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| Larry portrays Jonas Stutzman, known as "Der Weiss" because he always wore white. |
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The first pioneer to put down roots in these parts was Jonas Stutzman, who settled just south of Walnut Creek in 1809. He is an ancestor of ours, and he once owned much of what became the southern portion of Walnut Creek Township, and the land has been subdivided many times since.
The 67 acres that are now Indiantree Farm were part of a purchase by David Shrock, who bought the land from the U.S. Government in 1812 and sold it to John Shrock Sr. while both were living in Somerset County, Pa. Shrock moved here with his son John Shrock Jr. and his family after purchasing the land in 1814. The farm came to the Millers after Christian "Crist" or "C.J." Miller married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Shrock in 1871. She was the granddaughter of John Shrock Jr., and she and C.J. Miller lived in a house in Genze Bottom, the approximate site of the Jonas Burkholder farm, until they moved to the hill. The farm is now owned by the eighth generation of the family.
Read about Jonas Stutzman and how Larry portrays him in period costume by clicking here.
The main house and barn were built more than 100 years ago by Great-great-grandpa C.J. Miller, who was a carpenter and farmer. The "dowdy" house was built by his son, John, and grandson, Paul, when Paul took over the farm in the 1930s. Those were hard times on the hill, and since they couldn't afford lumber, they tore down the abandoned one-room schoolhouse that Paul and his brother, Tom, attended in the early 1900s and used that lumber to build the house. The schoolhouse bell sits in the yard between the two houses.
Paul's son, Larry, a great-great-great-grandson of Jonas Stutzman, now lives at the farm. He formerly operated a bed and breakfast here.
Tom Miller, who grew up on the farm, went on to become a renowned local artist, and he is responsible for the many Swiss scenes that adorn businesses in Sugarcreek, Berlin and Wilmot. In his later years, and since his death, his paintings have become increasingly valuable and routinely draw big crowds and high prices at area auctions. Read more about him here.
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