Nebraska Amish
Encyclopedia
The Nebraska Amish are perhaps the most conservative group of Old Order Amish, descendants of the Anabaptists and Mennonite
s.
The present Nebraska Amish districts are found in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
, with small extensions into Centre
, Huntingdon
, and Union
counties. The Amish came into this region of Pennsylvania
as early as 1791. Around 1880, Bishop Yost H. Yoder led nine families from Juniata County, Pennsylvania
, to Gosper County
in south-central Nebraska
, founding an Old Order settlement that would last until 1904, three years after Bishop Yoder's death. Yoder went back to the Kishacoquillas Valley
in Pennsylvania in 1881 to assist a conservative Amish group. Yoder was living in Nebraska, and the group was nicknamed the Nebraska Amish by others.
Like other Old Order Amish, the Nebraska Amish do not use motorized equipment or indoor plumbing, and wear very conservative clothing. Differences include the fact that the men do not wear suspenders
and the women do not wear bonnet
s (wearing black kerchief
s and flat straw hat
s instead). Other differences include the fact that they do not place screens on their doors or windows, men only wear white shirts, curtains are not used in homes, buggy tops must be white, men's hair must be shoulder length, no lawn mower
s are allowed and houses must not have projecting roofs.
A group called the Zook faction broke away from the Yoders in 1933, and constitute a separate "district", holding their own worship services and having their own bishops. Though differences exist, they are unnoticeable to outsiders. As of 2000, the Nebraska Amish had eleven districts and 775 members, mostly in northeastern Mifflin County.
Since the late 1970s they have split several times. Groups include the Rufus Zook group, the Chris Yoder group, and others. Reasons for splits are difficult to obtain.
Because Nebraska Amish have a small number of youth, they allow dating over the line. So young people of different Nebraska Amish groups can date each other, however when they want to marry they have to decide which of the groups they will join. Nebraska Amish practice bundling
.
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
s.
The present Nebraska Amish districts are found in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
Mifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, with small extensions into Centre
Centre County, Pennsylvania
Centre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
, Huntingdon
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,913.Huntingdon County was created on September 20, 1787, from part of Bedford County. Its county seat is Huntingdon.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, and Union
Union County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 41,624 people, 13,178 households, and 9,211 families residing in the county. The population density was 131 people per square mile . There were 14,684 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
counties. The Amish came into this region of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
as early as 1791. Around 1880, Bishop Yost H. Yoder led nine families from Juniata County, Pennsylvania
Juniata County, Pennsylvania
Juniata County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 24,636. Juniata County was created on March 2, 1831, from part of Mifflin County and named for the Juniata River. Its county seat is Mifflintown....
, to Gosper County
Gosper County, Nebraska
-History:Gosper County was formed in 1873. It was named after John J. Gosper, a Secretary of State of Nebraska.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,143 people, 863 households, and 655 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile . There were...
in south-central Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, founding an Old Order settlement that would last until 1904, three years after Bishop Yoder's death. Yoder went back to the Kishacoquillas Valley
Kishacoquillas Valley
The Kishacoquillas Valley, known locally as both Kish Valley and Big Valley, is an enclosed anticlinal valley in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians of Central Pennsylvania, lying between Stone Mountain ridge to the north and Jacks Mountain ridge to the south. The valley is located in Mifflin County...
in Pennsylvania in 1881 to assist a conservative Amish group. Yoder was living in Nebraska, and the group was nicknamed the Nebraska Amish by others.
Like other Old Order Amish, the Nebraska Amish do not use motorized equipment or indoor plumbing, and wear very conservative clothing. Differences include the fact that the men do not wear suspenders
Suspenders
Suspenders or braces are fabric or leather straps worn over the shoulders to hold up trousers. Straps may be elasticated, either entirely or only at attachment ends and most straps are of woven cloth forming an X or Y shape at the back. Braces are typically attached to trousers with buttons...
and the women do not wear bonnet
Bonnet (headgear)
Bonnets are a variety of headgear for both sexes, which have in common only the absence of a brim. Bonnet derives from the same word in French, where it originally indicated a type of material...
s (wearing black kerchief
Kerchief
A kerchief is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the head or around the neck for protective or decorative purposes...
s and flat straw hat
Straw hat
A straw hat is a brimmed hat that is woven out of straw or reeds. The hat is designed to protect the head from the sun and against heatstroke, but straw hats were also used in fashion and as a decorative element of a uniform.- Manufacture :...
s instead). Other differences include the fact that they do not place screens on their doors or windows, men only wear white shirts, curtains are not used in homes, buggy tops must be white, men's hair must be shoulder length, no lawn mower
Lawn mower
A lawn mower is a machine that uses a revolving blade or blades to cut a lawn at an even length.Lawn mowers employing a blade that rotates about a vertical axis are known as rotary mowers, while those employing a blade assembly that rotates about a horizontal axis are known as cylinder or reel...
s are allowed and houses must not have projecting roofs.
A group called the Zook faction broke away from the Yoders in 1933, and constitute a separate "district", holding their own worship services and having their own bishops. Though differences exist, they are unnoticeable to outsiders. As of 2000, the Nebraska Amish had eleven districts and 775 members, mostly in northeastern Mifflin County.
Since the late 1970s they have split several times. Groups include the Rufus Zook group, the Chris Yoder group, and others. Reasons for splits are difficult to obtain.
Because Nebraska Amish have a small number of youth, they allow dating over the line. So young people of different Nebraska Amish groups can date each other, however when they want to marry they have to decide which of the groups they will join. Nebraska Amish practice bundling
Bundling (tradition)
Bundling, or tarrying, was the traditional practice of wrapping one person in a bed accompanied by another, usually as a part of courting behavior. The tradition is thought to have originated either in the Netherlands or in the British Isles and later became common in Colonial America, especially...
.