Historical society hosts fireside chat on Amish life

The Lake Township Historical Society held a Fireside Chat on April 16 exploring the history, traditions and lived experiences of Amish life in Lake Township.

The event was held at Evermore Community Church. A large crowd of 180 people was in attendance. The master of ceremonies was Chip Weisel, president of the Lake Township Chamber of Commerce, who has Amish heritage in his background. As he presented the different speakers, he interjected some of his own memories and was able to ask questions and get feedback from the presenters.

Guests were invited to arrive early to view selected displays and visit informally with the guest speakers and other attendees. Each speaker reflected on their unique experiences connected to Amish heritage and change within the community within the township. Much of the discussion revolved around religious practices rooted in traditional Anabaptist Christian theology, emphasizing simplicity, separation from the world and living out the teachings of Jesus in daily life.

Ross Miller, senior pastor at Evermore Community Church, led the presentations. Both of his parents grew up Amish, and his mother’s father was a bishop in that faith. Ross wanted to be a doctor, but a different call awaited him, and he has now been a pastor for 39 years and served as a pastor for 18 years in Holmes County, which has the largest Amish population in the world. He talked about “jumping the fence,” a reference to leaving the Amish way of life to join the “English” life. He also talked about the practice of shunning, which had occurred within his family.

Leroy Yoder, a real estate developer in Hartville whose parents transitioned from the Amish faith to the Maple Grove Mennonite Church, was next to speak. He delved into the history of the Anabaptists, a group that originated in Switzerland that the Amish were a part of until they broke away in the 17th century. They did not believe in infant baptism and did not feel they could be aligned with the government. He felt that the Amish understood the value of community and the need to work together. Leroy and some of the other presenters talked about how there was a lot of movement within the Amish community, with families moving from Holmes County to Geauga County within Ohio and to other states. Leroy’s parents moved to Stark County in the 1920s. There were those at the time who felt the Amish settlement within Lake Township would fail. He also stated that, presently, in Holmes County, only about 10% of the Amish are farming, with most taking on other jobs such as construction.

Emma Jean Miller, who as an 11-year-old Amish girl from Hartville won the National Girls Marble Championship in 1949 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, was next after intermission. Emma is now thought to be the only remaining Amish church member currently residing in Lake Township. Emma was a teacher within the Amish schools. She talked about the early settlers and pastors in Stark County in the early 1900s, mentioning specifically David and John Troyer and Joe Coblentz, the first Amish pastor in Stark County. She felt the children were taught to work together, and when the chores were finished, she and her siblings would play together with children from other families nearby. She mentioned the King Amish Mennonite Church in this area.

Marion Coblentz was the last presenter. He was the great-grandson of Joe Coblentz and leader of the King Church Amish. He felt it was hard growing up Amish at times, but they were taught to work hard. He mentioned a couple of the schools in the Hartville area, and Emma Miller was one of his teachers.

Questions were taken after the presentations and, at intermission, Ruth Sturgill told the story of traditional Amish cookies. Near the end of the evening, several people with Amish and Mennonite backgrounds sang the traditional song “Gott ist die Liebe” (God Is Love).