their women to wear the high-top black shoes.  The Swartzentrubers prefer to use as little plastic as possible, forbidding plastic eyeglasses as well as rubber panties for babies.'

Related Posts:

Amish diversity in 'the two Lancaster Counties'

Amish diversity nationwide, and the 'approachability scale'

Daylight savings time and the northern Indiana Amish rat race

The Amish in Poland, again

Just got a call from my friend here in Krakow.  It looks like Anita and Jakub, the 'Amish in Poland', are back in the news again.

The Pennsylvania/Indiana-transplant couple, who settled in a village not far from Warsaw 14 years ago, appeared on the national talk show 'Rozmowy w Toku' (roughly, 'Conversations in Progress') tonight.  Kind of an odd place to find an Amish family, but again, we're not sure exactly what their particular brand of Amish is.  I listened to a clip of the show, where the Polish host was asking why they chose to marry one another.  The couple, who drive and are sometimes mistaken for Orthodox Jews, responded in heavily-accented Polish:

'She was, how can I say it, the most available.'

'I was already 26 years old, and didn't have anything against him.'

Those make for curious sound bites.  The Polish public's fascination for the Amish turns out to be, unsurprisingly, not unlike that of the American public.

Anita and Jakub have become semi-celebrities of sorts, having recently been the subjects of a 26-minute documentary.  Here's a link to an article about them, for anyone out there with at least sixth-grade level Polish.

Excepting the occasional tourist trip, the Amish have not had a significant presence in Europe since 1937, when the final Amish congregation in Ixheim, France merged with the Ernstweiler Mennonite congregation, uniting as the Zweibrucken Mennonite Church (Steven Nolt, 'A History of the Amish').