How It All Began
In the year 1840, there arose a feeling among the Amish in Somerset County, Pennsylvania to leave their homeland and seek a new location in one of the states further westward. Four men, Daniel Miller, Pre. Joseph Miller, Nathan Smeily and Joseph Speicher set out on a journey to search out the land. Whether they came by canalboat from Johnstown to Pittsburg or hired a stagecoach is not exactly known.
At Pittsburg, they boarded a boat which brought them to Cairo, Illinois by way of the Ohio River. From there they came by way of the great Mississippi River to Burlington, Iowa. From there they traveled on foot through Henry, Washington, and Johnson Counties to Iowa City. They liked this country quite well, however, they decided to turn east again to explore the state of Indiana.
Crossing the Mississippi River, they came to Illinois and continued east to what was then yet the small town of Chicago. From there they traveled over Lake Michigan to the mouth of and up the St. Joseph River a distance, then by land to Goshen, Elkhart County, Indiana. After inspecting this country which suited very well, they agreed to make this region the future home for their church. Having made this decision, they returned to Pennsylvania.
When the other Brethren and Sisters heard the good news from the land seekers that they had seen in Indiana a good and flourishing region and well-contented settlers many of them became interested in emigrating westward. In the following year of 1841, four families made preparations to move to Indiana. On June 3, 1841, 24 persons left Pennsylvania and set out westward. They reached Goshen in Elkhart County on June 29. They lived there several months in small cabins, but the nice prairie land was then already too expensive for them. The Millers and Borntragers moved 10 miles north northeastward to Newbury Township, LaGrange County and bought homesteads there. And so each moved onto his land.
Hansi Borntrager (who made the journey)
A History of the First Settlers of the Amish Mennonites, 1907
