Macon County

Burrow-Gregory Farm

Canada & Green Farm

Clearview Farm

Drury Farm

Four J Farm

Goad Farm

Hanes Hedges Farm

Hugh B. Morrison Farm

Jenkins Farm

Lawrence Farm

Massey Farm

Porter Farm

Stinson Farm

Tuck Farm

Tucker Farm

Tucker Brothers Farm

W.E. White Farm

Wheeley Springs Farm

White 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

Burrow-Gregory Farm

Jack Burrow Gregory

            Located five miles South of Lafayette lies the Burrow-Gregory Farm that was founded by William S. Burrow in 1836. On 34 ¼ acres the farm yielded tobacco and corn. Married to Elizabeth Ford Wilson Burrow, the couple had ten children. During the 1850s, William purchased several slaves who served as household servants. According to the family, during the Civil War, Union soldiers came to the Burrow farm and confiscated all the horses and mules.

            William’s and Elizabeth’s son, Zachary Taylor Burrow was the second generation to own the land. Along with his wife, Mary Jane Burrow, the couple had seven children. During Zachary’s ownership, the farm produced tobacco, corn, hogs, small grain and sheep.

            As time moved on, Zachary’s son, Charlie F. Burrow, became the third generation to own the farm. While managing the farm, he also helped raise six children with his wife, Nannie Florence Thompson Burrow. Their son, Clyde Burrow became the next owner of the land.

            In 1988, the great-great-great grandson of the founder, Jack Burrow Gregory became the owner of the farm. Today, Jack still works the land and raises tobacco, cattle and hay. A livestock barn and slave quarters that were constructed in the nineteenth century still stand on the property.

Photo: This livestock barn was constructed in the nineteenth century.

Canada & Green Farm

Robert K. Green

In July of 1907, S. B. Canada established a 460 acre farm seven miles east of Lafayette. Married to Mary Morrow Canada, the couple has one son, William Alfred Canada.  Corn, wheat, beef and dairy cattle, hogs and chickens were raised on the farm.

            William Alfred Canada married Virgie West Canada and they had two sons, William Carcie  and James Henry.  Eventually, the land passed to William’s two sons.  After William Carcie died, without children, his brother, James, became the owner of the farm.  James married Loe E. Smith and they had one child, Georgia Gustine Canada who in turn, owned the farm.  She married Kenneth Green.

            In 1989, the great, great grandson of the founder, Robert K. Green acquired the farm. Today, four generations reside on the farm.  Robert and his wife, Teresa Kay (Thomas) and their children and grandchildren live on the property as does Georgia Gustine Canada.   Robert works the land and raises tobacco, corn, beef cattle, dairy cattle and horses. A milk barn and tobacco barn, dating from earlier years, are in good shape and used for the farm operations.

Clearview Farm

Dewey Swindle

            William D. Coley of North Carolina purchased 365 acres at the height of the Civil War, in 1863, and established the Clearview Farm, located five miles east of Lafayette. This father of ten fought for the North during the Civil War and retired to his Macon County farm as a federal pensioner. Married twice, his crops were corn, dark tobacco, wheat, livestock and mules.

            In 1898, J. W. Coley acquired the farm from his father and worked it for the next 46 years. Coley and his wife Julia Krantz were the parents of twelve children and their farm produced livestock, wheat, corn, oats and tobacco. As conditions for the agrarian community changed for the worse from the 1920s to the 1940s, Coley sold much of his land, reducing the farm to 170 acres, which his son C. E. Coley acquired in 1944. Until recent times, the Coley family specialized in tobacco, cattle and hay. Today, Dewey Swindle owns the land.

Drury Farm

Dorothy Drury Driver

            The decision by Tennessee farmers like the Drurys of Macon County to shift to the production of burley tobacco in the early twentieth century is one of the key developments in the modern history of Tennessee agriculture. Established by John and Rachael Dorris Druryin 1835, the Drury Farm is four miles southwest of Lafayette. The founders owned 300 acres which yielded agricultural commodities such as tobacco, cotton, corn and cattle. John, who served in the Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812, was the father of nine children. One of his sons, Francis Millard Drury, acquired the property in 1858. Francis, a missionary preacher, and his wife Elizabeth Leath operated the farm in much the same way as the founders. During the Civil War, this farm, like many in Middle Tennessee, suffered from renegades. Federal troops raided the farm and terrorized the family before leaving with food and livestock.

            In 1902, John Freeman Drury inherited the farm intact from his father. He made substantial improvements in its operations; the family planted new crops such as barley and oats and began to manage a fruit orchard. In 1917, John abandoned dark air-cured tobacco for burley tobacco, which had become the tobacco of choice for cigarette manufacturers throughout the nation.

            John and his wife Betty Gross raised seven children and their son Marion Riley Drury acquired 129.5 acres of the family land in 1935. Drury’s farm products are burley tobacco and strawberries.  The current owner is Dorothy Drury Driver.

Four J Farm

Ronnie L. and Shirley Johnson

            The second Century Farm in Macon County to evolve from the original plantation of Noah Jenkins is the Four J Farm, which is six miles west of Lafayette. Bettie Jenkins Johnson and her husband W. K. Johnson purchased the family land in 1912. Bettie was the granddaughter of the founders. In 1952, Otis Johnson, the son of W. K. and Bettie Jenkins Johnson, acquired the farm from his parents and upon his death nineteen years later, his heirs sold the land to Ronnie and Shirley Johnson.

            Ronnie Johnson, the great great great great grandson of the founders, works 64 acres of original family land and six acres of recently acquired land. His labor yields hay, swine and beef products.

Goad Farm

William Woodmore

Wanda Woodmore

Toby Woodmore

Goad Farm was founded in 1903 by Daniel D. Goad and his wife Ida Elizabeth Burrow Goad.   His parents  are buried in the family cemetery on the property, along with their four daughters. The 30 acres produced, corn, tobacco, and hay, and supported sheep and cattle. The couple had three children.  Their son-in-law, Cherry Woodmore,  married to their daughter Jewel in 1919, was the next owner of the land. The farm produced corn, hay, burley tobacco, and small grains and supported sheep, beef cattle, and dairy cattle.  Jewel Goad Woodmore lived to be nearly 104 years old and spent her entire life on this or an adjoining farm.  The current owners are William Woodmore, son of Jewel and Cherry, his wife Wanda and son, Toby Woodmore who works and manages the 425 acre farm which produces hay and supports beef cattle.

Photo: Daniel D. Goad and family on the Goad Farm.

  Hanes Hedges Farm

Jack Hanes

            The Hanes Hedges Farm was established in 1886 by Alphus Mizell Hanes. Located twelve miles North west of Lafayette, the 450 acres produced corn, wheat, tobacco, hay, hogs, chicken, cattle, garden vegetables and fruit. In 1890, Alphus Mizell constructed a house that, according to the family, became a “community gathering place.” Married to Amanda Susan Law, the couple had eight children.

Their son, Estile Hanes became the next owner of the farm. Along with his wife, Viola, they cultivated corn, wheat, tobacco, hay, vegetables and fruit. In addition, they raised hogs, chicken and cattle. Although Estile and Viola had three children, one of them died as a child.

In 1965, Estile passed away and he left the farm to his two remaining children, Estile, Jr. and Susan. When Estile, Jr. died in 1977, his son, Jack Hanes, acquired his half of the farm. Twenty years later, Susan, who never married, passed away and she left her half to her nephew Jack.

Today, Jack Hanes is the current owner of the farm and he works the land with his best fried, Paul Napier. The 450 acres currently yields corn, tobacco, hay, garden vegetables and fruit, while also producing cattle. The house that was constructed by the founder in 1890 and a large feed barn that was built in the 1890s still are being used.

Hugh B. Morrison Farm

Hugh B. Morrison and Janis L. Morrison

            On 150 acres located six miles west of Lafayette, Samuel Stewart and Mary Eubanks Morrison established the Morrison family farm in 1828. Slaves from the farm of Samuel’s brother in Sumner County built the original farmhouse from 1828 to 1829. It is now one of the oldest houses in the county. Samuel and Mary had eleven children and their son Samuel L. Morrison was the farm’s second generation owner. Married to Nancy Boyd and the father of nine children, Samuel produced the same agricultural commodities-corn, tobacco, grains and livestock-that the founders had raised.

            The property’s third generation owner was Willie Price Morrison, father of the farm’s current owner, Hugh B. Morrison of Lafayette. Having acquired the land in 1969, Hugh owns 121 acres and plants corn and tobacco. He also manages a herd of beef cattle and other livestock.

Jenkins Farm

James W. Jenkins

            Noah Jenkins founded the Jenkins plantation when he received a land grant from North Carolina. With this grant, he acquired 1,400 acres approximately two and a half miles northwest of Lafayette. He and his wife Martha raised four children. Later in the antebellum period, Jimmy, the founders’ son, and his wife Dollie Holland Jenkins inherited one of the few plantations in Macon County. With their 38 slaves providing the labor, the cultivated a variety of crops, such as tobacco, corn, hay and wheat. The plantation’s second generation owners were the founders’ grandson George Jenkins and his wife Mary Sullivan. They managed the land throughout much of the nineteenth century.

            The Jenkins Farm passed through the hands of two additional generations of family members before James W. and Lillie Mai Jenkins obtained 10.5 acres of family land in 1984. James is the founders’ great great grandson and every year he “sows and cuts the hay crop.” In 1984, the owners renovated the farm’s nineteenth century dwelling, together with a barn and garage. The property also contains the Long Creek Church and the one room Long Creek Schoolhouse, which were built prior to 1860.

Lawrence Farm

Anna Beulah Jenkins

Mary Ruth Lawrence Bennett

            The Lawrence Farm is located eight miles north of Lafayette and was founded by John Lewis Lawrence in 1889. The 288 acre farm produced wheat, oats, corn, hay, horses, cattle and hogs. In addition to raising livestock and crops, John also split rails from chestnut logs on the farm to build rail fences. Married to Mary C. Lawrence, the couple had three children. Their names were Effie Ann, John Wesley and Roberta Alice Lyles.

            The next owner of the land was the founder’s son, John Wesley Lawrence. During his ownership, the farm experienced some improvements with the installation of gas lights and a water system for the house. According to the family, the water was pumped from a well into a large elevated storage tank by a one cylinder gas engine. The same engine was transported to the wash house to run the washing machine for the family laundry. In addition to these improvements, rooms were added on to the original two-story log house. The new rooms included a kitchen, a dining room, a bathroom and a pantry. John Wesley was married to Annie Bertha Crowder Lawrence and they had ten children.

            In 1978, the farm was divided into tracts and two of John Wesley’s and Annie’s daughters, Anna Beulah Lawrence Jenkins and Mary Ruth Lawrence Bennett acquired some of the land. Today, Anna Beulah and Mary Ruth still own the property, however, Gerald Lawrence, who is the great grandson of the founder works the land. Currently, the farm produces corn, soybeans, hay, tobacco and cattle.

Massey Farm

Billy Massey

            Located five miles southeast of Lafayette, the Massey Farm dates to 1851 when Hugh and Mary Ann Massey purchased 229 acres of land. They produced wheat, corn, tobacco and dairy cattle. One hundred acres of family land passed to the second owner Eldes E. Massey and his wife Minnie. Parents of thirteen children, the Masseys retained the farm’s daily patterns of operations and introduced no new crops.

            In 1965, Billy F. Massey, the great grandson of the founders, acquired 65 acres of the farm. Today, four generations of Masseys reside on the property but Billy works the land, specializing in tobacco and beef cattle production.

Porter Farm

David L. Porter

By the 1890s, Jesse West had established a farm of just over 100 acres in Macon County, not far from Red Boiling Springs.  Because three Macon County courthouses burned, making it difficult to trace nineteenth century property, Jesse and his wife Margaret and their two daughters, Naoma and Minnie, are listed in the 1900 census.  Further proof of the long family history on this farm is found in a family cemetery.  A marker for Baly, the infant son of Jesse and Margaret who was born and died in 1894, is the earliest burial.  The West Cemetery is also the burying ground for other family members.   Though the current owner believes the family may have been on the farm at least one generation prior, the census records and the cemetery marker prove the ownership of this farm to the decade before the twentieth century.  

            Naoma Evie West Wakefield acquired the farm in 1911.    She and her husband, Charlie Wakefield, were the parents of Opal and Aubie.  In 1932, Aubie and Opal acquired parts of the farm. Opal and her husband, Herschel Porter had three children.  Along with other farms in the area, military training maneuvers were conducted on the farm during World War II. 

            Truman Porter, who served in World War II, became the fourth generation owner in 1964.  He and his wife Cozell Halliburton were the parents of Gail and David.  In 1991, David L. Porter became the next generation to own and operate the family farm.  On about 40 acres, he produces hay and cattle.  Two barns, built for tobacoo and feed remain from the time of David Porter’s grandparents, and the family cemetery is a reminder of the long history begun by his West ancestors.

Stinson Farm

Lewis Stinson

J.S. Stinson and his wife Cora Bell Fishburn Stinson founded the Stinson farm in 1897.  They had one child, Cloid S. Stinson.  On the 254 acres they produced corn, tobacco, wheat, oats, rye, cows, and hogs.  The next owners of the farm were Cora and C.S. Stinson.  He married J.S. Stinson and later Grace Hix Stinson.  The current owner and grandson of the founders is Lewis Stinson.  He acquired the land in 1962 and produces tobacco, corn, hay, and oats.  There is a log smoke house that was constructed prior to 1886 that still stands on the land today.

Tuck Farm

Wick Knight

            Public service and community development are significant themes in the history of the Tuck Farm, founded by John C. and Elenora Lewis Tuck in 1836. Their initial 100 acres is seven miles southeast of Lafayette. Buying an additional 163 acres in 1840, the Tucks grew corn, tobacco and wheat and looked after small herds of livestock. John, a county justice of the peace and tax collector, fathered nine children and his son George Tuck became the farm’s second generation owner.

            George Tuck wed Nancy McDonald and they were the parents of six children. George donated land for the construction of the Union Baptist Church, located at a site where Federal troops camped during the Civil War. The farm’s operations, during these years, expanded to include mule breeding.

            The founders’ grandson Walter C. Tuck was the third generation owner and he increased the farm’s acreage from 100 to 160 acres. Walter, his spouse Virgie Smith and their four children worked diligently, producing tobacco, corn, small grains, livestock and mules. In 1952, Ruth Tuck Knight, the wife of Wick Knight and the founders’ great granddaughter, inherited 50 acres of family land. Ruth and Wick have purchased 163 additional acres of land and presently specialize in the cultivation of tobacco, hay and vegetables. They still reside in the farm’s original dwelling made of yellow poplar.

Larry Tucker

            The Galen community is home to the Tucker family farm and is located seven miles northeast of Lafayette. The farm was established by Granville J. and Margaret A. Tucker in 1878. The founders owned 185 acres and, like many of their neighbors, they produced corn, tobacco, sheep and beef cattle. One of the founders’ nine children, T. T. Tucker, was the second generation owner. He and his wife Ethie Lea had eight children. During their ownership, the Tuckers began raising swine and poultry.

            Dewey and Roxie Tucker were the farm’s next owners. On their 290 acre farm, they and their sons, George and Larry, specialized in corn, tobacco and beef cattle production. In 1982, Larry Tucker, the founders’ great grandson, acquired 60 acres of the original family land and currently owns a total of 175 acres. Larry cultivates corn and tobacco and manages a herd of beef cattle.

Tucker Brothers Farm

Larry B. Tucker

George D. Tucker

            Descendents of Granville J. and Margaret A. Tucker also own the Tucker Brothers Farm, located seven miles northeast of Lafayette. Larry Tucker owns another Macon County Century Farm, the Larry and Linda Tucker Farm, as well as the property, which he owns in partnership with his brother George D. Tucker.

The brothers acquired 125 acres of original family land in 1982 to which they added 100 acres. Like the Larry and Linda Tucker Farm, this property produces corn, tobacco, hay and beef cattle.

W. E. White Farm

Ricky White

            In the 1^st District of Macon County, three miles northwest of Lafayette, lies the W. E. White Farm, which Joseph H. and Malinda Mayes White founded in the antebellum period. They owned 833 acres and grew the common crops of the region. In 1884, title to 329 acres of the farm was transferred to Joseph W. and Sarah Gray White. Joseph, one of the founders’ seven children, counted corn, tobacco, cattle, poultry and swine as his agricultural commodities.

            William Lee White and his wife Mary Johnson inherited 62 acres and became the farm’s third generation owner. The founders’ grandson, Willie cultivated tobacco, corn and hay. Willie Eugene White, the great grandson of Joseph and Malinda Mayes White, inherited 62 acres of the family land in 1965. He grew hay and tobacco and raises cattle as his major cash crops. Today, Ricky White owns the property.

Wheeley Springs Farm

Larry W. Law

Larry F. Law

Located eight miles north of Lafayette is the Wheeley Springs Farm that was founded by Huel Wheeley who moved from Orange County, North Carolina to Tennessee during the 1850s. Married to Mary Elizabeth Johns, the couple had seven children.  On the 750 acres, the family raised tobacco, corn, hay, cattle and hogs.  Huel also built a farmhouse that was originally a two-room house; over the years it has been remodeled several times.

            The second owner of the farm was Thomas Phillip Wheeley who acquired the farm around 1890 after his parents’ death. Married twice, Thomas fathered twelve children. After Thomas died, his daughter Etta Wheeley Hughes and her husband Tommie purchased the property. In 1953, Melvin B. and Fonza Law, sons of Bert and Nellie Wheeley Law, sister of Etta, acquired the property.

Today, three generations call the farm home. Larry F. and his wife Shirley, their son, Larry W. and his wife Christy and their daughters Jessica and Samantha live on the land.  Currently, the farm produces cattle, hay and tobacco and is worked by the family.  According to the family, part of the original house built by Huel, a feed barn, a tobacco barn continue to be used.

White Farm

Ricky White

            The second Century Farm in Macon County to evolve from the original landholdings of Joseph H. and Malinda Mayes White is the White Farm, located three miles northwest of Lafayette. Rosa White Eden, the wife of Ed Eden and the granddaughter of the founders, was the farm’s third generation owner. The mother of two children, Rosa owned 75 acres. Her family usually planted hay, corn and soybeans. In 1980, eighteen of Rosa’s 75 acres passed to her great nephew, Ricky Eugene White. The Whites, a family of four, specialize in beef cattle production.