Agriculture has long been at the heart of economic growth and stability in Jefferson County. The climate and the fertile soil have provided the necessities for agricultural success. The leading crops through the years have been beef and dairy cattle,corn, tobacco and wheat.The county’s agricultural production encouraged the establishment of canning factories such as Stokely and Bush Brothers in the early twentieth century. Jefferson County has seventeen Century Farms and the oldest is the Mari-Mann Farm that was founded in 1791. Century Farms are farms that have been owned and farmed by one family for a hundred years or more. The following information has been included with permission from The Tennessee Century Farms Program created in 1975 by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture as part of our nation’s bicentennial celebration. In 1985, the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University assumed the responsibility for the program.

The following present a brief description of the seventeen Century Farm in Jefferson County.

Allenland Farm
Aileen Penland
In 1852, Adam Allen of Virginia and his wife Mary Brock established the Allenland Farm, which is 3.5 miles west of White Pine. The Allens had seven children, who certainly had enough work to do on this 369 acre farm. During the first generation of family ownership, Allenland’s products included corn, wheat, cattle and swine.
James W. Allen acquired 189 acres from his parents in 1881. He was the first family member to use the railroad to ship his produce to market. Sarah Pless Allen was his wife and they had two children, one of whom, Floyd H. Allen, inherited the farm in 1922.
In 1944, Aileen Allen took possession of 71 acres of her great grandparents’ property. Today, she and her husband William T. Penland still farm the property, raising registered Angus cattle and growing corn, wheat and tobacco.

Bell Farm
James Bell
Jacob Bell of Jefferson County established the family farm in 1839 on 100 acres just east of the Kimbrough Crossroad. Corn, wheat and livestock were his primary farm products.
Roy Bell, the founder’s grandson, inherited the land in 1896 and continued the family practice of mixed agriculture. The following year, the farm came into the possession of James H. Bell, who with his wife Barbara, raised nine children. They owned the property for only three years when it passed into the hands of Luther Bell, another of the founder’s grandsons. Luther wed Elizabeth Leeper and they established a dairy business.
In 1952, J. Leslie and Gerald L. Bell jointly acquired their great grandfather’s land and thirteen years later, most of their inheritance passed into the hands of the current owners, the Bell brothers of Morristown and Woodbury, Tennessee. As of 1976, James Z. Bell and his son Jim farmed 90 acres of the original farm, together with 158 acres of additional land. At that time, the Bells grew corn and wheat and raised beef cattle.

Blackburn Farm
Donald Newman Blackburn
In 1900, William Emmons Blackburn established the Blackburn Farm in Jefferson County. At that time, the land was very eroded and not suitable for farming, so William, his wife, Sarah and their three children helped establish the farm. On 152.3 acres the family planted corn, wheat and hay. In addition, they raised sheep and beef and dairy cattle. In 1903, the family built a mill on Dumplin Creek and operated the mill for 10 years.
The next owner of the land was William Emmons’ son, William Edward Blackburn. Under his ownership, the farm produced corn, wheat, hay, tobacco, hogs and cattle. Married to Elizabeth “Bess” Gertrude Blackburn, the couple had three children. Their names were Donald, Stanley and Margaret.
In 1952, Donald Newman Blackburn acquired the farm. Today, Donald is still the owner of the farm and raises hay, pumpkins and Grade A dairy cattle. On the farm, many of the buildings such as a barn, a corn crib, a buggy shed, a blacksmith ship, a wash house and the farmhouse remain standing as reminders of the rich legacy of the farm.

This mill dates to 1903.









Bruce Farm
Daniel B. Churchman
William B. Bruce bought 90 acres north of Dandridge in 1891. With his wife, Elvira Gibson, and their three children, Kelly, Carrie and Ora, the family produced hay, tobacco, and corn as primary crops.
Carrie and Kelly became the second generation owners of the family farm. Carrie married A. P. Zumble and they had three children, Helen, Elise and Elaine. The farm passed through another generation and the family continued to produce many of the same crops. In 1963 Daniel B. Churchman, the great grandson of the founder, acquired the farm. Today, he and his wife Dolores live on the farm and mainly grow hay and tobacco. A smoke house and wash house are some of the reminders of earlier generations on the Bruce Farm.

Fairview Farm
Mary E. James Musick
Fairview was a well-known historic property long before 370 acres were conveyed to Lissie Reed James in 1894. Married to Samuel James, the couple had seven children. Their names were Thomas, James, Mollie, Viola, Adelaide, Charles and Robert. On 370 acres, the farm produced beef cattle, hay, wheat and corn. In addition to managing the farm, the family owned the local livery, feed and sales stable in Jefferson City.
The next owners of the farm were their sons, Robert T. and C. C. James. C. C. married Nelle Duncan James, however they had no children. Robert wed Valley Eve Duncan and they had one son named Robert V. James.
In 2000 the great granddaughter of the founder, Mary E. James Musick acquired the property. Currently, the land is worked by Mary’s husband, Larry R. Musick who produces hay and beef cattle. The family, that includes daughter Sarah, is active in the Jefferson County Extension Agent and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce who often bring groups to tour the farm.

The house at Fairview was designed by William Strickland who was the first President of the American Institute of Architects and the designer of the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville. The farm also has the original slave quarters, the kitchen and a smokehouse. The Battle of Mossy Creek was fought on the farm in 1863. As a result of its historical significance and architecture, Fairview is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo (Top): A historical photo of the Fairview House from 1950.
Photo (Bottom): A recent photo of the Fairview House.

Frazier Farm
Kenneth Frazier
Ernest Bruce Frazier
Solomon and Anna Russell Frazier were the founders of the Frazier Farm, which dates to 1834 and is six miles southwest of New Market. On their 67 acres the Fraziers, together with their six children, practiced the “usual small farm operations in the mountains” of East Tennessee. The farm passed through the hands of three generations of Fraziers before Kenneth B. Frazier, the founders’ great grandson, acquired the land in 1964.
Kenneth now farms a total of 170 acres and specializes in tobacco and beef cattle production. Since 1983, he has shared ownership of the property with Ernest B. Frazier and his family. “Located in Rocky Valley and being part of the Bays Mountain range,” the family has written, “this property has been improved with buildings and modern conveniences down thru the years.” The Frazier Farm, despite being over 150 years old, is a modern and productive agricultural operation.

Hickman Hollow Farm
Billie J. Hickman
In 1883, Mahlon Winstead established the Hickman Hollow Farm. On 200 acres, he raised corn, small grains, tobacco and cattle. In addition to managing the farm, Mahlon owned and operated a livery stable and owned additional property where Jefferson City (incorporated in 1901) is now located. Married to Mattie Winstead, the couple had six children.
The second owners of the farm were Mahlon and Mattie’s granddaughter, Ethel Winstead Hickman, and her husband Lonzo Hickman. Progressive farmers, the Hickmans made many improvements to the property such as remodeling the house, building a dairy barn and chicken houses, and running water and electricity to the farm. The couple also began making the transition from animal power to machinery when they purchased the farm’s first tractor. Ethel and Lonzo cultivated corn, small grains and tobacco and had a dairy herd and chickens. One of their children was Ross Mahlon Hickman. His wife, Billie Jean, acquired the farm in 1977. Their son, Bill Ross Hickman, great great grandson of the founders, is in charge of the farm’s production today. He and his wife Gail raise beef cattle and hay on this farm that has been in his family for 123 years.

Photo: A spring house on the Hickman Hollow Farm.

Lockhart Farm
Clara Lockhart
Gene and Opalee Queen
The Lockhart Farm, located four miles northwest of Jefferson City, dates to 1812. John and Mary Coppock Lockhart initially owned 200 acres to which they later added 214 acres. John, a part-time preacher, raised cattle, corn, wheat and hay.
John N. Lockhart, one of John and Mary’s nine children, acquired 136 acres of the family land in 1844. Not only a farmer, Lockhart also operated a brick kiln and worked as a cobbler. In 1845, he served as chairman of the Jefferson County School Board. Married to Sarah Rankin, he was the father of six children and his son Jesse H. Lockhart inherited 136 acres in 1856. Jesse and his wife Lucinda Elliott were devout Baptists and donated the necessary land and timber for the construction of the Flat Gap Baptist Church.
In 1900, Jesse Lockhart purchased the family land from his brothers and sisters. He added tobacco to the farm’s products and later sold 65 acres of the farm. For 50 years, Jesse preached in several East Tennessee Baptist congregations.
Jesse’s widow Clara Lockhart acquired the farm in 1958 and today lives on the land with her daughter Opalee Queen and her family. Their farmhouse dates to 1888.

Photo: The horse and buggy was an important mode of transportation in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The horses and buggy also indicate the prosperity of the Lockhart family.

Mari-Mann Farm
Thomas and Mary Crawford
Situated in the Mt. Horeb community of Jefferson County, the Mari-Mann Farm dates to 1791, when Richard and Jennett Steele Rankin acquired 300 acres of land. A Revolutionary War veteran, Richard and his family of thirteen raised cattle and swine and grew corn, wheat and hay. One of Richard and Jennett’s sons, Richard Duffield Rankin, inherited a portion of the property upon his father’s death in 1827. Married twice, Richard had fourteen children.
Mary Ruth McMurray and her husband Thomas M. Crawford inherited their first tract of the family land in 1969. Five years later, they owned 113 acres of the original farm. Mrs. Crawford, a great great granddaughter of the founders, reports that “we are still farming the land on a smaller scale. We rent our tobacco out and raise only hay and beef cattle.” They now own a total of 310 acres.

Photo: The McMurray family poses in front of the Mari-Mann farmhouse.

Milldale Farm
Hood Franklin
The Century Farms of East Tennessee contain several examples of nineteenth century farm operations that soon evolved into small agricultural trade and community centers. One of the region’s best examples is the Milldale Farm of Jefferson County. In 1857, Thomas Washington Fain and Nancy Ernest Fain established Milldale Farm on 541 acres four miles north of Dandridge. Besides managing a large farm, Thomas owned and operated a water mill which, according to the family, “was the center of the community.” In 1878, he deeded approximately 200 acres of the farm to his daughter Sarah and her husband Nathan Hood Franklin.
Nathan, “in addition to the farm and dairy operation, operated a grist mill which was water powered, making flour, meal and feed. He also had a creamery which he operated along with two older brothers, a blacksmith shop, a sawmill, a tannery and a general store.” His businesses formed the core of the settlement that became known as Flat Gap, Tennessee, and the federal government appointed Nathan as postmaster in 1890.
In 1916, Robert Best Franklin inherited 152 acres from his parents. While “growing corn, barley, wheat, oats and tobacco,” Robert “developed one of the finest pure bred registered Jersey herds of milk cows” in the region. He was an organizer of the Knoxville Milk Producers Association, which enabled many dairy farmers to escape bankruptcy during the Great Depression.
Robert married Josephine Sherrill and they raised three children. Their son Hood Franklin inherited 200 acres in 1954. As of 1976, he and his son Nathan worked the farm, producing cattle, hay and tobacco. The family also noted that the original mid-nineteenth century farmhouse had been modernized “without losing the nineteenth-century design and décor” and was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hood Franklin. In addition, the water mill house, which dates to 1843, still was used for storage. The family stated that the mill’s hand-hewed timbers and joists “were in good condition.”

Nance Farm
Evelyn Nance Peck Manley
In 1874, John Nance established the Manley Farm on 169 acres one mile west of New Market. Fourteen years later the land passed into the hands of a grandson W. C. Nance and his father-in-law Travis W. Loy, who farmed a total of 218 acres.
In 1915, the farm was divided among six heirs. One year later, William C. Nance and his wife Mary Loy Nance obtained 208 acres of the family land. The Nances raised cattle and horses and cultivated corn, wheat and tobacco.
Eveyln Nance Peck, the founder’s great great great granddaughter, and her husband W. T. Peck, Jr., acquired 157 acres of the farm in 1957. They work the land, growing tobacco, wheat and corn and managing a dairy cattle business.

Neil Manley Farm
Neil Manley
Gladys Crawford Manley
Just 100 years ago, Reed W. Manley and his family came from Milo, Iowa and founded a farm just west of Jefferson City. The land he bought was owned during the 1860s by Dr. Isham Peck. According to the family, a skirmish took place on this property during the Civil War resulting in the death of twelve soldiers from both the Confederate and the Union armies. Five days after this skirmish, the Battle of Mossy Creek (Jefferson City) occurred.
Reed was married to Effie C. Manley and the couple had three children, Mary Cate, Rolla R. and Marshall Neil. The Manelys operated a Grade A Dairy, and raised hogs, sheep, chickens, tobacco. The “big day of the year was threshing wheat, oats, and barley,” remembers their son Neil. In 1970, Neil acquired the land. He and his wife Gladys Crawford Manley are the parents of three children. Neil received many recognitions including Conservation Farmer of the Year in 1986 and producer of “Champion Alfalfa Hay” in 1987 and 1992.
Neil continues to manage and operate the farm, cultivating alfalfa and orchard grass and raising beef cattle. A main residence, a corn crib shed, a tobacco barn and a storm cellar structure that were built in the early 1900s still stand on the land today. The property was recognized in the book Jefferson City 200 Years in Pictures that was published in 2003.

Newman Farm
Samuel Neman, Jr.
Civil War terrorism directly affected the fortunes of the Newman Farm, which is less than two miles east of Jefferson City. The property dates to 1829 when John “Black Jack” Newman and his wife Jane Caldwell acquired approximately 100 acres of land. Their agricultural practices-general farming and some livestock-were like those of their neighbors. During the Civil War, the family remained sympathetic to the Union cause, a stand which subjected them to constant harassment. In 1864, a group of Confederate soldiers killed John Newman in the front yard of his home.
After the war, Gideon Newman farmed his father’s land. Married to Mary Ann Rankin, Gideon had a large family of seven children, but died at the age of 41. Mary, her children and Gideon’s two sisters continued to manage the farm and Gideon’s army pension was often the only cash the family had at its disposal.
By purchasing additional acres of land and operating a small dairy, Samuel Gideon Newman brought the farm into the modern agricultural era. He built a new cattle barn in 1946 and, together with his son Samuel, Jr., constructed a tobacco barn and tool shed in 1962. Since 1968, Samuel, Jr., has managed the property, owning a total of 133 acres. His crops include wheat, barley, tobacco and beef cattle. Currently, three generations of Newmans live at the farm.

Oak Thicket Farm
Ralph Caldwell
Standing along the Caldwell Road in Jefferson County is the Oak Thicket Farm, which William Caldwell established in 1792. William and his brothers visited the farm sit twice before William decided to establish his homestead. Observing the fields where Cherokee Indians had cleared land and planted corn, William discovered that “the oak-timbered land had the smallest corn and the soil was white and thin; whereas the pine-timbered land of the other section had fine corn and the soil was rich and loamy. He was not long in deciding where he would build his home.” William’s brothers located their farms nearby and together they built a blockhouse to protect themselves in case of Indian attack.
The farm next passed into the hands of William’s son Anthony Caldwell. A practitioner of general farming, Anthony married Polly McSpadden and they raised nine children.
For the next two generations, members of the Caldwell family continued to farm their Jefferson County land. In 1962, Ralph Caldwell acquired 100 acres of the property and today he works the land, specializing in cattle and tobacco production.

Old Brick Farm
Benjamin Alvah Blackburn
Early manufacturing centers in Tennessee were scattered throughout the state and were invariably located adjacent to the natural resources that they used. One example from Jefferson County is the Old Brick Farm, which once was part of Tennessee’s gunpowder industry. Founded by Samuel McSpadden in 1792, the Old Brick Farm is six miles west of Dandridge. A Revolutionary War veteran, Samuel practiced general farming on his 400 acres of land. In 1804, his family’s slaves built a two-story brick house from raw materials that were available on the farm. The family uses the house as a residence today. McSpadden also operated a mill that produced gunpowder used by General Andrew Jackson’s troops in the War of 1812.
Alvah McSpadden was the second generation owner of Old Brick Farm. Married twice, he fathered four children. During the Civil War, his family sided with the Union cause and two sons fought in the Federal armies.
William W. Blackburn was the next owner of the family land and after his death, his wife Ida A. Blackburn operated the farm until 1942. In the 1930s, the Tennessee Valley Authority acquired about one-third of the farm property for use as a reservoir that is now Douglas Lake. The current owners, Benjamin A. and Mary M. Blackburn, began farming 53 acres of Old Brick in 1942. They still manage the farm operations and lease land to Paul L. Holbert.

Photo: This Federal style farmhouse was built in 1804.

Old Loy Home Place Farm
George Wooten Loy, Jr.
George William Loy
Jefferson County’s 7th District is home to the Loy Farm, founded by John and Mary Ann George Loy in 1867. With 700 acres at their disposal, the Loys established a major post-Civil War agricultural operation, raising horses, mules and cattle and growing wheat, corn and hay. They willed the farm intact to their son George P. Loy, who owned the property until his death in 1911. George, his wife Ellen Hodge and their ten children made few changes in the farm’s operations, although they did begin raising swine.
George deeded the land to his three sons, Mack, Zack and Hodge, who managed the property as the Loy Brothers Farm from 1911 to 1926. The land changed family hands twice in the twentieth century before George Wooten Loy, Jr., and his son George William Loy acquired the farm in 1974. Today the Loys farm over 450 acres and produce cattle, swine, hay and tobacco as their major commodities.

Wine Farm
Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Thomas, Jr.
In 1874, Jacob and Elizabeth Bowen Wine established the Wine Farm. Located four miles east of Dandridge, the Wines initially owned 79.5 acres on which they raised swine and cattle and harvested corn and wheat. Jacob, the father of ten children, was the first resident minister of the Church of the Brethren in the community.
His son Elijah T. Wine acquired a small tract of the farm in 1915. He farmed the property for the next 50 years until his only daughter, Trula Wine Thomas, inherited 50 acres of the farm in 1966. Trula and her husband C. H. Thomas remain actively engaged in the everyday operation of the farm, producing corn, tobacco and cattle.

For more information regarding Jefferson County, please go to the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History & Culture website. For more information on the Century Farm Progam please visit Tennessee Century Farms.