Billy Chance
Charles Chance
Helen Chance
Located one mile east of McLemoresville
on Highway 70A-77 is the Chance Farm. The Chance Farm was founded in 1903 by
Robert Lee Chance and his wife Sula Carrington. The 80 acres produced cotton,
corn, wheat, soybeans, sweet potatoes, strawberries, hogs, cows, chickens and
goats. The couple had seven children. Their son, Edward Carmack Chance, was the
next owner of the land, along with his wife, Mary Alice Brown. Under their
ownership the farm produced many of the same livestock and crops that the
founder had done with the exception of goats. The current owners are the
founder’s grandchildren, Billy Chance, Charles Chance, and Helen Wheeler. The
40 acre farm now produces cotton, soybeans, wheat, and corn. A farm house and
barn constructed in 1900 still stand on the land today.
Joe T. Hamilton
George Huffman and Elizabeth Shoffner founded this
century farm in 1839. Located seven miles northeast of Huntingdon, the farm
initially contained 1000 acres devoted to the cultivation of cotton, corn, hogs,
cattle and mules. George and Elizabeth had ten children. After George and
Elizabeth died, their daughter, Amelia Huffman became the next owner of the
property.
Amelia married Joseph Holmes who was a local
minister in
Today, Joe T. Hamilton, the great great grandson of the
founder, is the owner of the farm.
Harvey T. Aden
Located eight miles southwest of McKenzie, the Aden
Farm dates to 1854, when John McDonald acquired the title to 161.75 acres. An
attorney and former merchant in the town of
In 1867, Joseph R. McDonald acquired 254 acres of the
family farm. Although he eventually sold 104 acres, Joseph was a competent
farmer, with his land yielding a diversity of crops and livestock. Joseph also
had an inventive nature and he received a patent for his “buggy loop,” a safety
device that could free a runaway horse from a carriage or buggy.
Joseph and his wife Nancy Moffett McDonald had three
girls and seven boys. Upon their parents’ deaths in 1905, three of the sons,
Charley, Joseph D. and Victor E. purchased the farm from the rest of the heirs
and Charley and Victor continued to operate their 70 acres as one farm. In
1934, Victor McDonald sold 40 acres to his nephews, Paul and Harvey Aden.
Harvey Aden became the sole owner of the McDonald
property in 1967. As of 1976, the founders’ great grandson farmed 80 acres
which yielded soybeans, hay and beef cattle.
Kermit Shirley Holland
Mary Jill Holland
Jack Collier
Located one mile northeast of downtown McKenzie and
surrounded by development, the Holland Farm is currently owned by Kermit S.
Holland, Mary Jill Holland and Jack C. Holland. Albert Gallatin Harris and wife
Lucy Permelia Gilbert founded the farm in 1829, long before the town of
During the Civil War, the Harris family supplied corn,
fodder, and shoes for General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s troops. Although Albert
died shortly after the war, his family continued to operate the farm, where
they raised corn, hay, cotton, cattle, hogs, horses and chickens on 600 acres.
Ada Medora Harris, daughter of Albert and Lucy, and her
husband, Zachary Taylor Collier, were the next owners of the farm. They primarily
raised horses, mules and cotton. Interestingly, during the 1887 visit of
President Grover Cleveland to McKenzie,
The Holland Farm’s current house incorporated the 1857
farmhouse, which has been remodeled over the years. The home’s 19th-century
barn is used to store hay, and an old carriage house and kitchen are some of
the older outbuildings on this working farm that is now home to 10 members of
the
Richard Webb Jones
Billie Chastain Jones
Located two miles east of Trezevant on the
The next owner of the farm was Silas Palmer Jones who was
the son of the founders. He and his wife, Mary Jane Gallion, raised the same
livestock and crops as the previous owner with the addition of apples, peaches
and cherries. In addition to farming, Silas
also served as a local Baptist preacher in the community and fathered five
children. Like many families during the Civil War, the Jones family experienced
the loss of loved ones as a result of the brutality of the war. At the Battle
of Shiloh, their son, James M. Jones, was wounded and several days later he
died as a result of complications from his wounds.
The third generation to own the farm was Legrand Michaux
Jones, Sr., the grandson of the founder. Legrand, his wife, Sophronia Eunice
Webb and their ten children continued to manage the farm and grow the same
foodstuffs, however, they added sweet potatoes, pumpkin and strawberries.
Legrand and Sophronia’s sons Richard and Gleanor Moody Jones were the next
generation to inherit the land. Eventually, their brother L. M. Jones, Jr.
became another owner of the property.
L. M. Jones married Olive B. Mitchell and they had four children. Their son, Henry Webb Jones, became the next owner of the farm. He and his wife, Billie Vivian Chastain, raised soybeans and the same crops and livestock that the previous owners had done. In addition to managing the farm, Henry served as the postmaster of Trezevant and served on the county court. Today, Billie C. Jones, the widow of Henry, and her son Richard Webb own the farm. They raise cotton, soybeans and a small herd of beef cattle.
Betty Lou McDonald
Penick
The McDonald Farm is the second Century Farm in
Mrs. Betty McDonald Penick, the farm’s current owner,
inherited 101 acres of the McDonald Farm in 1967. She is still actively engaged
in the farm’s operations, producing soybeans, corn and timber. As of 1976, the
farm retained a nineteenth century log dwelling and log barn.
John Thomsen
Henry
(Hans) Thomsen and Anna Eliza (Lida) Williams Thomsen founded this Century Farm
in 1895. Located four miles east of McLemoresville, the farm had 160 acres
devoted to the cultivation of cotton, corn, hay, vegetables, cows, hogs,
chickens and strawberries. On the farm, there was a one-room schoolhouse and it
served as a local community school until the early 1950s. During the 1950s, bus
transportation became available and the students began to travel to
McLemoresville and the school was abandoned.
The next owners of the land were John and Garvin Thomsen,
the grandsons of the founder. John was married to
In 1953, John Wilford Thomsen, the grandson of the
founder, became the next owner of the land. John, his wife Elizabeth, and Allen
Espey, the farm manager continue to raise vegetables, strawberries and some of
the same products that the founder had done. In addition, each week the owners
and their extended families meet to enjoy a “farm family meal” and recreation
on the property.
Photo: Barn and field on the Thomsen Farm.
Bobby Lee Utley
Located near Atwood is the Utley Farm that was founded by O. L.
Vawter in 1907. He and his wife Annie
had two children, Brooks and Frances Willard.
On 47 acres they grew corn, cotton and beans and raised cattle, hay,
hogs and chickens. A barn built in 1917
is a reminder of this founding generation’s long ownership which covered over
sixty years.
In 1979, Frances Willard Utley
became the second generation to own the farm.
Married to Melvin Utley, they had one child, Bobby Lee Utley. During her ownership the farm produced corn,
cotton and beans.
Bobby Lee Utley acquired the farm in
2001. He and his wife Shirley have two
daughters, Pam (White) and Mai (Moore) who grew up on the farm. Today
three generations live on the farm including Bobby and Shirley as well
as Mai and her husband Tracy and their two children, Andrew and Bobby Lee. Much of the land is rented and corn, cotton
and soybeans are primary crops.
Wesley F. Collins
Molly O. Crum Collins
The terrorism that often characterized the Civil War
shaped the history of the W. F. Collins Century Farm. Daniel and Nancy Collins
of
Daniel and his wife Nancy had five children and their son
John N. Collins took over the farm after his father’s death. For the rest of
the century, John, his wife Sarah Ledsinger and their six children worked the
property, growing cotton, corn and vegetables and managing fruit orchards and
herds of mules. John also served the local community as a public school
director for the 7th District.
John willed 105 acres of the family farm to his son
William T. Collins, who increased the property to 312.5 acres. The history of
the farm throughout the twentieth century follows the region’s general trends
of agricultural development. In 1932 Dan, Clark and Frank, the founders’ great
grandsons, acquired the family land and during the following year, Clark and
Frank obtained complete control of the farm. The brothers practiced the
techniques of progressive farming for the next 40 years. On their 312.5 acres
they grew cotton, corn, fruit, vegetables, chickens and sorghum while managing
herds of cattle, swine and mules. They also made and sold railroad cross-ties
and operated a sorghum mill.
In 1973, the founders’ great grandson Wesley F. Collins
and his wife Molly O. Crum acquired the family farm of 312 acres. Together with
his sons, Wesley and Gary, Collins supervises a diversified agricultural
operation. His farm products include cotton, corn, soybeans, hay, fruit,
vegetables, sorghum and livestock.
Andrew R. Welch
The oldest Century Farm in
In 1871, five men murdered David Coleman at his home.
Consequently, the farm passed into the hands of his sons and daughters. In
1947, David and Sarah’s great great granddaughter Dorothy Coleman Welch
inherited 70 acres of the family land to which she and her husband Andrew R.
Welch added 156 acres. As of 1976, the Welch farm yielded cotton, corn,
soybeans, hay, swine and cattle.