Noah Troyer

Noah Troyer (February 18, 1831 - March 2, 1886), was an Amish Mennonite farmer who preached while being in a state of trance. He was seen as a "sleeping preacher".

Noah Troyer was born in Ohio in 1831. He married Fannie Mast of Holmes County, Ohio and had six children with her. In 1875 they moved to Johnson County, Iowa and bought a 160-acre farm there,[1] three miles north of Kalona in Washington County, Iowa, which immediately adjoins Iowa County, where the Amana Colonies are situated. At that time, the Amana Colonies were the main American settlement of the religious community of the Inspirationalists, also known as the "Community of True Inspiration", who had brought trance preaching to North America.[2]

Troyer became ill in March 1876. One evening Troyer started to talk at some length while being asleep; later he could not remember his talking. These states of trance continued for about two years and became accompanied with cramping and convulsions. In 1878 he started to preach at some length in an unconscious state at the Amish Church. This preaching in an unconscious or trance state continued and he became generally known as a "sleeping preacher". Normally he preached for one to three hours.[1]

An article of the Herald of Truth reported on 15 May 1882 that he had preached together with John D. Kauffman (1847-1913), who was also an Amish "sleeping preacher". Troyer had spoken first, followed by Kauffman, and each spoke for about two hours.[3]

On the morning of March 2, 1886, Troyer died in a hunting accident.[4]