St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-08-01
A Peculiar People.

THE DUNKARDS OF ASHLAND COUNTY,
OHIO-THEIR DOCTRINES, PRACTICES
AND PRINCIPLES-HOW THEY LIVE
AND WHAT CEREMONIES THEY HAVE.
Correspondence of the Evening Post.l
ASHLAND, OHIO, June 2, 1878.
About the town of Ashland are clus-
tered several of the largest congrega-
tions of German Baptists, better known
as Dunkards or Dunkers, to be found
in the state. Their settlement dates
back some twenty or more years, when
the advance guard immigrated from
PENNSYLVANIA. Since that date they
have steadily increased in wealth and
numbers, until they are now relatively
the richest religious body in the county.
Planting themselves first in a fertile
valley east of the town, they gradually
acquired by purchase all the best farm
ing lands, and are still repeating the
process in other parts of the neighbor-
hood. The selection of Ashland, dur
ing the last year, as the site for their
first denominational college, has con-
siderably increased the annual immi-
grafton and the rapid requirement of
the best farms by Dunkards points to a
Capitalization which at no distant day
must wholly change the political and
religious condition of the place. The
majority of the newcomers are pro-
vided with sufficient means upon ar
rival to purchase lands, but cOrnpara-
tive poverty forms no bar to theil
settlement. The poorer members arc
furnished material aid by those who
are wealthier until able to care fol
themselves. Their advent is, however
not regarded favOrably by the business
community. While law-abiding peo-
pie, attending strictly to their owl
affairs, and generally of irreproachable
morality, the Dunkards are extremely
cannish, and confine their business re,
lations, so far as practicable, to mem
bels of their own denomination. Tt
this end they have opened their owl
sRGPs oMm Aga %s Many Ma ede"s 6f item tha a
mechanics, while a small number arr
professional men. The latter do no
include lawyers, profession which il
this peaceful sect is unknown. TIL,
great majority are farmers, and wher
they settle in any considerable number
are certain to make a well improve,
country. ... ...t
THE DRESS OF THE SECT.
) The name Dunkards, by which th
; sect is generally known, is hickman
5 derived from a German word meaniD
| to dip, and is somewhat expressive
+ their manner of baptism. Among then
$ selves they are as Brethren, nam
5 taken from the declaration of Christ 0
a certain occasion, when he said "a
4 ye are brethren" Matt. xiii, 8.) I'll
prevailing style of dress among them
T somewhat similar to that of the Friends
n the women, young and old, appearir
a in plain garments of drab and brow
3 with stiff drab and black bonnets of I'll
E Shaker pattern; the men wearing Il
% cut-away coat, with standing collar an
without lapels, long waistcoats an
broad -brimmed hats. They are gene
). ally able to recognize each other |
their dress, and have had for mar
wears an order of council regulating
The primary principle is that of enti
D plainness and absence of all adornmer
l. No iewelry or anything worn mere
for ornament is allowed. The M
wear the beard and hair long, the latt
= parted in the middle, after the mann'
they say, of the primitive Christian
The pertinacity with which they adhe
s. to this hirsute fashion found illustrate
D. not long since in the selection of a Vi