Wayne --
For quite some time, I have read with interest your informative postings to the OHMIAMI
list. I have ancestors who were affiliated with the Brethren churches in Henry Co.,
Indiana, and I wonder whether your interest extends to that area as well. If so, I have
several questions about the Brethren movement in general, and about the churches in Henry
County in particular.
1) Can you recommend a good source for an overview of the historical origins and spread of
the German Baptist Brethren? From what I have read, they were founded at Schwarzenau,
Germany by Alexander Mack about 1708. Persecution soon drove many of them to a temporary
refuge in Friesland, and migration to America began in the 1720s. The first American
congregation was formed at Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1723, and the first Annual Meeting
convened in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania in 1742. In 1743, the Brethren published the
first foreign language edition of the Bible in North America. Here in America, they were
commonly known as Dunkards due to their practice of baptism by triune immersion. They
spread throughout the Midwest in the early 19th century, though their more recent history
seems to be convoluted and marked by schism. In present times, there are apparently more
than half a dozen denominations which trace back to the original Schwarzenau group.
2) Can you direct me to any sources for the early history of this denomination in Henry
Co., Indiana? My research indicates that a German Baptist Brethren congregation was
organized there in 1856. This is probably the church to which my 3rd great grandfather
(Henry J. Miller) belonged. However, my research suggests that the associated cemetery
predates the formal organization of the church by more than 20 years. The Bethel German
Baptist Church Cemetery in Henry County is situated on land originally owned by my 5th
great grand uncle (James Swope); it was used by the church until the early 20th century,
but it is now maintained by the Jefferson township trustee. In 1883, the Henry County
church established the German Baptist Aged Person's and Orphan's Home in Jefferson
township; my 3rd great grandfather spent the last years of his life as a resident at this
institution, and he died there in 1901 at age 90. The land for this home was previously
owned (and partially donated) by Jacob P. Miller, my 5th cousin once removed. The church
apparently operated the home well into the 20th century, but I can find no references to
it beyond 1930.
3) I am also interested in the United Brethren in Christ, which apparently was a
German-American denomination independent of and unrelated to the Schwarzenau movement.
Once again, can you suggest any sources for the origins and early history of this group?
My understanding is that they arose from a broader interdenominational revival movement in
Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania in the late 1760s. They were formally organized at Frederick,
Maryland in 1800, reportedly the first new denomination actually to begin on American
soil, and they spread westward rapidly during the first half of the 19th century. I am
especially curious about the dynamics of any interaction between the United Brethren and
the German Baptist Brethren, and the extent to which they may have drawn adherents from
one another.
4) As indicated above, I would particularly appreciate knowing of sources relating to the
history of the United Brethren in Henry Co., Indiana. My research reveals that the Upper
Honey Creek United Brethren Church was established in Fall Creek township in 1840; one of
the original trustees was Samuel Painter, another 5th cousin once removed. The associated
cemetery, the Miller's United Brethren Church Cemetery, is still in use. Although the
evidence is not conclusive, references in the journal of my 2nd great grandfather (George
Henry Miller) suggest that he was probably a communicant in this congregation. Since his
father, Henry J. Miller, was almost certainly affiliated with the German Baptist Brethren,
I would be most interested in understanding why my 2nd great grandfather might have joined
this rival group.
I trust that this extended inquiry does not presume too much upon your good offices. My
impression from reading your posts is that you have a substantial scholarly acquaintance
with the history of the various Brethren churches, and I am hopeful that you can guide me
to some readily accessible sources which I can use to expand my knowledge of the subject.
Many thanks,
Guy I. Colby IV
Irving, TX