On Nov. 10, Elizabethtown College hosted “Keep Track of Settlement and Population Growth of the Amish in North America,” an event that aimed to inform those in the Elizabethtown community about the increasing growth of the Amish. Held in the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, the event lasted an hour and allowed those in attendance to ask questions to professor emeritus at Ohio State University Joe Donnermeyer.
Donnermeyer, originally a criminologist, has studied many of the issues that affect the Amish, including cultural and economic changes. After writing two books relating to the Amish, Donnermeyer noticed that the Amish population was continuing to grow steadily every 20 to 22 years. Using periodicals written by different Amish communities, he was able to put together a map to track where the Amish have moved throughout the last 50 years. Donnermeyer noticed that Amish communities have grown in states such as Maine, Montana, Wyoming and even Canada. After seeing the amount of growth that the population has sustained, he decided to do more research in order to figure out why this was.
The Thursday night event was hosted by Professor Steven Nolt, who teaches history and Anabaptist studies at Etown. After he was introduced by Nolt, Donnermeyer presented his research. Using a combination of letters, newspapers and even conversations with those part of the Amish community, Donnermeyer was able to put together a list of findings that he believes explains why the Amish population is able to consistently double every 20-22 years.
While conducting his research, Donnermeyer was able to notice that the Amish community is typically one that is interconnected. According to Donnermeyer, the interconnectedness of the community allows for the Amish to stay true to their beliefs and values as well as moving together rather than being divided and moving individually all over. In addition to this, Donnermeyer had also seen that birth rates had stayed similar without too much decrease. After analyzing the sources, he realized that even with the decline in farmers, the Amish have managed to successfully switch to other professions. Because of the demand of these professions, the Amish have been able to work for a wage that can support a family. With the answer as to why the Amish have been able to increase their population, Donnermeyer still wondered how the Amish have been able to spread throughout some of the more northern states. To figure out the reason, Donnermeyer used the periodicals that were published by different Amish communities. Essentially, he found that many Amish had moved if they were able to find land that was cheap enough to purchase in bulk and were also able to build a community with the essentials. For the Amish, the essentials meant a place of worship that a pastor could use, a school, a doctor and a few stores.
Towards the end of the presentation, Donnermeyer gave his prediction for the Amish people and fielded questions from attendees. He stated that the growth of Amish settlements and overall population is something that should continue to be monitored. In fact, Donnermeyer believes that by 2040, the Amish population will reach 1 million. In addition to his population prediction, Donnermeyer also believes that many more Amish communities will begin to spread to other states throughout the nation. In order to spread throughout North America, however, Donnermeyer stated that the interconnectedness and social network currently in place is maintained. To end the presentation, Donnermeyer stated that the growth of the Amish will have no effect on the cultural features of their communities. However, the development of their communities may have a positive impact when it comes to the North American economy.
