Death on the Frontier
As a small boy growing up in our community, I often heard
stories about the past. One of the most
frequently told stories was about an incident that happened in 1757. As a boy, I supposed that the story had
occurred in the woods behind our house. Such is the case with stories from the past. They often […]
Captive
The Hochstetler family who was attacked by
Indians while living on the frontier in Berks County, Pennsylvania.This happened early on the morning of
September 20 or 21, 1757. The Indians
killed Mrs. Hochstetler, one son, and a daughter, and took the husband and
father, Jacob, and two sons, Joseph and Christian, captive.In addition, the Hochstetlers had a son and
daughter, […]
To the East
We have been writing about how and
when the Amish and Mennonites came to America and the unique challenges they
faced. At the same time that these
Anabaptists were coming to America, others were moving eastward. While not connected as closely to the history
of the Amish, these people are a part of our Anabaptist community both
historically and in […]
Word of the Week – Inspired by Verbie Miller
I had the pleasure of meeting an elderly woman from the community a few weeks ago. She wrote down a list of old Amish words that are not used much anymore by the younger generation. She told me a few stories that are associated with her memory of these words. Some of these words are […]
Words of the Week – The Shop Edition
I have recently been taking an interest in a local blacksmith shop. Also a knife maker has started up a shop in local Sugarcreek. Sugarcreek is known as the “Little Switzerland of Ohio”. Tim and Jesse have been working on creating some awesome knives there. Another artist of metal is currently in the blacksmith shop in […]
Recipe: Baked Potato Soup
1 quart
shredded potatoes, cooked2/3 cup
butter2/3 cup
flour¾ tsp
salt¼ tsp
black pepper6 cups
milk1 cup
sour creamonions
to taste10 bacon
strips, fried and crumbled5 slices
Velveeta cheeseMelt
butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually add milk and bring to a
boil. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add sour cream, potatoes,
bacon, onions, and cheese. Serve with crushed Doritos and crackers. Serves 12.Karen
Miller, Trail OH
Words of the Week – Sharing an Experience
Common words and phrases are most easily learned when immersed in a language or culture where it is used. When we can no longer escape or get by with our common language, our brain kicks into overdrive to get to a position of being able to learn. However we can be prepared for situations that […]
Word of the Week – Spring Time
Spring as arrived and winter has most certainly left for this year. The sun is shining more often, flowers are in bloom. Chirping birds make you smile as you enjoy the sunshine from your front porch. Spring time has inspired a few words that may be floating around amish homes. Gardening, growing vegetables in gardens […]
Colonies of Wealth
We began the journey east into Russia as Dutch
and German Mennonites settled in the Ukraine under the invitation of the
Russian government. Here they were
granted large parcels of land, and colonies developed. These were not communal colonies like the
Huttterites; rather, each family was given a parcel of land that was their
own. Most of the people lived […]
Lost Privileges
Recently we have looked at the
Russian Mennonites and their settlements in Russia. Also we looked at how a small group (Kleine Gemeinde) broke away from the
main group over concerns about morality, involvement with the government, and
the rapid generation of wealth. This
group was also the first to leave Russia for the New World. The emigration of […]