I spent the day with a wonderful group of people this week, people who are almost constantly mistaken for the Amish. Â They are the Old Order German Baptist Brethren, a group of Plain people that live in rural west-central Ohio. Â These are not to be mistaken with the Old German Baptist Brethren which Rosanna Bauman our Plain Kansas columnist is a member.
Over the next week I'll be sharing some of the religion, recipes, and way of life with everyone. Â Plus members, I have some special recipes and media for you to enjoy over the next week. So stay tuned.
When I get massive quantities of information and enjoy new experiences like I did yesterday I need a few days to process, reflect, and organize my thoughts and notes. Â So most of what I learned I'll share next week, but I thought I'd give you a few "preview" shots today.
Laundry at dusk. A harsh winter wind blows across the Darke County farmscape.
Buggies at dusk....a peaceful night descends upon Darke County, Ohio
This is some icy, freeze-dried laundry hanging in the evening dusk. Â And notice the buggies, they look like what you'd find in a typical Amish settlement. Â Most of the buggies found on the roads here are made by an Amish buggy-maker in nearby Belle Center, Ohio. Â The Old Order German Baptist community is simply too small to support its own buggy shop now.
marge nistler
Kevin, are you familiar with a group of German Baptist in central Indiana? I am not sure of the town/area but have a friend who married a gal from there. I previously lived in Indiana and I recall a group living back there.
Just curious.
Marge
Kevin
I am familiar with them, they do not fellowship with the group in Darke County...I'll write more about that in an upcoming post. Did your friend marry into the church?
Marge
I am not sure what he did. I haven't heard from him since I was down there last summer. I will try to find out tho
brenda
are we not supposed to share on FB ? is that why the buttons never work ??
Kevin
Brenda, I had not heard anyone complain about the share buttons. I'll test them and let you know! - Kevin
Debbie Zumstein
what exactly is the difference in the Old Order German Baptist in Darke County and the Amish?
Kevin
Debbie, I will write more about it next week, but the OOGBs come from a completely different religious root...originated in a movement known as Pietism which began in the 1700s, whereas the Amish religious roots are a couple of centuries earlier. There are differences in theology, church structure, church doctrine (i.e. the OOGB's don't shun)....so while to the outsider they sure do LOOK Amish, there are many differences just below the surface...
Helen
I have long been a fan of Linda Castillo's novels that take place in an small town that has a large Amish population. She was from Arcanum OH. Did this town have Amish residents? Thanks for letting me know about where she was from.
Kevin Williams
Hi, Helen - No Amish near Arcanum, the closest are an hour or so away...but plenty of Old Order German Baptists, who share many similarities to the Amish!