FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE OLD ORDER AMISH CHURCH, please read the notice at the bottom of this article and be respectful of the Order's traditions while visiting the area.

LOCATION:
Located northeast of Fountain City on the Hinshaw Road. It is an Old Order Amish Cemetery.

THE CEMETERY:
The existence of this burial ground was made known through an Amish obituary.

Amish cemeteries in Wayne County are fairly new. It is not known by this writer how many cemeteries they may have. Death notices in the local newspapers are the only clue to their establishment and location. Often they are in a field, unseen by those traveling the county roads in automobiles. There are at least two or three Amish church districts in the area, each one probably has its own cemetery for convenience. These districts consists of about 30 families living near each other.

BURIAL CUSTOMS:
There are no monuments in accordance with the Old Order Amish tradition. Graves are usually marked with a simple 24 inch wooden or stone headstone bearing only the initals of the deceased person, date of death, and age. Sometimes only the initals appear.

They believe very person is equal in death so there is a lack of expensive funerals as found in most "outsider" funerals. Funeral directors only assist in a few minor details as required by law. Families wash and dress the body in the deceased home. There is usually no embalmbing. Coffins are simple, made of wood with no decoration, and often made by a member of the Order or supplied by a funeral home. Graves are dug by hand. After the funeral service held in the home (worship is held in member's homes), the body is taken to the cemetery, lowered into the grave and covered with earth in the presence of the family and congregation. Flowers are not a part of Amish funeral customs.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Old Order Amish came to Wayne County, and lower Randolph County, Indiana, from Pennsylvania in the mid to late 1990's. They came due to lack of available farmland in the east. The settlement has become quite sizeable over the years. They are noted for their horse and buggy mode of transportation and the shunning of most modern conviences. The Amish speak "Pennsylvania Dutch" (high German) among themselves but use English among outsiders. They have their own schools. Education is completed after the eigth grade. Due to their religious beliefs, by law the children are not required to attend high school but begin to learn a trade.

It should be noted that there are older Amish settlements in Northern Indiana dating back to the mid 1800's. The rich farmland and the Quaker (Friends Church) tradition in Wayne County helped in the decision to plant a new settlement in the area.

NOTICE:
PLEASE BE SENSITIVE TO OLD ORDER AMISH CUSTOMS. MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH DO NOT LIKE HAVING PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN OF THEMSELVES. They believe this violates the Ten Commandments by making an engraved image through the process of photography.

DRIVE WITH CAUTION! Especially on the back roads. Children and/or adults often walk or ride horses along the roads. Yellow caution roadsigns featuring a horse and buggy will alert you to the Amish presence in the area. Approach the buggy at a slower pace and give them plenty of room. Watch for buggies at intersections...although most will abide by the rules of the road, it is not uncommon for a few to drive through an intersection stopsign. Most highways now have a long "exit" strip at crossroads for the buggies.

This description & history written by Find A Grave member:
tombstone2c (#47280299)