Donald B. Kraybill Collection | Earl H. and Anita F. Hess Archives and Special Collections

By Gillian Engelbrecht '18, Emily Wieder '19, and Emily Erdlen '23

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Collection Overview

Title: Donald B. Kraybill Collection

ID: MSS/MSS-0007

Primary Creator: Kraybill, Donald B.

Extent: 91.65 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 00/00/2014. More info below under Accruals.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Donald B. Kraybill Collection contains materials from 1690-2021 and spans 83 boxes donated by Kraybill between 2014 and 2022. The collection contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, primary source materials, meeting minutes, interview transcripts, and survey data. The majority of materials in this collection relate to Amish and Mennonite groups within Pennsylvania, with a focus on Lancaster County. The collection includes materials from Kraybill’s extensive research on Amish groups, including materials used in his published works. Some topics covered include legal issues, women’s health, forgiveness, and background information on many different Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren groups.

Collection Historical Note

Donald B. Kraybill, PhD was born in Mount Joy, PA in 1945, where he lived until the age of 8, when he moved to a dairy farm two miles southeast of Lancaster city. When he was sixteen, he moved to another dairy farm near the border of Berks and Chester Counties. Kraybill was raised Mennonite, although later in life he joined the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren congregation in 1980. He graduated from Lancaster Mennonite High School in 1963. He attended Millersville University for two years and then received his BA from Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA in 1967. After serving with Mennonite Voluntary Service as a conscientious objector, he then received his MA and PhD in sociology from Temple University in 1971 and 1976 respectively. While still in graduate school, Kraybill accepted a full-time position teaching sociology at Elizabethtown College in 1971. Kraybill worked at Elizabethtown College until 1996 eventually becoming sociology department chair until 1989, and then director of the newly opened Young Center. In 1996, Kraybill became the provost at Messiah College, but returned to Elizabethtown College in 2002, where he served as senior fellow in the Young Center until his retirement in 2016. Throughout his career, Kraybill has written dozens of professional articles, and as of 2017, he has written, co-written, or edited 29 books, 15 of which concentrate on Plain sect communities. His works have been translated into at least eight languages. Kraybill was the academic advisor to a two-hour documentary The Amish produced by the American Experience, which aired on PBS. He also served as the expert witness for the prosecution in the 2012 Federal Hate Crimes Trial involving beard-cutting attacks in Bergholtz, OH. He is the founding series editor of Young Center books in Anabaptist and Pietist studies (2006-2016) with thirty scholarly books published by Johns Hopkins University press. He has received several grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Administrative Information

Repository: Earl H. and Anita F. Hess Archives and Special Collections

Accruals: Additional materials added in 2016, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Access Restrictions: Sub-Series A and B under Series 7: Publications, Sub-Series 33 restricted until January 1, 2025.

Use Restrictions: All researchers must complete a privacy agreement provided by the Archivist.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Amish Mennonite Brethren (AMB) in Lancaster, 1868-2010 (1980-1995)],
[Series 2: Amish, 1882-2021 (1950-2021)],
[Series 3: Lancaster County, 1880-2011 (1970-2000)],
[Series 4: Mennonite, 1864-2016 (1970-2000)],
[Series 5: Other Groups, 1881-2011 (1970s-2009)],
[Series 6: People, 1890-2016 (1970-2014)],
[Series 7: Publications, 1690-2018 (1990-2009)],
[Series 8: Young Center Office Files, 1976-2015 (1990-2010)],
[Series 9: Surveys, 1986-2009],
[All]

Series 4: Mennonite, 1864-2016 (1970-2000)

This series spans 7 boxes and contains materials from 1864-2016. Materials present in this series include news articles, correspondence, pamphlets, church directories, and materials from the Groffdale and Weaverland conferences. Locations covered in this series include various areas of Pennsylvania, Canada, and Mexico. This series contains information relating to different Mennonite groups including schools, cemeteries, veiling practices, Old Order Mennonite topics, and Old Colony Mennonites.

Sub-Series 1: News Articles, 1970-2005

There are cross-listed files in this series. You will see some folders with the same titles, but the materials are different.

Box 32

Folder 1: Arts and Crafts
Folder 2: Books by and about Mennonites, 1990-2002
Folder 3: Businesses
Folder 4: Children and Youth
Folder 5: Congregations
Folder 6: Disaster Relief
Folder 7: Disease, Death, and Illness
Folder 8: Farms and Farming
Folder 9: Films/TV/Drama
Folder 10: Food
Folder 11: Historical Society Projects
Folder 12: Leaders
Folder 13: Meeting Houses and Church Buildings
Folder 14: Misc.
Folder 15: Missions/Service/MCC
Folder 16: Old Order Mennonites USA
Folder 17: Old Order Mennonites Non-USA
Folder 18: Peace Issues
Folder 19: Professionals
Folder 20: Reform Mennonites
Folder 21: Relief Sales
Folder 22: Retirement
Folder 23: Schools - Elementary
Folder 24: Schools - Secondary
Folder 25: State/Government
Folder 26: Tourists/Tourism
Folder 27: Urbanization
Folder 28: Women
Folder 29: Peace Issues
Folder 30: Arts and Crafts
Folder 31: Books by and about Mennonites, 1990, 1993-1995
Folder 32: Children and Youth
Folder 33: Congregations
Folder 34: Disaster Relief
Folder 35: Diseases, Death, and Illness
Folder 36: Farms and Farming
Folder 37: Films/TV/Drama
Folder 38: Food
Folder 39: Historical Society Projects
Folder 40: Leaders
Folder 41: Meeting Houses and Church Buildings
Folder 42: Misc.
Folder 43: Missions/Service/MCC
Folder 44: Old Order Mennonite
Folder 45: Professionals
Folder 46: Reform Mennonites
Folder 47: Relief Sales
Folder 48: Retirement
Folder 49: Schools - Elementary
Folder 50: Schools - Secondary
Folder 51: State/Government
Folder 52: Tourists/Tourism
Folder 53: Urbanization
Folder 54: Women
Folder 55: Mennonite Business

Sub-Series 2: Cemeteries

Box 32

Folder 56: Cemeteries: French

Sub-Series 3: Miscellaneous, 1975-2008

Box 32

Folder 57: Misc.
Folder 58: Research Findings from School Study
Folder 59: Ethnicity at the Crossroads, 1976
Folder 60: Plain Clothing as Measure of Acculturation, 1975
Folder 61: Wedding Rings
Folder 62: Peace Movement

Sub-Series 4: Mennonite Veiling, 1973-1989

Box 32

Folder 63: Veiling Part 1, 1986-1989
Folder 64: Veiling Part 2, 1973-1982

Sub-Series 5: Amos Hoover, 1864-2010

Box 32

Folder 65: Hoover, Amos Documents: German (PA Dutch?)

Sub-Series 6: Groffdale Conference, 1992-2005

Box 32

Folder 66: Interviews
Folder 67: Florence Horning
Folder 68: James Hurd Field Notes
Folder 69: Baptism
Folder 70: Beliefs
Folder 71: Bibliography
Folder 72: Bicycles
Folder 73: Buggy/Car
Folder 74: Business/Factory/Shop
Folder 75: Clothing
Folder 76: Communion
Folder 77: Conference
Folder 78: Converts
Folder 79: Courtship
Folder 80: Death/Funeral
Folder 81: Defection
Folder 82: Demographics
Folder 83: Directories
Folder 84: Discipline/Excommunication
Folder 85: District/Congregation/Rotation
Folder 86: Division/Splits
Folder 87: English
Folder 88: Family
Folder 89: Farm
Folder 90: Food
Folder 91: Genetics/Disease

Box 33

Folder 1: Hurd Research
Folder 2: Health
Folder 3: History, Mennonite
Folder 4: Holidays
Folder 5: Inheritance
Folder 6: Instruction Meeting
Folder 7: Language/German
Folder 8: Literature
Folder 9: Magazines/Newspapers
Folder 10: Maps
Folder 11: Marriage
Folder 12: Meetinghouse
Folder 13: Migration
Folder 14: Ministers
Folder 15: Misc.
Folder 16: Mutual Aid/Insurance
Folder 17: New Settlements
Folder 18: Ordination
Folder 19: Ordung
Folder 20: Other Anabaptist Groups
Folder 21: Other Old Order Groups
Folder 22: People Profiles
Folder 23: Politics
Folder 24: Practices
Folder 25: Research/Field Work
Folder 26: Retention
Folder 27: School
Folder 28: Singing
Folder 29: Social Scale
Folder 30: Solidarity
Folder 31: Technology
Folder 32: Time
Folder 33: Tobacco
Folder 34: Tractors
Folder 35: Travel
Folder 36: Weddings
Folder 37: World
Folder 38: Worship
Folder 39: Youth
Folder 40: Z2002 Notes, 2002
Folder 41: Hurd Fertility
Folder 42: Interview Notes, 2003-2005
Folder 43: Booklets, 2015: German (PA Dutch?)
Folder 44: Maps and Directories
Folder 45: Settlement Maps
Folder 46: Directories
Folder 47: Hurd, James
Folder 48: Lecture, Kraybill
Folder 49: Abuse Domestic
Folder 50: Bicycles and Helmets
Folder 51: Accidents
Folder 52: Biblical Principles
Folder 53: Business and Technology
Folder 54: Benowitz Lecture, 1993
Folder 55: Charles, Jonathan Essay
Folder 56: Women in Business
Folder 57: Farmland Sales
Folder 58: 1927 Division
Folder 59: Disciplines: German (PA Dutch?)
Folder 60: News Clippings
Folder 61: Martindale District Study, 2003-2005
Folder 62: German Words
Folder 63: Population Estimates
Folder 64: Baptismal Vows, 2005: German
Folder 65: Baptism by Year, 1974-2004
Folder 66: Songs
Folder 67: Texts and Songs for Services
Folder 68: Dordrecht Confession
Folder 69: Weddings by Year, 1979-2002
Folder 70: Graphics
Folder 71: Tables
Folder 72: Group Differences
Folder 73: Comparison to Amish
Folder 74: Footwashing
Folder 75: Funeral/Death
Folder 76: Home Messenger
Folder 77: Historical Articles
Folder 78: Hymn Books/Singing
Folder 79: Hoover Mennonite Church
Folder 80: Iowa Settlement
Folder 81: Lancaster Newspapers
Folder 82: Steel Wheels
Folder 83: Meetinghouses
Folder 84: Ordained Leaders

Sub-Series 7: Weaverland Conference, 1965-2005

Box 33

Folder 85: Martin, Jonas Bishop
Folder 86: Weiler, Lloyd
Folder 87: Horning, Moses
Folder 88: Directories
Folder 89: Discipline
Folder 90: Family Size
Folder 91: Horning, Flo
Folder 92: Fairmount Rest Home
Folder 93: Hahn, Norman
Folder 94: Lee, Daniel
Folder 95: Nolt, Edwin N.H. Baler
Folder 96: Sermon, 1988
Folder 97: Jury Duty, 1985
Folder 98: Mission Interest Committee
Folder 99: Midway Reception Center
Folder 100: Mennonite Aid
Folder 101: Non-Resistance
Folder 102: Schools
Folder 103: Youth
Folder 104: Sewing Circle
Folder 105: Weaverland Wisler - Ohio - Indiana
Folder 106: Automobile
Folder 107: Disaster Service, 2006
Folder 108: Lancaster Apology

Sub-Series 8: Canada, 1828-2015

Box 33

Folder 109: Canada

Box 34

Folder 1: Thesis, 1984: Paul Brubacher
Folder 2: Government Relations
Folder 3: Church Correspondent
Folder 4: Markham, 1980
Folder 5: Markham - Waterloo
Folder 6: Directories
Folder 7: Levi and Edna, 2008

Sub-Series 9: Old Order Mennonites, 1966-2005

Box 34

Folder 8: Meetinghouses
Folder 9: Ordained Leaders
Folder 10: Ordination Procedures: Some field notes marked "confidential," but DBK has indicated they are no longer confidential and may be used.
Folder 11: Indiana
Folder 12: Language
Folder 13: Missouri
Folder 14: Nonresistance
Folder 15: NY Yates County VIsit
Folder 16: Penn Yan History
Folder 17: Penn Yan Baptisms/Weddings
Folder 18: New York
Folder 19: Union County Settlement
Folder 20: PBS Fire in Maryland, 1998
Folder 21: Reidenbacher/35ers
Folder 23: 35ers
Folder 24: Graber, Schism
Folder 25: Schools
Folder 26: School Dissertation, 2002
Folder 27: Stauffer/Pike
Folder 28: Technology Difference
Folder 29: Tractor Belting Wheels
Folder 30: Voting 2004
Folder 31: Rituals, Weddings, Etc.
Folder 32: Worship Service Patterns and Seating
Folder 33: Virginia
Folder 34: Horst, Isaac (Canada): German
Folder 35: Frey, Levi (Canada)
Folder 36: Woolwich

Sub-Series 10: Leo Driedger Papers, 1967-2000

Box 34

Folder 37: Part 1

Academic articles

1967, 1982, 1995, 2000

Folder 38: Part 2

Academic articles and other project papers

1985-1987, 1990, 1992-1994, 1996

Sub-Series 11: Old Order Groups' Pamphlets, 1968-2010

Box 34

Folder 39: Part 1: German
Folder 40: Part 2, 1993, 2002
Folder 41: Part 3, 1968, 2003, 2007

Sub-Series 12: Robert Bear Letters, 1976-2015

Box 34

Folder 42: Part 1, 2007-2008
Folder 43: Part 2, 1993-2007
Folder 44: Part 3, 1999-2001

Box 35

Folder 1: Part 4, 1976, 1998-2000
Folder 2: Part 5

Box 70

Folder 1: Robert Bear Letters, 2015: Oversized box

Sub-Series 13: Old Colony Mennonites, 1997-2016

Box 35

Folder 3: Mexico: German, Spanish

Sub-Series 14: Mennonite Studies, 1970-2009

Box 35

Folder 4: People in the Pew, 2004
Folder 5: Church Planters Profile, 2008
Folder 6: Global Mennonite Survey, 2006-2008
Folder 7: FACT MCUSA Study, 1999, 2004-2005, 2007
Folder 8: FACT, 2005-2006, 2008
Folder 9: General, 1998, 2005-2007
Folder 10: General Surveys
Folder 11: National Survey, 2000-2002: CD-R
Folder 12: Identity Survey, 1989-1990, 1993
Folder 13: Mennonite Census, 1970, 1978-1980
Folder 14: Vietnam Draft, 1986
Folder 15: Religious Attitudes, 1985
Folder 16: Pacifism and Politics, 1972
Folder 17: 1982 Mennonite Census, 1983, 1986
Folder 18: Churches Developed, 1990
Folder 19: Fresno, California, 1991, 1993, 1995
Folder 20: General Conference Mennonite Church, 1990-1992
Folder 21: Anabaptist Groups in North America, 1993-1995
Folder 22: Kanadier, 2002
Folder 23: Canada, 2002-2003, 2007, 2010
Folder 24: Winnipeg, Canada, 1990, 1992-1993, 2005
Folder 25: South America, 2003, 2006, 2009
Folder 26: Russian Mennonites, 1990

Sub-Series 15: Church Directories, 2003-2009

Box 35

Folder 27: Mennonite Church Canada, 2002-2003
Folder 28: Mennonite Church USA, 2003
Folder 29: Anabaptist (Mennonite), 2003
Folder 30: Anabaptist (Mennonite), 2005
Folder 31: Mennonite Church, 2005
Folder 32: Northwest Fellowship, 2006
Folder 33: Conservative Mennonites of Ontario, 2006
Folder 34: Anabaptist (Mennonite), 2006

Box 36

Folder 1: Mennonite Church, 2006
Folder 2: Mennonite Church USA, 2007
Folder 3: Nationwide Fellowship Churches, 2007
Folder 4: Mennonite Church, 2007
Folder 5: Anabaptist (Mennonite), 2008
Folder 6: Mennonite Church, 2009

Sub-Series 16: MEV and Social Change, 1930-2007

Smaller box

Box 75

Folder 1: Motion Pictures MEV
Folder 2: Music and Singing
Folder 3: New Non-ethnic Mennos
Folder 4: Nuclear Weapons MEV
Folder 5: Paraguay S.A. Mennonites
Folder 6: Pacifists and Hunting
Folder 7: Professions MEV
Folder 8: Russian Menno History
Folder 9: Sociology - Mennonite
Folder 10: Statistics - Overview and World Conference, 1989
Folder 11: Suffering, Theology - Mennonites 20th Century, 1991: 1st place Ziegler Award
Folder 12: Television
Folder 13: Two Kingdom Theology
Folder 14: Tourism MEV
Folder 15: Views of the Church
Folder 16: Women
Folder 17: Women - Quiet in the Land Conference, 1995: Held June 8-11, 1995 at Millersville University
Folder 18: 20th Century History and Change