Lake County

Lake County was established in 1870 and it was named for Reelfoot Lake, that was formed by a series of earthquakes from 1811-1812. Tiptonville is the county seat. The county’s economy is based on agriculture with cotton and soybeans as the chief crops. In addition to agriculture, the Illinois Central Railroad has played an important role in the county by serving as a transportation route for passengers and freight. Lake County has six Century Farms and the oldest is the Shumate Farm that was established in 1856. For more information regarding Lake County, please go to the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History & Culture website.

For a brief historical sketch of each farm, click on the farm name.

Ed Sumara Farm

House Farm

Joe Carter Farm

Keefe Farm

Prentice Wynn Farm

Shumate Farm


The following map is for a general geographical understanding. It does not provide the specific locations of the farms because of privacy reasons.



Map courtesy of Carole Swann, Tennessee Department of Agriculture

Ed Sumara

            The railroads of the nineteenth century often created entirely new towns and points of trade as they built new lines or extended old ones throughout Tennessee. West Tennessee, since it was more sparsely settled than other grand divisions, especially felt the impact of new railroad construction. The history of the Ed Sumara Farm of the 4^th District of Lake County indicates how the location of a new railroad line influenced the rural landscape. Established by William J. and Mary Barker Wynn in 1870, the farm is about four miles south of Tiptonville. The Wynns and their twelve children worked together to develop a large and prosperous farm. In 1887, the Wynns and their twelve children worked together to develop a large and prosperous farm. In 1887, the Wynns owned 994 acres. Commodities produced on the farm included cotton, corn, alfalfa, small grains, mules and cattle. A member of the county court for 30 years, William was a well-respected community leader.

            In 1892, 470 acres of the farm passed to Samuel Frances Wynn, who later purchased 480 additional acres of land. Samuel, the husband of Maude Fleming and the father of five children, was a smart businessman; when he realized that a new railroad line (the current Illinois Central and Gulf railroad) would pass through his land, he divided a portion of his property into a townsite called Wynnsburg and donated land for the railroad depot, local school and churches. The town of Wynnsburg, located four miles south of Tiptonville, still exists today.

            Clay F. Wynn was the third generation owner of the farm. Clay, his wife Mai Bennett and his daughter Bettie grew cotton, soybeans and alfalfa on approximately 100 acres of land. A local political leader, Wynn served in the Tennessee State Legislature in the 1940s. Mai Bennett Wynn assumed management of the property in 1975. Edmond J. Sumara, her grandson, works a total of 440 acres and grows corn, soybeans and milo.

House Farm

Bruce Wyatt

            David and Elizabeth Cobb Waggoner established the House family farm in 1885. The founders and their three children annually harvested the staple crops of cotton and corn on their original 123 acres of land, but over the next 100 years, the farm became more varied in its agricultural production. In 1899, Jessie B. Waggoner Anderson and her husband Andrew Bedford Anderson acquired 314 acres of family property. The parents of two children, Andrew and Jesse raised swine in addition to growing cotton and corn.

            In 1957, Sarah Elizabeth Anderson House obtained 63 acres of her grandparents’ homestead. She presently owns 325 acres worked by her grandson Bruce Dillard Wyatt, Jr. The commodities produced at the House Farm include corn, soybeans and wheat.

Joe Carter Farm

Martha Carter

            Three miles south of Tiptonville is the Carter Century Farm, the oldest Farm in Lake County and an excellent example of a small farm which rapidly expanded into a major post-Civil War plantation. Richard and Temperence Bradford established the property when they purchased 140 acres in 1861. Although founded at the beginning of the Civil War, the farm prospered over the following decades and Richard developed a farm of over 2,700 acres which produced cotton, corn and cattle. One of the county’s organizers, Richard served as chairman of the Lake County court for many years.

            In 1880, William Thomas Auston bought 55 acres of the Bradford farm. Married twice and the father of five children, William was the nephew of the founders. A progressive farmer, William learned about alfalfa on a river trip. Upon his return home, Auston promptly planted the crop-its first appearance in Lake County. He also owned the county’s first mechanical mower. Over the years, Auston transformed his initial land purchase into a 560 acre farm that annually yielded crops of cotton, corn and alfalfa. He managed herds of beef cattle as well.

            Varina A. Carter, the wife of Joe M. Carter, inherited 205 acres in 1947. She and Joe managed the farm for the next 35 years. “Crops native to Lake County,” such as cotton, corn and soybeans, were their agricultural commodities. In 1981, Joe and the founders’ great great nieces and nephews inherited the farm. In 1985, at the age of 102, Joe still lived on the farm with his son Joseph. Sammy Parker worked the farm’s 205 acres and grew soybeans, milo and wheat.

Keefe Farm

James Hugh Keefe

            Located five miles southeast of Tiptonville, the Keefe Farm originally belonged to Louisa M. Keefe, who founded the property in 1872. Louisa and her husband William A. Keefe specialized in cotton production on their 107 acres of land. The farm’s second generation owners were Hugh and Sallie Keefe. Hugh worked 52 acres of the original farm and cultivated cotton. Hugh and Sallie had two children, William Prior Keefe and Helen Keefe Amick, who later became joint owners and operators of the property. During their ownership, crucial alterations in the farming landscape took place. The Tennessee Valley Authority “provided cheap electrical power, flood control (and) irrigation.” Furthermore, local roads were paved and mechanized farming “took the place of mules.”

            In 1975, William Keefe died and his widow Kathleen Helen Keefe assumed management of the farm. Her son James Hugh Keefe currently cultivates wheat, milo and soybeans on 52 acres of land.

Prentice Wynn Farm

Prentice Wynn

            Descendents of William and Mary Barker Wynn also operate the Wynn Farm, which is located four miles southeast of Tiptonville. The history of the property mirrors that of the Ed Sumara Farm until 1939 when Paul Prentiss Wynn acquired 50 acres from his parents, Samuel and Maude Wynn. Upon Paul Prentiss’ death in 1966, his widow Ruth Lee Wynn, Paul P. Wynn, Jr., and Rebecca Ann Wynn inherited the family land. As of 1976, the founders’ great grandson, Paul Prentiss Wynn, Jr., owned 110 acres of the original farm and harvested fields of cotton and soybeans.

Shumate Farm

Luther Harris

            The Shumate Farm, founded by John P. Craig in 1856, originally consisted of 156 acres. Craig, a veteran of the Civil War who fought at the Battle for Island Number Ten, was “active in community and church life.” He raised cotton, wheat, corn, swine and dairy cattle. At an undetermined time, John deeded 83 acres of his property to his daughter Daisy Craig Shumate and her husband Walter Alexander Shumate. The parents of six children, the Shumates expanded their farm to 113 acres and produced cotton, corn, alfalfa, wheat, swine and cattle.

            In 1959, John Hamilton Shumate acquired 66 acres of the original farm. As of 1976, he harvested cotton and soybeans. Since the original Century Farm survey, John has passed away. His son Jerome now owns and operates the property.