Perth East Amish and Mennonites
(Under Construction)
As of 2024, there are 10 distinct Amish and Mennonite groups in the Township of Perth East in Perth County, Ontario.
1) Old Order Amish; This is the largest and oldest Amish community in Canada, with over 1,300 people in 11 congregations (church districts). The Township of East Perth (Milverton-Millbank) is the centre of 'Amish Country' in the province of Ontario. Amish Mennonites came from Europe and settled in Wilmot Township 200 years ago in 1824. They expanded into Mornington Township (now Perth East) 150 years ago in 1874.
2) Old Order Mennonites; The Klearview Old Order Mennonite Meetinghouse in Perth East was built in 1990. Old Order Mennonites originated in 1889, as a division from the Mennonite Conference of Ontario (now Mennonite Church Eastern Canada).
3) Conservative Mennonites; The Brookside Conservative Mennonite Church in Carthage was established in 1974. It is a congregation of the Conservative Mennonite Church of Ontario, which originated as a division from the Mennonite Conference of Ontario in 1960.
4) Church of God in Christ (Mennonite); Nicknamed 'Holdeman Mennonites' after their founder, the Sunrise Church of God in Christ was organized in 1992, and eventually built its present building in Hesson.
5) Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC); A part of Mennonite Church-Canada, MCEC was the result of Mennonite conference mergers in 1988. Poole Mennonite Church has been in the hamlet of Poole since Amish Mennonites expanded into Mornington Township (now Perth East) from Wellesley Township 150 years ago in 1874. The Mornington congregation built a meetinghouse in 1886, which caused a division between progressive and traditional Amish Mennonites, the latter becoming the genesis of the Milverton Old Order Amish. The Amish Mennonites eventually changed their congregation's name to Poole, and they became one of the original members of the 'Ontario Amish Mennonite Conference', established in 1925. This conference changed its name to the 'Western Ontario Mennonite Conference' in 1963. As Poole Mennonite Church, the congregation is now a part of the Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, established in 2001.
6) Beachy Amish Mennonites; Fairhaven Amish Mennonite Church was established 50 years ago in 1974.
