Map courtesy of Carole Swann, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Earnest T. Browder
Established in 1859 by John Jefferson and Elizabeth
Lotspeich Browder, the
Today, Earnest Browder and his younger sister Margaret
live at Brookside Farm’s original nine room farmhouse. In 1942, Earnest
acquired 380 acres of the property and now farms over 300 acres. His cousin
Charles O. Browder works the land, producing tobacco, corn, grain and beef
cattle. The family reports that the farm’s original dwelling and smokehouse,
largely unaltered, still stands on the property.
Glenn and Margaret
Blackman Davis
The founders of
In four different transactions between 1868 and 1881,
Margaret Cook obtained the farm from her parents and siblings. Margaret’s
husband L. M. Blackman was a major during the Civil War and served in the
Of the Blackman’s six children, Wilbur and his spouse
Ruth McLendon received title to the property in different tracts between 1893
and 1905. On their 169 acres, they grew foodstuffs and “certified seed wheat”
for sale to other farmers in the area. In 1925, they planted the farm’s
tobacco. Wilbur, a postmaster at Eve Mills, was also a county justice from 1930
to 1942.
The current owners of Cedar Lane Farm are Margaret
Blackman Davis and her husband Glenn, who acquired the family’s 169 acres in
1949. Margaret is the great granddaughter of the founders. Glenn operates the
farm, specializing in cattle and tobacco like so many late twentieth century
farmers. Cedar Lane’s nineteenth century eight room log dwelling, along with a
log barn and log smokehouse, are still used in the farm’s everyday activities.
Earl and Betty Black
In 1820, Thomas and Jane Young White established the
Black family farm on 160 acres located near Vonore. The Whites, together with
their nine children, raised corn, wheat, oats, cattle, sheep and swine. In
1876, Ewing Young White inherited a portion of the farm until the turn of the
century when their son Tom acquired 450 acres of his family land. A bachelor,
Tom planted the same crops and raised the same herds of livestock as his father
and grandfather.
Another offspring of
Thomas Howard and
Carolyn Ferguson
One mile north of Tellico Plains lies the Ferguson Farm,
which William Hunt of
Raymond Ferguson, the founder’s great grandson, acquired
160 acres of the initial homestead in 1972. He worked the land alone and
cultivated tobacco, while raising hay for his horses and cattle. A house and
barn that date to the farm’s pre-1875 operations were intact and in use. Today,
Thomas Howard and Carolyn Ferguson are the owners of the farm.
Maggie Fowler LeNoir
Public service in both state government and local affairs
highlights the history of the Fowler-Lenoir Farm. Charles Kelso of
In 1853, one of Charles and Elizabeth’s eight children,
Mary Kelso Fowler, received a portion of the family farm. Mary was the wife of
William J. Fowler, Sr., who served in the Tennessee State Legislature and
helped establish the
Joe W. Fowler, the founders’ grandson, inherited two tracts
of the farm in 1910 and 1919. Joe was a prize-winning stock breeder who also
planted corn, wheat and peas on his 250 acres of land. A local postmaster, he
married Maggie Carmichael and fathered three children. In 1954, Maggie Fowler
LeNoir inherited 109 acres from her parents. As of 1976, Mrs. LeNoir still
managed the land, which yielded soybeans, corn and hay. She reported that a
barn, storage house and smokehouse, each of which were built prior to 1875,
stood on the property and played an important role in the farm’s activities.
Glen Simpson
Located about 5 miles east of
In 1899, David died and the land was passed onto his children. However, Thomas J. Lowry, one of David and Elizabeth’s sons, purchased the land that was owned by his brothers. Thomas, who never married, lived with his sister Ann on the farm and they raised their niece, Martha Myrtle, whose parents had died. Eventually, Myrtle inherited the farm. Myrtle Lowry married Frank Magill Simpson and they had one son named Glen Magill Simpson. Today, Glen owns the farm and lives on the farm with his wife Virginia Brunner Billings. Although the farm is owned by Glen, he leases some of the land to Jarvis Bivens.
Steve T. Harrison
The dairy industry, once
a primary part of the state’s economy, has steadily decreased in recent
years. Fortunately, some families
continue the tradition of dairy farming, and the counties in east and southeast
In 1901, William Harden Harrison and his
brother-in-law John P. Simpson purchased 180 acres near Loudon. The family, including William’s wife Fannie
and Effie who was married to John, raised cattle and horses and grew corn and
wheat. In 1907, William bought out his
brother-in-law’s half interest and became the sole owner of the property. Under
his ownership, the farm produced the same crops and livestock as before.
The third owner of the farm was Mark
H. Harrison, the only child of William and Fannie, acquired the land in 1943.
Along with his wife, Mary B. Harrison, they established a dairy business,
constructing a bottling plant and a barn
for the milk cows. In addition to dairy
cattle, Mark raised sheep, corn, wheat, hay and alfalfa. The couple had three children, namely Charles
T., William B., and Joe James Harrison.
In 1967, Charles obtained the
property. Charles and his wife Mary are
the parents of Steve T., John M.,
C. Paul, and Amy (
Photo: A barn with hay on the Harrison Century Farm.
Roy and June Ragon
Thompson
While many
Joseph Ragon was the second generation owners of the J
& J Ranch. Wed to Jane Lillard, he fathered five children and his son
Joseph Charles Ragon inherited the ranch. Joseph owned and operated the
property until 1954 when it passed into the hands of his sons, Horace F. and
William T. Ragon.
The current owners are Roy and June Ragon Thompson. June,
the daughter of Horace Ragon, and her husband John acquired their first tract
of family land in 1972. They currently farm 195 acres, producing corn, tobacco,
hay and livestock.
Donald McKenzie
The story of the McKenzie Century Farm illustrates the
evolution of small antebellum farmsteads into a modern, diversified
agricultural operation. John L. and Mary Grigsby McKenzie bought thirteen acres
of land in 1828 and established the McKenzie Farm three miles north of
With a total of 265 acres at his disposal, Donald
operated one of the community’s most successful farms. “Prominent in the
Frank and Anna Johnston McKenzie inherited the farm in
1897. They and their eight children managed the farm during the transitional
period of early twentieth century agriculture. The family diversified the
farm’s activities to include the production of beef cattle, fruit, vegetables,
corn, wheat and sheep. Frank “was a very industrious and prosperous citizen”
who served on the Board of Trustees of Hiwassee College and as a justice of the
peace.
Donald P. McKenzie, the founders’ great grandson,
inherited a farm of 251 acres in 1949. Once he finished high school, McKenzie
rebuilt the farm, which had suffered greatly during the Depression. He involved
himself “in all phases of agriculture in
Amos Carleton Scruggs
The
Amos Carson Scruggs, the husband of Abbye Crofts,
received 300 acres from his parents in 1916. Little else is known about this
period of the farm’s history. In 1965, Amos Carleton Scruggs acquired 118 acres
of the original family land. The great grandson of the founders, Amos and his
wife live on the farm. The