Map courtesy of Carole Swann, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Robertson's 1849 Rippling Water Farm
Archie Hatcher
William and Polly Crowson Hatcher were important early
settlers in
The farm’s second generation owner was Reuben Hatcher,
who owned and operated 450 acres of land. He married Martha McGill and they had
ten children, who daily faced an endless succession of chores helping their
father manage the livestock and crops or helping their mother with the
housework.
Reuben Hatcher, Jr., was the next owner of the family
land and during the ownership of both Reuben and his son James W. Hatcher, the
daily patterns of farm operations stayed the same. By the time Andrew W.
Hatcher had acquired the property in the early twentieth century, however, the
Hatcher place exhibited new patterns of agriculture and yielded new crops.
Andrew tilled 81 acres of the original farm and cultivated tobacco. By
purchasing a tractor-powered threshing machine, Andrew was able to harvest
grain throughout the community and to improve his farming income. He paid a
terrible personal price for this new technology, however, when he lost his arm
in an accident involving the machine.
The sixth generation owner of the Hatcher land was
Lendell A. Hatcher, who acquired 40 acres of the original homestead. His son
Archie, the great great great great grandson of the founders, purchased the
farm in 1985. The current owner and his wife Karen raise cattle, tobacco and
hay. “Buying the land was an important event,” Archie writes, “because of my
deep family heritage here which I am very proud of. I hope to keep it
prosperous in this time of economic depression in farming, for many generations
to come.”
William and Doris T.
Phelps
Upon acquiring 165 acres of land at the close of the
Civil War in 1865, Eliot and Hettie King Floyd established the Floyd family
farm five miles west of Sevierville. The Floyds and their five children ran a
diversified agricultural operation, raising all types of livestock, cultivating
tobacco and selling fruit in
In 1905, the founders’ son Richard Birdgetts Floyd
obtained 100 acres of family land. “A good example of a Chirstian person,”
Richard wed Adeline Keeble and they raised two daughters, Ella and Anna. In
1923, Ella received 50 acres of the farm and over 50 years later, when Ella
Floyd Tarwater initially applied for the Century Farm program, she proudly
stated, “I manage the farm myself at the age of 81.” At that time, H. C. Ryder
worked the land, producing livestock, tobacco, hay and garden vegetables. Mrs.
Tarwater has since died and currently her daughter Doris Tarwater Phelps and
her husband William share the responsibility of operating the property.
James Lee Fox
Twentieth century experiments with breeded swine and sheep took place on
the Glenview Farm, which is five miles southeast of Sevierville. Tilmon Fox
acquired 165 acres and established the Glenview Farm in 1860, on the eve of the
Civil War. Twelve years later, he purchased 146 additional acres and almost
doubled the size of the farm. Fox, married twice and the father of eight children,
produced the crops and livestock typical of his region. From 1886 to 1889, he
supplemented the farm’s income by serving as the postmaster of the Middle Creek
post office.
James Lee Fox inherited 123.5 acres from his father in
1910. A progressive farmer, James “introduced registered Berkshire hogs and
James and his wife Charlotte currently farm 126 acres and manage a dairy operation. They also raise feeder pigs and beef cattle. In 1983, their son James Lee Fox, III, became a partner in the farm’s affairs and today father and son work the land together.
Photo: The farm house on the Glenview Farm.
Sherill and Peggy
Headrick
Located eleven miles west of Pigeon Forge is the
Headrick’s Hereford Farm that was established in 1893 by Daniel E. Headrick.
Under his ownership, the farm produced cattle, hay and tobacco. Married to
Josephine Caylor Headrick, the couple had seven children.
As time moved on, three of their children
inherited the land. There names were Emeline Headrick, Nancy Headrick and
Clarence Headrick. Clarence married Nell Davenport Headrick and they had two
children, Sherill M. Headrick and Naomi Headrick Haynes. During the siblings
ownership, the
Today, the farm is owned by the grandchildren of the
founder, Sherill M. Headrick and Naomi Headrick Haynes. Currently, Sherill, his
wife Peggy and their three children live on the farm. Sherill continues to work
the land that mainly produces cattle and hay. According to the family, the most
interesting event that has happened on the farm was when the movie “Blaze” with
Paul Newman was filmed nearby and the farm’s barn was featured in the beginning
footage.
Beulah D. Linn
Pigeon Forge is now known throughout the world as a major
Henry Gobble, the second generation owner, continued to
farm and operate the blacksmith shop. Henry was a skilled carpenter and
increasingly spent his time constructing or repairing buildings throughout the
community. He built the pulpit, alter furniture and the windows of the
Henry and his wife Elizabeth J. raised six children.
Their daughter Carrie and her husband Andrew Householder inherited 161 acres of
the farm. Andrew, once a partner in the Pigeon Forge Mills, was a farmer and
rural mail carrier. In 1949, the family sold a portion of the farm for the
construction of the Pigeon Forge Golf Course. Five years later Beulah Duggan
Linn, the founders’ great great granddaughter, acquired eleven acres of the
family’s land. Linn, a retired school teacher, rents most of her land to Muncie
Ogle. She maintains her own vegetable garden, however, and lists tobacco, corn,
vegetables, apples and cherries as the farm’s agricultural products. While a
portion of an 1825 log barn remains in use, she notes that the tourist industry
has made its mark on the landscape. “When I moved to the farm in 1954,” Beulah
writes, “Pigeon Forge was a small, rural community. After Highway 441 was
constructed through the center of Pigeon Forge, the town rapidly turned into a
tourist center due to its proximity to
James F. Hatcher
The Hatcher Farm, which is twelve miles south of
Sevierville in the Wear’s Valley, is the second Century Farm to evolve from the
original estate of William Hatcher. Hatcher established the family land when he
acquired 800 acres in 1793.
The farm’s current owner is Mrs. James F. Hatcher and as
of 1976, the Hatcher family owned 28 acres of land, with sixteen of these
belonging to the original family farm. Along with managing a herd of cattle,
they grew corn, potatoes and garden vegetables. The family cultivated tobacco
as a cash crop.
Glenna McMahan Semmer
The McMahan Farm,
with buildings dating as early as the late 1700s, comprises one of the most
significant rural landscapes in
In 1886, his daughter Malinda C. Trotter and her husband T. D. W. McMahan
acquired 175 acres of the family land. T. D. W. McMahan was a prominent civic
and political leader in late-nineteenth century
From 1921 to 1924, title to the farm changed hands several times between the
sons and daughters of T. D. W. and Malinda Trotter, with O. E. McMahan and his
spouse Elizabeth Fox acquiring title to approximately 200 acres in November of
1924. A quarter of a century later, they sold 195 acres of their land to their son
Glenn and his wife Florita Butler. The McMahans were progressive farmers
during their ownership. A 1931 graduate
of the
Photo: Horse
and barn on the McMahan Farm.
Robert A. Murphy
The Murphy Farm is located 1 ½ miles east of Sevierville
and was founded by J. C. Murphy, Sr. in 1874. Along with his wife Polly Murphy,
the couple had seven children. On the farm, J. C. cultivated corn, wheat and
oats and raised cattle, horses, mules, poultry and hogs. In addition to
managing the farm, J. C. owned a general store in Sevierville and according to
the family he was the first to bring canning jars to
The next owners of the farm were the founders grandsons
Robert Alexander and Campbell Murphy. Robert wed Alice M. Murphy and they had
ten children. However,
Robert’s son, William Miles Murphy was the next owner of
the land. Under his ownership, William operated a very productive dairy operation
with a herd of 35-40 cows. In later years, he changed his herd to be all beef
cattle. During the late 1950s and early 1960s rock was again quarried from the
farm to make rock walls in the
In 1990, the great great grandson of the founder, Robert Alexander Murphy acquired the land. Today, Robert, his wife Karrie and their daughter Darla Ann Murphy live on the farm. Robert continues to work the land and raises hay and Angus cattle.
Robertson’s 1849 Rippling Water Farm
Ralph Robertson
Located near Sevierville is the Robertson’s 1849 Rippling Water
Farm that was founded by Dio Cleason Robertson.
Robertson was bonded to Robert Coleman of
The next owner of the land was Dio’s
son, Darius Luther Robertson, Sr., who acquired the property in 1874. He and his wife, Mary Jane Underwood, had
twelve children. After purchasing the land, Darius and Mary built a new home.
According the family, it was the first house built by Lewis Buckner, an African
American cabinet maker who built several more houses in the area. During their
ownership, the farm produced tobacco, corn, wheat, hogs, cattle, hay, and a
variety of food for the large family.
In 1924, the grandson of the
founder, Darius Luther Robertson, Jr. obtained the land. Married to Ethel Murphy Robertson and they
had eight children. By this time the
family had increased their land holdings to about 600 acres and the farm was
one of the largest in
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Today, Ralph Robertson is the owner
of the property. He and his wife Joyce taught school while also operating the
farm. Joyce taught in
Wayne Travis Hall
Located ten miles east of Gatlinburg is the Tanisi Mist
Farm that was established by John Stinnett in 1804. On 25 acres, John raised
cattle, corn, wheat and chestnut orchards. Married to Elizabeth Stinnett, the
couple had six children. Their son, Alexander Stinnett became the next
generation to own the land. According to the family, Alexander married a full
blooded Cherokee named Elmina Ball, who was a runaway from the Trail of Tears.
Alexander and Elmina had eleven children and they raised the same livestock and
crops as the founder. According to the family, the farm was named Tanisi
because it is the Cherokee term for
The third generation to own the farm was Alexander’s and
Elmina’s son, Jackson Stinnett and then was passed on to his son Andrew
Stinnett. As time moved on, the land was acquired by John R. Stinnett, the
great great grandson of the founder.
In
1974, the great great great granddaughter of the founder, Shirley Ann Hall and
her husband Wayne Travis Hall acquired the farm. Under their ownership, they
established an apple orchard. In addition, they built and restored many of the
older buildings on the farm. Today, Shirley and Wayne still own the property
and they raise apples and tobacco on the land.
Photo: Fall
landscape on the Tanisi Mist Farm.
Millard Tarwater
Ella Floyd Tarwater
The importance of religion in the everyday lives of
The Civil War, however, shattered the Tarwater’s
hard-working, pious world. According to family history, Confederate troops
robbed the family of food, livestock and money. The “family also suffered much
personal abuse” for their Union sympathies.
In 1907, Adam Harmon and Nancy Rule Tarwater acquired 110
acres of the farm. They and their six children continued operating the farm as
they had in the past. The Tarwaters were also members of the Methodist church.
Millard Tarwater, the founders’ grandson, inherited 100
acres in 1943 and farmed the land for the next three decades. As of 1976,
Tarwater still operated the farm, with the assistance of his wife Ella and the
family of his daughter Doris Tarwater Phelps. The crops they produced included
corn, hay, tobacco, potatoes and beef cattle. Mr. and Mrs. Tarwater have since
died and William and Doris Phelps now manage the land.
Emma Ruth Catlett
W. Stephen Catlett
Larry Curtis Catlett
Not far from
Sevierville in a small area known as Kodak lies the Treaty Hill Farm that was
founded in 1783 by Major Hugh Henry. Prior to establishing the farm, Hugh
served as a member of the Watauga Association in 1772, served with Bledsoe in
1777 and took the oath of Allegiance in 1778. In addition, he joined the
Mountain Men of John Sevier at King’s Mountain and later at the Battle of
Boyd’s Creek in 1780. On May 6, 1785, the Treaty of Dumplin Creek occurred at
the Major Henry’s house. This treaty between the commissioners of the State of
Franklin and the Cherokee Indians allowed white settlers to inhabit and settle
in the eastern part of the state.
Hugh married twice and he fathered nineteen children. His
daughter, Rachel Henry became the next owner of the land. Married to Ephraim
Johnson, the couple had nine children. Under her ownership, the farm produced
hay, corn, tobacco, cows, horses, pigs, chickens and wheat.
As time moved on, the land was passed down through the
family and eventually was willed to William H. Catlett, a fifth generation
grandson in 1934. In 1954, the family participated in the celebration of the
signing of the Dumplin Creek Treaty along with the Historical societies of
Jefferson and Sevier counties and Clarence A. Bales, a history professor at
In 1993, William passed away and the land was willed to
his widow, Emma R. Catlett and their son W. Stephen Catlett. Today, the
Catletts continue to own the farm but they now lease the majority of the farm
for hay, pasture and tobacco. Three barns that were constructed in the early
1900s still stand on the property and two of them are used to house the
family’s horses and cattle.
Photo: This
barn on the Treat Hill Farm was built in the nineteenth century.