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David and Letitia Waterman were the founders of the Waterman Farm, which lies adjacent to the city of Kingsport. In 1872, they acquired 300 acres of land and began to raise corn, hay, grain and cattle. On this land, David also built and operated a school, where his eight children and others from the neighborhood received a basic education.

In 1908, Samuel D. and Liddie Waterman acquired title to the land. These second generation owners specialized in hay and cattle production. They left the property to their only surviving child, Alvin K. Waterman. Today, Alvin manages a total of 42 acres of land and his grandson Charles Harrell works the land, raising hay and cattle.

John Alexander Latture and his wife, Francis Erwin, acquired 280 acres of farmland through the probation of his father’s will in 1880, making John Alexander at least the second generation of his family to own this property, the B & G Farm. The couple had 11 children and the family raised tobacco, corn, wheat, hay cattle, chicken and horses. John built a house for his large family in 1886 and it was the home place of the family for decades although the family no longer owns it.

Mary and Martha Latture, twin daughters of John Alexander and Francis, inherited about 48 acres in 1936. Neither woman married, but they reared their nephew and niece, T. H. and Vivian Pecktol, the children of their sister, Kate. Kate, studied at the Normal School (now ETSU) to be a teacher, but died in childbirth.

T. H. Pecktol purchased 17 acres from his aunts in 1964 and inherited another nine acres from them in 1983. He and wife Mayme were the parents of Jane, Nancy and Glen. Tobacco continued to be a primary crop with this generation.

Following the death of T. H., Mayme became the owner of the property in 1993. In 2008, Mayme was awarded a 50-year membership pin for being involved in the Home Demonstration Club.

Glen Pecktol and his wife Brenda became the owners of the farm in 2000. Glen is the great-grandson of John Alexander and Francis Latture. The Pecktols produce fescue orchard grass hay and have a cow/calf Angus operation. A livestock and hay barn built by John Alexander Latture continues to be used today.

Andrew Jackson Breeding was born in Pulaski, Virginia in 1825. He and his wife, Cassandra M. Hurst, were the parents of eleven children, all of whom were born in Pulaski from 1855 to 1876. In 1882, Breeding purchased 319 acres in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The family operation included wheat, tobacco, hay, cattle and horses. James Kemper Breeding, born in 1873, acquired 40 acres of his father’s farm in 1912. His mother died in 1890 and his father lived until 1914.

Like his father, James grew wheat, tobacco, hay and cattle as well as sorghum cane. Married to Lucy Moore, the Breedings were the parents of eight children. James also delivered mail to the residents of Sullivan County on horseback, and his family still owns the Buena Vista saddle he used on his route.

Sidney Ezra, son of James and Lucy, continued the family tradition of farming. He acquired 40 acres of the farm and cultivated hay, tobacco, and sorghum cane, and planted apple orchards. Cattle, horses, wine, and poultry were raised as well. Sidney married Ruby Lee Nottingham and their children were Patsy Jane, Betty Jo, Mary Ann, James William and Kenneth Ezra. The first tractors, a Farmall Club and an Allis Chalmers, which remains in use on the farm, were purchased in the 1950s.

As the United States celebrated its 200^th anniversary in July of 1976, James and Kenneth Breeding acquired the farm. James lives on the north end of the property while Kenneth lives in a neighborhood adjoining the property. They are active managers of the farm along with their sons, Kenneth E. Breeding, Jr., and his son Tyler, and Daniel W. Breeding. The Breeding family cultivates hay, cattle, sorghum cane and vegetable gardens. The original dwelling, barn and corn crib remain on the farm today, and the family treasures memories and photographs of the founders and each succeeding generation.

Brothers John and Hugh Torbett began their journey from Scotland to Pennsylvania in the1760s. They eventually settled in Bedford County, Pennsylvania and both died there, but their children chose to move on to lands in western North Carolina. Hugh’s son John founded the family farm in the frontier settlement of Piney Flats when he purchased 200 acres of a North Carolina land grant for 100 shillings in 1788. In 1813 he married Catherine Payne of Virginia and they began the branch of the Torbett family that still occupies this Sullivan County land today. John deeded land for Locust Grove School and his heirs donated property for Edgefield United Methodist Church. Some members of the Torbett family attended New Bethel Presbyterian Church, organized by Rev. Samuel Doak in 1782, and are buried in its cemetery.

As the farm passed to each generation, the owners raised grain, hay, cattle, horses, hogs, chickens, and sheep. Eli Anderson Torbett, operated a sawmill and began raising flowers and plants, pioneering the greenhouse industry in the Piney Flats area. Eli’s son, Farrell J. Torbett, was a charter member of the Piney Flats Ruritan and with his wife, Anna Jane, started the F.J. Torbett Plant Farm Greenhouses.

John Phillip Torbett, current owner of Cedar View Farm, is the sixth generation to farm the land his ancestor purchased. Building upon the family’s agrarian tradition, he participated in farm-related clubs throughout his school and college years, obtaining a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In 1984 the Sullivan County Farm Bureau named him Young Farmer of the Year. He is an active 4-H Club supporter and participates in various county and state agricultural organizations including Sullivan County Cattleman’s Association, and the Tennessee Flower Growers Association, both of which he is a past president. With his wife, Denise, he operates the F. J. Torbett Plant Farm in Piney Flats. John Colby Torbett, the next generation, holds a Masters of Science in Agriculture from the University of Tennessee and is currently employed by the USDA in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Photo: Eli Anderson Torbett’s House was built in 1899 and was the birthplace of Farrell J. Torbett.

The Denton Farm borders the Virginia state line and dates to 1793 when James Denton and his wife Dedorah Gerow established one of Sullivan County’s earliest farms. The Dentons and their ten children grew wheat and corn and managed a large apple and peach orchard. In 1826, James Denton, Jr., inherited a portion of the family land. Since its founding, the land has belonged to different generations of the family and today Everette and Doris Denton Trivette own the farm. Doris is the great great great granddaughter of the founders. As of 1976, the Trivettes raised corn, tobacco and cattle on their land.

The Earhart Farm is the second Century Farm in Sullivan County to evolve from the original landholdings of John Taylor Earhart. In 1945, William H. Earhart purchased a tract of the family land for his own use. He has since farmed a total of 137 acres, raising registered Charolais cattle, livestock, silage and tobacco. As of 1976, William worked the land together with his sons, Allen and Joe. A hand-hewn log smokehouse, built in 1800, was still in use as a storage building.

The Elm-Circle Farm takes its name from a historic elm tree where Virginia revolutionaries held worship services prior to the Battle of Sycamore Shoals. It lies on the southern outskirts of Bristol and dates to 1860 when John Taylor Earhart purchased 850 acres along Beaver Creek. When John bought the farm, “Old Ireland, a famous twelve room mansion” built in 1800, stood on the property. Unfortunately, the mansion and the accompanying “slave quarters (for 25 slaves) a chow house and a bunk house,” burned in 1949.

The farm’s founder was a former merchant in Blacksburg, Virginia. Fearing the outbreak of war between the North and South, he moved to Sullivan County “for investment and security.” John married Margaret Preston Rhea and they raised six children. According to the family, the Earharts were “self-sufficient” farmers, “making shoes, weaving their fabrics, spinning yarns,” and even cultivating “mulberry trees and silkworms for their silk.” Beef cattle, swine sheep, grains, hay and tobacco were other farm commodities.

In 1896, Joseph Preston Earhart inherited 260.5 acres from his parents. He married Sarah Ann Boy and was the father of four children. A cattle trader, Joseph also cultivated tobacco on his land. His son Philip was the farm’s third generation owner and in 1967, he left 125 acres of the original family land to the current owners, who are the great grandchildren of the founders. In 1976, Charles and Robert Earhart and their cousin Sidney Pratt worked the land, breeding registered Holstein cattle and growing silage and tobacco. The farm also retained much of its mid-nineteenth century built environment, including a hand-hewn log barn, a log crib and a small private schoolhouse. Today, Robert and Sheila Earhart own the land.

The Fleenor family traces its roots to Germany. In 1884, Joel Fleenor purchased 107 acres for the sum of $1,650. He and wife Mary Ann Clark were the parents of six children though four died as children. The two who survived, Margret Susannah and Washington “Wash,” lived to be 87 and 78 years old, respectively. Wash received 30 acres of the Fleenor Farm in 1899. He and wife Ida had five children, Charles, William, Jess, Myrtle and Thelma. They raised cattle, horses, corn, wheat and sheep.

The next owner was William Miller Fleenor. He first married Mable Cowan; they were the parents of Earl. By his second marriage to Rosa Shankle, William fathered Gale. In time, Gale purchased Earl’s share of the farm and raised livestock and rented some of the acreage for pasture.

In 1970, Interstate 81 was routed through the farm taking several acres. Today, the owners of the farm, Gale, wife Alice Gammon and his mother Rosa, live on the land that has been in the Fleenor family for 126 years.

Grass Dale Farm has played a significant role in the agricultural history of Sullivan County, providing expertise in crop cultivation and farm management since the late nineteenth century. In 1856, Joseph Groseclose of Virginia established the Grass Dale Farm, which is adjacent to Kingsport. Joseph married Susan Cassell and they had two children. The family grew small grains, corn, flax, sugar cane, tobacco and fruit and raised cattle on their 276 acres. During the Civil War, since both Union and Confederate soldiers often passed the farm, the family hid their meat supplies under the floor of the house.

Josiah Wythe Groseclose, the founders’ son, acquired 335 acres of the family’s property in 1892. An 1882 graduate of Roanoke College, Groseclose introduced several new farming techniques to the community. He was the first in the county to cultivate silage corn, he owned the first registered Jersey herd and he was among the first to operate a major commercial dairy. Josiah also planted alfalfa. His activities in civic and community organization mirrored his success as a farmer. The county’s tax assessor, he was also a school teacher and a founder of Kingsport’s Lutheran church.

Josiah wed Lizzie Lee Aldridge and one of their four children. Murry Clyde Groseclove, operated 103 acres of the farm from 1920 to 1975. Clyde and his brother Joseph operated a creamery that supplied milk to Kingsport. In 1947, Clyde became a State dairy inspector and was elected trustee of Sullivan County Farm Bureau.

Upon his death in 1975, Clyde left the farm to his daughter C. Rita Groseclose and his son M. Clyde Groseclose, Jr. Today they manage over 122 acres and raise hay, cattle and tobacco. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places the farm is of special significance for its circa 1800 log cabin and the original brick dwelling of the founders in which Rita Groseclose made her home until her death in 2010.

In 1882, Alex acquired land from his father Thomas Hall. On 207 acres, the farm produced tobacco, corn, rye, wheat, barley and cattle. In addition to producing crops and livestock, some of the land was used for the community. According to the family, a school known as Hall School and the Fordtown Baptist church were both established on the farm’s land. Alex married Sarah Irvin and they had ten children.

The next owner of the farm was Alex’s and Sarah’s son, Alexander Doak “Doc” Hall. During his ownership, he operated a grist mill and a saw mill on the farm. In addition to operating the mills, Doc constructed a house and many outbuildings on the property. Along with his wife, Vertie Adams Hall, they had ten children.

In 1982, the great granddaughter of the founder, Mary Louise Hall acquired the farm. Today, Mary’s nephew William Alexander Hall works the land that mainly is used for dairy cattle and growing sweet potatoes. Many of the outbuildings such a barn, a crib and a hog pen that were built by Doc still stand on the property.

The operations of Century Farms established early in the nineteenth century often involved more than agriculture. Many took the community lead in commercial and industrial development, producing goods that would be distributed in the immediate region. The Hatterdale Farm, founded by Edward B. and Eleanor Rhea Anderson in 1825, made several unique contributions to the antebellum economy of Sullivan County. The farm lies in the 4^th Civil District and its name derives from Edward Anderson’s hatter shop, which he operated at the farm for 40 years. Edward and Eleanor were the parents of seven children and every member of the family worked in some phase of the hat-making business. As the family states, “the hats were of the finest quality and workmanship . . . made by the men (with) the band and linings put in by the women.” The Andersons also farmed 265 acres, producing foodstuffs and livestock, including sheep for wool hats and clothing. The family also made hats from beaver pelts.

From 1862 to 1902, William R. Anderson maintained and operated his parents’ farm. Although he never owned formal title to the land, he worked it “for what he could make on it.” When William died, the county chancery court held a public sale “for the purpose of settlement among all the heirs.” Hugh Ella Spurgeon Anderson, William S. Anderson’s wife and the founders’ granddaughter, purchased the entire farm, keeping it in family hands.

Hugh Ella and William were leading citizens in early twentieth century Sullivan County. William was the county’s circuit court clerk “for a number of years, rendering courteous and efficient service.” Parents of eight children, the Andersons raised foodstuffs, livestock and fruit on their land.

In 1950, John E. Dail and Margaret Anderson Dail acquired 246 of the farm. Margaret was the founders’ great granddaughter. John, a graduate of the University of Tennessee, was the county’s first agricultural agent in 1916. For the next three decades, their agricultural commodities included grain, tobacco, fruit and garden vegetables. The family also raised beef cattle. In 1981, Margaret died; four years later her husband John passed away and the farm came into the possession of John Hugh Dail and Rhea Anderson Dail, the founders’ great great grandsons. Rhea worked the 246 acres, raising beef cattle and horses and growing hay, tobacco and garden vegetables. Today, Linda Rhea Dail, the daughter of John Hugh Dail owns the farm.

Photo: The Anderson family made five styles of beaver hats and they were sold locally and in upscale stores in New York and Baltimore. This hat was produced by the family from the Hatterdale Farm and is part of the Oscar Farris Agriculture Museum Collection.

Benjamin Webb and Susannah Jones were married in the 1850s and lived for several years near present day Bluff City. Some time before 1875 they moved to a farm belonging to Susannah’s family. Benjamin remodeled an existing log cabin for his family. In 1881, Benjamin bought 102 acres from Susannah’s uncle for $850. The Webbs were the parents of nine children and the family cultivated a variety of crops including hay, burley tobacco, corn, wheat, and oats. Cattle, horses, chickens and hogs were raised as well.

In 1915, Nora Catherine Webb O’Dell, daughter of Benjamin and Susannah, and her husband, John Milliard O’Dell, inherited 38 acres of the family farm. The O’Dells were Eva, Edith, Parks, Haskel and Webb. Crops and livestock were about the same during this second generation.

In 1962, Webb O’Dell, grandson of Benjamin and SusannahWebb, acquired the family farm and purchased the shares left to his siblings after their mother’s death in 1961. He expanded the farm to 78 acres, and raised tobacco, corn, oats and wheat on the land. Webb and his wife Sara Bertha were the parents George Webb and Sara Lee O’Dell.

Near the historic Piney Flats community, Charles D. Deakins purchased a farm of 206 acres in 1903. He and his wife, Mary Isabelle Cole, had seven children and the family raised sheep, dairy cattle, horses, pigs, chickens, corn, wheat and hay, along with peach, pear, and apple orchards. The Deakins’ operation also included a cider business, blacksmith, gunsmith and cobbler’s shop. Roads led from the farm to the Holston River and to the Piney Flats and Bluff City communities.

After the death of Charles D. Deakins in 1918, daughter Virginia Pet Houston and her husband, James William Houston, acquired most of her parents’ farm. Through buying out her siblings’ shares, the Houstons obtained 160 acres of the original 206. They and their three children, Charles Wayne, Mary Frances and Frank Helms, raised dairy cattle, horses, mules, bees, wheat, corn, hay, chickens, pigs, tobacco, fruit orchards and kitchen gardens.

According to the family’s reports, Mary Frances was quite active in her school athletics program and was on the state championship basketball team in 1938 at Mary Hughes High School. Charles was a magistrate of the county court and served on the state election commission for 20 years, and for a short time was president.

Mary Frances and her husband, Audra Malone, became the third generation to continue family ownership of the farm. They acquired 143 acres of the farm in 1983 and raised dairy cows, Black Angus cattle, corn, wheat, hay, tobacco, orchards, pigs and kitchen gardens. The Malones, as well as the Houstons before them, were members of the Farm Bureau and were involved in the Home Demonstration Club and 4-H Club either as leaders or members.

In 2008, the current owners, John N. and Patsy Starnes, acquired the land that is now called Houston Farm. Patsy is the great-granddaughter of the founder through her father’s side of the family. At age 93 her mother, Frieda Houston, is the widow of Charles Wayne Houston, the grandson of the founder.

A brick home, built in 1903, and other buildings, including a tool shed, smokehouse, granary, corncrib and barn remain on the property. Patsy Starnes said she remembers many stories from her grandmother, Virginia Pet Houston, including the one about her father, Charles D. Deakins, saving his money in several boxes to pay for the two-story brick house.

In 1833, William O’Dell and his brother Thomas O’Dell established the Kanah’s Place Farm that is located six miles west of Bristol. Married to Annie McGarry, the couple had two children, however, one of them died as a child. Their surviving son was Andrew O’Dell. Along with his wife, Amner (Mariah), they had three children. In addition to helping raise the children, Andrew served as Sheriff of Sullivan County from 1850-1860. During the Civil War, Andrew joined the 63^rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment of the Confederate Army. According to the family, he was wounded and captured at Union Prison in Ft. Delaware, Maryland and he died there on January 30, 1865.

Since his son passed away, William divided his farm among his grandchildren. As time moved on, all of the land was acquired by Alice Catherine (Elsie) O’Dell. Alice married Nathan Dehart Morton and they had seven children. On the farm the couple produced corn, wheat, cattle, horses and other crops for the family to eat. In addition to managing the farm, Nathan served as a magistrate for the Sullivan County Court.

In 1925, Alice’s and Nathan’s child, Elkanah M. Morton bought out the other heirs and became the sole owner of the land. During his ownership, Elkanah made some improvements by clearing away brush and developing ditches that made swampy pasture land suitable for farming.

In 1965, Elkanah died and he left his farm to his niece Elsie O’Dell. A few years later, Elsie moved to the farm and she remodeled the farm house by having electric heat installed and aluminum siding put up. Today, Elsie still owns the farm and rents the land to Wayne Smithson who has no relation to the family. Currently, Wayne raises cattle, hay and tobacco on the farm.

Located four miles west of Piney Flats is the King Farm founded in 1782, by Edward King (1720-1790), who was issued a land grant of 640 acres in what was then Washington County, North Carolina. A veteran of the Revolutaionry War, King is listed on Captain van Braam’s Company in William Armstrong Crozier’s Virginia Militia. He was awarded 100 acres of land for services at the Battle of the Meadows and Fort Necessity, Pennsylvania, where George Washington was placed in his first command.

Married to Elizabeth Nichols (1728-1808), the couple had one son, John King, who was born in 1758. Edward and Elizabeth were charter members of First Presbyterian Church, organized in Sullivan County by the Rev. Samuel Doak in 1782.

After his father’s death, John King acquired the farm. Married twice to Mary McKinley and Sarah White, he fathered ten children. Hay, corn, wheat, cattle, and horses were among the farm products. According to the family, “John was a leading citizen of the Fork Settlement and was an important factor in establishing civilization and Christianity in this beautiful county.” John and his two wives are buried at New Bethel Cemetery. His Bible, dated 1803, remains in the family.

Isaac King came into possession of the farm after his father. Married to Susan Dyer, this couple had seven children. One son, Edward Rutledge King (1843 -1923), was the fourth generation owner. It was during his years of managing the farm that the Civil War occurred. The family has a corn sheller that was owned by Edward who was in charge of shelling and loading a barge at Allison’s Mill for the river journey to Knoxville.

The family also owns other pieces from previous generations including a log wagon used by fifth generation owner Roy A. King who cut and hauled timber. Roy was also a breeder of draft horses and mules. He would ride a stallion and lead a “Jack” to breed mares at farms in the area. Married to Mary Snapp, this couple had eight children. Their son, Edward Lynn King, acquired the family farm in 1942. Like his father, E. Lynn was a draft horse breeder for many years. It is remembered that he sold straw to TVA for “grass seeding around the dams in the early 1950’s.” A progressive farmer, King was named the Conservation Farmer of the Year in 1982. Grains, tobacco, beef and dairy cattle, hogs, and horses were raised on the farm. Stephen Edward and Teresa Lynn were born to E. Lynn King and his wife Georgia M. Byrd King.

Stephen is the seventh generation of the King family to own this historic farm. He and his wife, Teresa Ann Whitson, and their children, Jonathan and Lauren, along with his mother, Georgia, live on the farm. On 200 acres, the Kings have a diverse operation which includes beef and dairy cattle and walking horses along with tobacco, hay, and grains. A brick house, dated 1879, and barns and outbuildings dating from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are part of the landscape. Drawing on the experience of this ancestors and a genuine love of the land, Stephen has received many awards including Outstanding Young Farmer in 1986; the Tennessee Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer of the Year in 1986; and Conservation Farmer of the Year in Sullivan County in 1996. In 2010 the Kings received the “Excellence in Agriculture and Forestry Award”, one of the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards. At at time when most dairy farms have ceased production in Tennessee, the King Farm milks 180 cows and produces an average of 20,000 pounds of milk per cow each year. They raise most of the feed for the herd and farm wastes are used as fertilizer and delivered to croplands through a 2,600 foot pipeline irrigation system.

For 228 years the King family has contributed to the history, culture, and economy of Sullivan County and Tennessee. Their history on this farm and the stories of the generations illustrate the work ethic, skill, and resourcefulness of the state’s farm families.

Located two miles east of Bluff City, the Kreger Farm dates to 1839 when Felty D. Massengill acquired 425 acres of land. Massengill, whose farm produced wheat, corn and livestock, also operated Massengill’s Mill on the Holston River and floated goods and products on flatboats downriver to Knoxville, Chattanooga and posts in Alabama. In 1855, he translated his success in business into political success and was elected to the Tennessee State Legislature. Married twice, Massengill fathered nine children.

Mary Porter Massengill, the founder’s daughter by Martha Mauk, inherited 107.5 acres of the farm in 1895. She and her husband L. Joseph Eads practiced general agriculture. In 1966, the land passed into the hands of their daughter Mrs. Emma Eads Kreger. As of 1976, Mrs. Kreger and her daughter Jane Kreger Fain managed the farm’s daily activities.

More than a year before Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, Henry Masengill, Sr. and his wife, Mary Cobb, established a farm in what was then a distant part of the British colony of North Carolina. Their acreage was part of the Watauga Purchase, lands bought from the Cherokees in March of 1775. Among the earliest families to settle west of the Appalachian mountains, the Masengills and Cobbs participated in the history of Tennessee from the very beginning. Mary was the sister of William Cobb, whose house, Rocky Mount (ca. 1770), served as the first capitol of the region, known as the southwest territory. The Masengill’s had six children, and their son Henry, Sr. (Hal), who fought in the Revolutionary War, became the next owner of the farm. Henry Masengill was married first to Penelope Cobb with whom he had six children and then to Elizabeth Emmert who gave birth to three children. As local, state, and national history unfolded in the nineteenth century, succeeding generations of Masengills farmed their growing acreage and were active in the political and social life of Sullivan County and beyond.

By the mid-twentieth century, John Michael Masengill, the great great grandson of the founders, and his wife, Annie Lee, were operating a farm of over 700 acres. They raised Polled Herefords, mules, grains, tobacco, and the white plank fences surrounding the farmstead were “a beauty to behold!” writes their daughter and current owner Sara Lou Masengill-Bell. Annie Lee Masengill inherited the property in 1958 after her husband’s death. During her ownership she installed a silo and feeder system to care for the cow and calf operations. In 1959, the Cobb and Masengill descendents agreed to sell a portion of the farm, which included a two-story log house and outbuildings, to the State of Tennessee to operate and interpret as Rocky Mount -- a museum of early settlement, political history, and farm life.

On the Masengill Century Farm, the late eighteenth century brick residence, known as the Davault-Masengill Home, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mrs. Masengill-Bell is an active manager on the family farm, also known as Mary Lou Farms, which is worked by brothers Osler and J. D. Feathers. Wild turkeys as well as deer are abundant on the farm today just as they were when the first Masengill and Cobb settlers began farming this land that would become part of a new nation in 1776 and a new state in 1796.

Elbert Morrell received 143 acres willed to him from his father-in-law, Ireson W. Longacre, in 1891. His wife, Sally Longacre, and their eight children raised corn, wheat, ha, and cattle. One of their sons, Porter Lee Morrell, acquired 137 acres in 1947. He and wife Lena O’Dell and their two children continued to raise many of the same crops, adding swine and tobacco. They also made good use of a new barn built in 1946, which continues to be used today.

The third generation owner of Morrell Farm is Edward, son of Porter and Lena. He and his wife, Ruth Shuttle, and their son Jonathan and his family make their home on the farm. Edward and Jonathan raise cattle and hay.

Located seven miles southeast of Bristol lies the Pemberton Farm that was founded by Benjamin Pemberton in 1825. On 395 acres, the farm cultivated corn, wheat, oats and hay. In addition, Benjamin raised cattle, horses, sheep and hogs. In addition to his farming duties, Benjamin was active in the community by serving as a Charter Elder of the Paperville Presbyterian Church and as the Charter Elder and Trustee of Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. Married twice, Benjamin fathered seven children.

The next owner of the land was Benjamin’s son, Thomas Dryden Pemberton, Sr. According to the family, Thomas served in the Civil War. Thomas also married twice and he fathered five children. His son, Thomas Dryden Pemberton, Jr. became the third generation to own the farm.

Under Thomas, Jr.’s ownership, the farm produced corn, wheat, rye, tobacco and hay. In addition, Thomas raised cattle, sheep, hogs and chickens.Along with his wife, Mary Carmack, they had two children, Sue Legard Pemberton and Patsy Preston Pemberton.

In 1961, Sue and Patsy became the owners of the farm. Today, Sue and Patsy still own the land that now produces tobacco, hay and cattle. A log spring house, a log smoke house and a brick farm house that were constructed in the nineteenth century are still being used today.

The Holston River has been more than a transportation route to Sullivan County farmers. The story of River View Farm is a reminder that several area farmers used the river’s waters to power their commercial businesses. River View Farm, established by Phillip J. and Mary Akard Boy in 1869, is three miles east of Bluff City along the Holston River. The Boys owned 253 acres, devoted to the cultivation of hay, grain, corn, tobacco and cattle. Philip, a Confederate veteran, also operated a grist mill, a saw mill and a sugar cane mill.

In 1902, the Boys deeded the farm to their daughter Martha C. Boy Dettor and her husband Warren Dettor. Operators of a traditional early twentieth century farm, the Dettors participated in many community activities; once they helped construct a swinging bridge across the Holston River to the Rockholds campground. Having no children of their own, they left the farm to their neice Teresa Roy.

James Sidney Patton, the founders’ great grandson, inherited 160 acres of the family land in 1973. Mr. Patton and his mother Mrs. J. B. Patton, as of 1976, both lived on the property. The Pattons raised corn, hay and cattle and used two nineteenth century outbuildings-a crib and granary-for grain storage.

By 1871, Margaret Cross and her husband, Jacob Slaughter had obtained a farm of about 34 acres in Sullivan County, not far from Blountville. Margaret and Jacob raised corn, hay, wheat and livestock on their acreage. Jacob Slaughter was a Confederate veteran and received a pension for his war service. Through the years, Margaret and Jacob, who had four children, obtained additional land that had belonged to her family, so that by 1896, the farm contained 55 ½ acres.

In 1906, Samuel Bruce Slaughter, a son of Margaret and Jacob, inherited the farm. He raised corn, wheat, hay, livestock, orchards and a vegetable garden. Samuel married Sarah Elizabeth Hendrickson in September 1900, and they were the parents of three children, Lonnie Paul, James Dedrick, and Iva Lucille. Iva Lucille married Deward Crussell in 1930, and they were the parents of three children.

In 1979, Mary E. Crussell Grizzel, a daughter of Iva and Deward Crussell, inherited part of the farm. She obtained additional acreage in 2000 and today owns approximately 17 acres of her grandfather’s farm. Married to Sidney Lee Grizzel Sr., the couple raises cattle, horses, hay and garden produce on the farm. A number of buildings predating 1960 remain on the farm, including a barn, grainery, corn crib and log cabin. Sidney Lee Grizzel Sr. and his grandson, Timothy Grizzel, work the land.

The Hite family, who founded the Shady Lawn Farm, trace their lineage to ancestors who participated in the American Revolution. According to family tradition, one of the their relatives, Abraham Hite, was an aide to General Washington during and Abraham’s journal provides accounts on the siege of Yorktown and the final British surrender.

In 1880, John Hite and his wife Polly Trivette Hite founded the Shady Lawn Farm located in the Rock Springs community near Kingsport, Tennessee. On 215 acres, a Tennessee land grant, the couple produced tobacco, corn, grains, hogs and cattle. The founding family, including eight children, was the first, or among the first, settlers in Rock Springs and they gave a parcel for the building of the Rock Springs Methodist Church. Polly was the first burial in the Rock Springs Cemetery.

Their son, Theopolis Nelson Hite, inherited part of the farm which was divided among the heirs. Married to Hanna Eliza Howard, the couple had 2 children and the family continued to grow a variety of crops and livestock. Their daughter, Venus, acquired the property and then her sister, Ella Mae and husband, Virgil Blakley, became owners in 1928. Their children, Heston and Freeda received the deed and Ella Mae continued to live on the farm until her death, which was not long after the death of her son, Heston.

In 2003, Pamela Blakley Webb, daughter of Heston and Elizabeth Blakley, acquired part the family farm. Pamela, her husband Tony live on one side of the road. Freeda Garland owns and lives on her half of the farm on the other side of the road. Cattle and hay are the primary products of Shady Lawn Farm, a place rich in farming traditions and family history.

The Strawberry Ridge Farm is located ten miles North East of Johnson City and was founded by Jacob Droke, Jr. in 1839. Jacob was a tobacco farmer and he maintained an orchard where he processed the fruit into brandy. Married to Catherine Droke, the couple had one child, James Droke, who became the next owner of the land.

Under his ownership, James continued the same type of farming as his father. James and his wife Elizabeth had five children. Their names were John M. Droke, David A. Droke, William C. Droke, Eliza Droke and Mary Droke. As time moved on, the farm was divided to the five children. During the Civil War, David, W.C. and John fought for the Confederacy in the Tennessee 59^th regiment.

William C. married Agnes Webb and they had eight children. Although they had many children, Julia Francis Droke was the only one that had a child. His name was Deward William. Eventually, the land passed to Deward and he raised tobacco and dairy cattle on the farm. Along with his wife, Dorothy, the couple had one son, Jimmie D. Droke. Over the years, Jimmie and D. W. farmed together raising milk cows and tobacco.

Today, the farm is owned by the great, great, great, great grandson of the founder, Donald William Droke. Although Donald now owns the land, his grandfather, D. W. and his father, Jimmie continue to farm as well. According to the family, the farm raises Angus cattle, two acres of tobacco and around 1,800 square bales of hay each year. In 1998, the farm received first place at the Appalachian Fair for Orchard grass hay and Oats. In addition to these accomplishments, Donald’s wife, Diane cans many of the farm’s vegetables and she won first prize for her Dill pickles at the Appalachian Fair. While canning vegetables is one of her chores on the farm, she also enjoys roses and she takes care of nearly 200 roses on the land.