Seward County, Nebraska, is located in the east central part of the state. The Mennonite settlement of the county is in and around Milford, a town of 951 population, in the south central part of the county. The four Mennonite churches (Mennonite Church) in the county, West Fairview, East Fairview, and Milford, and a new congregation formed in 1958 by members of East Fairview, had a combined membership of circa 650 in 1958. The first settlers were Amish Mennonites from Walnut Creek, Ohio, arriving in the spring of 1873; others came later from the Wayland (Iowa) neighborhood and from Central Illinois. In 1958 the Bellwood (MC) congregation was established with 55 charter members. A new congregation has also been formed with 22 members in Lincoln, Nebraska, of former members of the Milford, West Fairview, and East Fairview churches, who are now living in Lincoln.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 508. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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