Amish – Where did they come from?

Lancaster County has the oldest Amish settlement in the nation.  Many of these people were not drawn to the land for its abundance and profitability.  The reason for them coming to the New World was to escape religious persecution.

Their Roots

The plain people of the county can trace their origins back to Europe.  Most are of Swiss – German ancestry, and the dialect of Pennsylvania Dutch is “Dutch” or “Deitsch” which is a West Central German dialect.  It is spoken by more than a quarter of a million people in North America.  Communities which speak this language have a much higher population in the state of Pennsylvania, but can also be found in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, and Kentucky.  There are groups elsewhere in the nation, but these are mainly the largest groups in the US.

The Language

Even though German is a language that can be translated and written, this dialect has historically not been a written language.   Much of the history of the peoples who spoke it, was passed down through generations, as was much of early stories as with other European and Asian peoples.  However much of the history was recorded by early settlers who realized there was much to remember and pass down to future generations. With the onset of the printing press and more ‘modern’ ways of preserving history, these stories have been preserved for us.

Their Faith

Because of their radical beliefs, many of these people were persecuted and even burned at the stake for their personal and religious beliefs.  Individuals were identified, falsely accused, and punished until they “repented” to the local government and church (many times they were one in the same), or they were made an example of to prove them wrong to their co-believers.  However the Anabaptists were so rooted in their faith that they took the early church’s stance and allowed themselves persecuted for the sake of Christ.

They Fled

But things got worse instead of better, and many of them fled to the hills of Germany and Switzerland and began farming.  This got them away from those who spent their lives looking to persecute those who were “different”.   In order to keep themselves out of the public spotlight, they chose to meet in homes instead of erecting churches and meeting there.

They Came

William Penn offered land to those in Europe who wanted to escape religious persecution, and many of the Anabaptists took him up on his offer.  The first settlers arrived in Lancaster County in the early 1700′s.  In 2010 Lancaster County is expected to celebrate the first permanent settlement of European immigrants in the county.

Learn More

If you visit the county, you will find one of the best historical resources at the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, which has been very heavily involved in county history and geneology.  LMHS can be visited Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm except holidays. In 1536, a Catholic priest named Menno Simons joined the Anabaptist movement.  Menno was very influential and is remembered for his leadership and insights into the movement.  This movement was working to get the Christian faith more turned toward the uniqueness and purity of the early New Testament Church.

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