Page:Mennonite Handbook of Information 1925.djvu/70



The foregoing list of settlements and accompanying map, indicate the location of congregations of the class of Mennonite people who have sprung directly from the parent stem of the Church that was originally planted in the state of Pennsylvania, and retained membership in the same church after locating elsewhere. In the early days a number of colonies were established in different sections of that state, and in the adjoining states of Maryland and Virginia.

After a second generation had grown up, the number of Mennonites in America became greatly augmented by the Amish element that located in large numbers in Pennsylvania, as well as in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. In the meantime the seeds of disunion began to germinate and grow to the extent that certain leaders took the unwise course of separating themselves from the main body, when in such case the foment and disturbance that was created, became the cause for certain adherents to withdraw voluntarily, or suffer themselves to be expelled from the main body. Hence, none of the branches so separated, have been enumerated in the first of the foregoing tables, but have all been assembled in the second table.

Adherents to the main branch having always