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CHAPTER 13

In the fall of nineteen-ninety, my brother-in-law John heard that there was some dirty language going on by the boys in school when they went outside to use the outhouse. John placed an empty fifty-five gallon barrel behind the outhouse so he could set a trap and hear the boys in action. John, a small guy man would fit in the barrel. John hid in the barrel off and on for two weeks before he finally got caught by one of the students.

John was spending a lot of time in the evenings talking to the teacher at the schoolhouse. Sometimes the teacher came to John's shop after school, or in the mornings before she went to school. Some of the Amish people started to doubt John's word about what was going on between him and the teacher. John told everyone it was all school business, but the rest of the school board was never informed about the wrong doings supposedly going on in school.

Finally, the rest of the school board decided to bring their complaint to the attention of the preachers of that church district. The complaint got the preachers' attention, and the preachers started their investigation. John was charged with having sexual relations with the teacher. John denied all the charges. This went on till late December.

The preachers set up a preacher meeting, and invited John, thinking they could get him to tell the truth. John told me it was just some jealous Amish trying to get even with him.

John said, "Remember David, back when you were a teenager and Joe George's car got stolen? And how positive the preachers were that you were guilty , even after I told the preachers that you were in our room that evening pestering us. They were still convinced you had something to do with it."

"Yes, John, how could I ever forget," I said.

He said, "Well, the preachers were wrong that time and they are wrong this time, because there wasn't any sexual relations between me and the teacher, there was nothing out of the way that took place."

I was more concerned about what had happened to that car that was stolen, than John explaining that he is innocent.

I asked, "John what happened to that crime, did anybody ever confess to it?"

John said, "Yes, they sure did, they've been excommunicated for it and we are not suppose to talk about it anymore. Since you were being accused of it, David, I'll tell you who it was. It was my brother Dennis and Tony Miller, they confessed to the crime a few years back."

"I always figured it was them two," I said.

"You did," John said looking baffled.

"Yes, who else could it have been, it's quit obvious," I said. "After the incident, Dennis and Tony were like twins, where one went the other one went," I explained. "John before the incident your brother Dennis would tell me things about Tony that he didn't like."

John added, "I never paid that much attention to that."

Curious, I asked, "Were Dennis and Tony ever prosecuted for the crime?" "No, they were never prosecuted, but the preachers made Dennis and Tony go back to Joe George and offer restitution for the vehicle they had wrecked," John said. "Joe George told them he wasn't out for money, and that the insurance company bought him a new vehicle, and the crime is around ten years old. He also told them since they were married and had families, an apology was good enough," John explained.

"What did the preachers say about all this?" I asked.

"Your father-in-law Dan was furious that his own son-in-law Tony was involved in this, and that Tony and Dennis probably would have never confessed, if it didn't leak out," John explained. "It wouldn't have leaked out, but they boosted to someone how they stole a car years ago and got away with it."

"John, I'm just curious how long were they excommunicated for that?" I asked.
"At least twelve weeks," John replied. "But I think brother Dennis was excommunicated a little while longer."

"Well," I said, "Is Tony and Dennis still as close as they used to be?"

John said, "No, a matter of fact they pointed the finger at each other."

Grateful, I said, "Thank-you, John for telling me this, at least they are no longer blaming me for something I didn't do."

That evening John and I also talked about other church incidents that took place in the New York settlement. John said, "You know your brother-in-law Andy's, first cousin Enos Miller Jr. who lives outside of Depeyster, N.Y.

I said, "John it's actually your distant neighbor."

John said, "Yes, across the fields its walking distance. Remember how strict Enos used to be and still is today?"

"Yes, I've known Enos since he has been a teenager, he has always been strict," I answered.

"A couple years ago Enos had a harsh run in with the New York preachers, and you are never going to guess why they excommunicated him," John said.

"Well, knowing Enos it wasn't because of alcohol, listening to the radio," I said. "I truly don't unless he was having sex with his hired girl while his wife was pregnant."

Laughing hysterically, John said, "No it's not that at all.”

"Well, what is it then?" I asked.

"You ain't going to believe this, Enos was having sex with a man," John said.

I said, "You don't hear that too often in the Amish community."

"No, you don't, but it does happen once in a great while," John said. "The preachers said this was against the biblical teachings and it's an act of an animal. When the incident initially surfaced there were all kinds of rumors. You know how them preachers can get, they can blow any issue out of proportion.”

"John, how long was Enos excommunicated for that?" I asked.

"I don't rightfully remember, it was at least until all the rumors were checked out," John said unsure.

The following weeks, there were a lot more preacher meetings because the teacher's side of the story and John's side didn't appear to match completely. Plus, John had a lot of other charges brought against him besides that one. Since I had witnessed some of the events in question I was ordered to attend one of the preacher meetings. The preachers were trying desperately to test me to see if I was telling the truth. Finally, I told the preachers I was not going to repeat myself anymore. If you wish to prosecute my brother-in-law fine, if not I've done my part.

Frustrated, I said, "If you doubt my word because I'm excommunicated, why don't you simply ask the school teacher in question?"

This meeting had taken place on Saturday afternoon before a church Sunday. The Bishop and preachers were stunned by my remark, and said, "We had never thought of that." I said, "I'm convinced she will have the answer to your question." I walked out of the meeting and went home. John wasn't released from the meeting right away. He had to stay for at least another forty-five minutes.
That evening the preachers went over and asked the schoolteacher who is the first cousin to John about the incident. She admitted it right away that there was a sexual relationship between her and John. That evening when John arrived at home I helped him unhitch his horse from the buggy and said, "I truly hope there is no hard feeling between us."

"There isn't on your part," John said.

I said, "You know perhaps things weren't as I thought they were and I'm no longer going to push any issues."

This brought a big smile to John's face, as he appeared confident that the schoolteacher would deny the allegations. I said, "John, I just want to take this time and thank-you for what all you have done for us since we have come back Amish."

"No problem, you are quite welcome," John said. At that point we both walked away from each other. I went to my home and he went to his.

The next morning we both got ready to go to church at the same time and John was as happy as can be. At that time there was no bitter feelings between us. We arrived at the church at the same time and parked our two seated buggies next to each other. We unhitched our horses and tied them in the barn, then went around and started shaking hands with the men. As we were making our way down the line I couldn't help but notice the Bishop and preachers standing off to a side in a circle.

I knew this meant trouble for somebody. I expect that somebody was John. Shortly after that, the preachers were able to get John's attention and he was ordered to attend their meeting. The preachers ask John if he still felt like he did yesterday.

John said, "Yes, I do."

Then the Bishop asked, “John, you would say there was no sexual relationships between you and your first cousin?”

John said, "No, not that I'm aware of."

At that point the Bishop and preachers all hung their heads, as it was their custom to do if they caught a member lying. I was standing about ten feet from the preachers and I was watching very closely. I knew John had been caught.

Bishop Jacob slowly raised his head and looked John in the face and began to speak. Jacob said, "John, you have sinned before God and the church." John's face turned red. Whether John liked it or not he was excommunicated on the spot.

After all the charges were brought against John, his sawmill business dropped to about nothing, and his machine shop business really slowed down. The Amish could no longer do business with John because he was now excommunicated. The church voted that John be removed from the head of the school board, and they removed him. The teacher was also removed and replaced by her younger sister.
In the meantime, Fran and I were still excommunicated and being shunned for the "sins" we committed. Through this time a lot of the Amish came to visit us, trying to make sure that we wouldn't lose hope because of what was going on with my brother-in-law John. By now brother Pete had started up a sawmill business of his own, and he was staying busy doing custom sawing.

Fran and I were doing well enough in the eyes of the Amish to become members except for my tattoos. Even though my shirt covered up my tattoos, I still had to remove them in order to become a member of the church. With all this in mind, we decided to write a letter to the Bishop of the community in New York. When the Bishop Jacob Miller received our letter, he showed up at our house the same day. Jacob said the same thing that my father-in-law Dan said from Guernsey County, Ohio: the tattoos had to be removed in order to become a member of the church. Jacob and I talked for a while.

Finally, Jacob looked me straight in the eyes, and said, "David, would you do whatever my preachers and I decide is the best way to remove your tattoos?"

"I'll try. What do you have in mind, Jacob?" I asked.

"What I have in mind will really show your faith in the Amish religion. First of all, put rags over your arms, then boil water and pour the hot water over the rags on your arms."

I was stunned, and didn't say anything for a couple moments. Finally said, "Jacob are you aware that I could get first, second, and third degree burns, doing that? I could lose the use of my arms, at least partially."

Jacob replied, "But what faith it would show in our religion. What a small price to pay."
"I'd rather not try his method for removing my tattoos." I said. By this time my brother Pete, my Dad and I were getting really close. Dad and Pete were feeling sorry for us, so they were doing everything in their power to help us find a Doctor to remove my tattoos. We weren't having much luck.

In February of 1991, Fran and I were invited to a preachers meeting. The preachers advised us that it would be better if we moved away from sister Mary and John's place, since, John was still giving them a lot of problems. The preachers thought being around John would be a bad influence on us. These preachers' meetings were getting to us.

Finally, I told my parents, "I think we'll just move back to Guernsey County, Ohio."
My Dad said, "Son, don't you remember what happened to you when you tried to come back to the Amish in Guernsey County, Ohio along time ago? Don't you see how nice the Amish have been to you up here, compared to how they were to you in Guernsey County? We're afraid it would happen again, and you'll leave again. We don't want to lose our son again.

I agreed, and then asked, "But where are we going to move to?"

Dad said, "Mom and I have been expecting this to happen. We're retired now, and we have a couple of acres. You're welcome to move your house over here, or build another one. You can have your horseshoeing business right here on our land, and do the same thing that you're doing right now, just in a different location. Besides," Dad added, "Your Mother and I would love to be around our granddaughters, which we haven't been able to do in years." We thanked them and told them we would think about it. Word got around that we were moving back to Guernsey County, and the Amish didn't like it. My parents knew what happened down there before. My sister Emma found out we wanted to move, so one evening Emma and her husband Andy showed up to try and talk us out of moving to Guernsey County.

The following week brother Pete and I had an appointment in Ogdensburg, New York to see about removing my tattoos. We had to set up another appointment for the following week. Ogdensburg was a fourteen-mile trip from Pete's place. We had a lot of time to talk on the way home.

Pete said, "You know David, I've been without a brother for fifteen years. I don't want to lose you again, and you know what will happen if you move to Guernsey County. You won't make it back in the church."

"Well," I said, "how about you letting me have a couple of acres off your pasture land at the end of your farm, Pete?"

"I guess it would make a nice little place for you. I never thought of it," Pete said.

I told Pete what Dad had offered us, but I was afraid we would have too much business, since Dad wasn't that healthy anymore. Besides, Dad liked his peace and quiet. Pete agreed, and we decided we would talk more about this in a week or so.
The week went by fast. I hitched up my horse to the buggy, and went to Pete's place, and we headed to Ogdensburg to get the tattoos removed. When we got to the Doctor's office, I didn't have to wait long.

The nurse called me in and said, "Go ahead and take your shirt off and get ready." When the Doctor came in, he took one look at my arms and said, "Those tattoos are too large. I cannot help you, Mr. Yoder."

He gave me a name and number, and said, "This Doctor can probably help you." I was disappointed, but I wasn't about to give up hope. This took place on my Mom's birthday, March 7th. When Pete and I arrived back at Pete's place, my wife and daughters were there. We all decided to go to my parent's house and have homemade ice cream for Mom's birthday. I told Pete that I had to give Dad an answer this evening about moving.

"So, Pete, you'll have to give me an answer on the land we've been talking about."
Pete said, "Okay, I will let you have an acre and a half."

"How about three ?" I said, and we agreed on that.

We arrived at my parent's house around five-thirty that evening. Pete and I gave Mom and Dad the news about the three acres. They thought it was great. We started making ice cream. We all had a good time that evening, and left for home around nine thirty. In the meantime, the preachers in New York were in contact with the preachers in Guernsey County, Ohio.

The New York Preachers told the preachers in Guernsey County that Fran and I were doing well, and it looked good for us. My father-in-law Dan from Guernsey County, being a Bishop, wrote the Bishop Jacob in New York a letter, and told Jacob that as far as he was concerned, Fran and I could become members of the church in New York. He said he'd rather have no say in the matter.

However, Bishop Jacob and his preachers challenged Bishop Dan's authority. Bishop Jacob and his preachers told Dan that was impossible, since David and Fran were never members of our church here in New York, and that was their final word. Fran and I didn't have any say in this matter.

By the end of March, brother Pete and I had drawn up a land contract on three acres , which turned out to be three point nine acres. Brother-in-law, John told us to take our house and move, so we moved at the end of March. We let all the Amish people know we were moving, and that they could help if they wanted to.

I was surprised how many Amish people showed up to help us jack up the house, and move it, to its new location. In twenty-four hours our house was moved, put back together and livable again. Brother Pete was already sawing lumber for the barn and shop we wanted to build. Thirty days later, forty some Amish people got together and helped us built a twenty by forty-shop, and an eighteen by thirty-six-barn. My brother-in-law Andy was the lead man on the barn, and brother Pete was the lead man on the shop. I couldn't be a lead man, because I was still excommunicated. Both buildings were pretty well completed in one day. Brother-in-law, John and his family didn't show up for the raising of the buildings, because they were still excommunicated. Pete had to serve lunch for all the working people.

The following week Pete's boys helped me pour a cement floor in the shop. In the meanwhile, Fran and I asked the preachers in New York if we could become members of the church, even if my tattoos haven't been removed yet. Bishop Jacob replied, "I don't see why not." Bishop Jacob and his preachers told the church to keep an eye on us for the next month or so, to make sure we didn't do anything that went against the Amish religion.

The next week Bishop Jacob and one of his preachers went to Guernsey County, Ohio to talk to Bishop Dan and his preachers about Fran and I becoming members. Dan said, "David was born without ink in his body, and further more, I've never heard of any Amish men having tattoos. I don't believe David would like to lay dead in his coffin with tattoos on his body."

Dan thought for a minute then said, "I don't care what it takes to have them removed even if it cripples David. Therefore, I rule that David can never become a member of this church while he has ink in his body. This is my final word."

The first week in May we needed a few groceries. I hitched the horse to the buggy, and went to a little town called Depeyster to the grocery store to get a few things. On my way home an Amish man named Enos stopped me.

Enos said, "David, I want to help you with the removal of your tattoos."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well I have a ninety percent sure cure to remove your tattoos."

"I'm listening, Enos."

"Lye," he said.

"You mean regular lye?" I said.

"Yes. It eats anything you put it on. If the pain gets unbearable, we will put vinegar and water on it. That way you can become a member of the church."
"Thanks, Enos," I said. "But I'll have to think about it." There was just no way that I could go through with something like that, though.

Around the tenth of May I was working in the shop, when I looked out the window, and three buggies coming in our driveway. The drivers and passengers tied their horses to the hitching pole and asked to speak to Fran and me. It was Bishop Jacob and his two preachers. They talked to us for about half an hour. Another horse and buggy pulled in our driveway, my parents. The preachers decided to go and get my brother Pete, who lived down the road from us.

After brother Pete arrived at our house, the preachers held a big meeting. My Dad challenged the Bishop and the preachers for scripture from the Bible on my tattoos. Brother Pete and I also challenged them.

The Bishop said, "All that doesn't matter. Your father-in-law said his final words on the subject."

The only thing left for us to do was to try and find somebody to operate on my arms. Our hopes to rejoin the Amish church were no longer looking too good. The next couples of weeks my Dad, brother Pete and I were looking for somebody to operate on my arms. We found a Doctor down state New York, and told him we didn't have any insurance, but that we needed him to take the tattoos off the cheapest way possible, explaining why the tattoos had to be removed.

The Doctor understood, and said, "I'll operate on your arms right in my office. The first operation will cost three hundred dollars.”

Our appointment was set for the fifteenth of June. Meanwhile, my brother-in-law John had become a member of the church again. I tried to do as much work as I could before the fifteenth of June, because I knew I'd be laid up for a while. We had quite a bit of company just before it was time to go in for my first operation. Everyone seemed genuinely concerned about me.

When it came the fifteenth of June, Pete hired a driver to take us to the Doctor, and Pete went along. The Doctor cut the main layer of skin, and then he stitched the inside of the cut together, and the same on the outside of the cut. I had a hundred and twelve stitches. The cut was about a quarter of an inch in width, and four to six inches long. Of course, the Doctor gave me something for pain.

However, I was glad to get out of his office and go back home. I wasn't aware of what I was getting into. I didn't realize that it was going to be a butcher type of operation. Also, I wasn't aware that I would have to go back three more times, or have more than a hundred stitches the first time.

The first night after my operation I really didn't get any sleep. The next morning both of my arms was swollen so badly that I was breaking out in a sweat, and I was in a great deal of pain. The following day my parents showed up while we were eating lunch . Mom and Dad felt sorry for me.

However, my Mother said, with a remark that I'll never understand, "Look at the bright side. Once your tattoos are removed, you can become a member of the church. Even if you were to become a cripple for the rest of your life, at least you'd be in the church." Dad said nothing; he knew I was in pain.

Right after Mom and Dad left that afternoon, they went straight to the preachers of the church. Dad told the preachers "There's no reason why David and Fran can't become members of the church. Bishop Dan has something personal against David and Fran."

One of the preachers said to Dad, "You're not a Bishop or preacher. Leave the decision making to us."

In the meanwhile, I had another appointment for my second operation. I could no longer do horse shoeing, because of my arms. Fran and I started up a chair caning business, though we had few customers. One of our English customers was located on Wegatchie River, outside of Ogdensburg. We caned a Presidential rocker for them. Their names were Allen and Rachel Smith. They were in their upper fifties. Allen and Rachel were very satisfied customers , and they soon became good friends of my wife and daughters.

Within three months after my first operation, my arms had recovered, and I was ready for another operation. My appointment was set for the first of October. This time I had a bigger cut. On my left arm the cut was an inch and a quarter wide by six inches long. The right arm was the same as the first time. On my left arm the Doctor cut too deep and got right to the triceps muscle, which caused me some problems. For a while I thought he'd permanently damaged my left arm. The pain was a lot worse the second time than the first time.

We were really getting confused about the Amish way of life at this point. We couldn't understand how the Amish people didn't believe in going to war, or fighting, but would willingly allow one of their own people to suffer so much. I began to wonder how many Amish people would stay Amish if the Bishop and preachers passed judgment on them, as they did on me. Because, I couldn't go through another operation, I could never join the Amish. Therefore, we had no choice but to leave again. This was in November of 1991. By now we had paid for our land, and had a clear Deed to it. Fran and I talked to our daughters at length. We decided to leave the Amish again.