Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-08-13

Holaaders The Mennonites who followed
them came from Holland, Germany, and
Switzerland. The first colony of the Breth.
ern or Tunkers also settled at Germantown
and its vicinity in -eighty-six years
after the first Mennonite settlement They
were Germans who had taken refuge from re
igious persecution in Holland. Other Tunk-
ers followed in l729, and during succeeding
years. America soon became the strong
hold ofthe new religion. Although its ad-
herents spread into various parts Of Ger
many, Holland, and Switzerland, our re-
searches lead US to conclude that the most
ofthem finally found their way to this coun.
try The Mennonites, on the other hand,
are still more numerous in Europe than in
America, Holland being their stronghold.
Here their founder, Menno Simon, was
born IN 1895. Jacob Amen, the leading
spirit Of the Amish branch of the Memo.
mite sect, was native OF Switzerland.
Strictly speaking, the Tunker and Men
monte faiths were almost identical at the
time OF which we are writing, differing only
in minor particulars. Both sec. recognized
and still recognize the Dortrecht Confession
OF 1852 as their standard theological belief
The points of differences relate chiefly to
Church government and other outward OBJ
servanees; but even in these there is great
similarity Of practice. The Mennonites
were IL existence long anterior to the Tunk-
ers. Ienno Simon, their founder, was
cotemporary Of Luther in the sixteenth CEN
tury, while the Tunkers did not have de-
uomiIatioual existence until the beginning
of the eighteenth century, their first Church
having been organized in l70S, at Swartze-
nau, in the province of Witgensteiu. 1t is
proper TO add that both the Tuukers and
Mennonites claimed TO have received their
religious faith in great part from the Wal
densss and Albigenses, and through them
from the Primitive Christians
Il may be of interest to the reader to
learn that Wiigenstein was formerly small
State of about twenty five German square
miles governed by a count, and that half Of
it subsequently belonged to the Duchy of
Nassau, and half to Rhenish Prussia.
Now, since Nassau was absorbed by Prussia
in 1866, it all belongs to the kingdom of
Prussia.
Ninety-uine out Of every hundred Of the
Mennonites and Tunkers are farmers.
Their mode oflife IS simple in the extreme.
They dress plainly, live frugally, and prac
tice a very strict code of morals Their
honesty, truthfulness, and industry are
proverbiaL They do not mingle much with
the world, but are stayers at home, minding
their own business, and minding it well.
Poverty is almost unknown among them.
They are slow to abandon the customs of
their fathers, and DO not readily adopt mod
ern innovations Of any kind. They were
originally opposed to the common-school
system, but now almost unanimously favor
it, They are opposed to war, and gener-
ally settle all disputes among themselves
without going to law.
We have said that the Mennonites and
Tunkers were the first of the German set
tiers Of our State, and to this we now add
that they constitute to-day a very large por-
ton Of our old Pennsylvania German popu-
tation, especially in the rural districts
Lutherans, Moravians, and representatives
of other religious denominations followed
them from Germany, but did not precede
them. Whole sections of our State are in
habited by them. They early spread into
the fertile Cumberland Valley, and thence
pushed into Bedford, Somerset, and Cam
bria counties A few Of them crossed the
Chestnut Ridge and Laurel Hill into West
mo1eland, Indiana, and other western coun-
ties, of the State. Their settlement in Cam
bria county was made during the closing
year OF the last century, in and around
Johnstowu, in what was then called the
''conemaugh country The portion of
Cambria county thus settled by them was
embraced in Somerset county up to 1907.
A very large majority of all the farmers in
/ the neighborhood of Johustown to this day
Memories and Tunkers, the latter largely
predominating. A majority of the whole
are believed to be of Swiss origin.-Johas-
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