Wayne County

Dicus Place Farm

Duren Farm

Haggard Farm

Mill Creek Farm

Sharpe Farm

Stults 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

Dicus Place Farm

James Donald Dicus

            Six miles east of the Tennessee River town of Clifton is the Dicus Place Farm, founded by Oze and Feby Dicus in 1851. Their farm stood along the original Eagle Turnpike that connected Clifton to Columbia. The founders owned almost 500 acres on which they planted corn, hay, cotton, wheat and peanuts and raised cattle and swine. Of the Dicus’ four children, Lewis Roland “Shock” Dicus acquired 100 acres in 1857. He married Emmaline Wilson four years later and they eventually raised six children. Corn, wheat, sugar cane, peanuts, cotton, sheep and cattle were the basic commodities produced at the farm.

            In 1898, William Porter Dicus obtained title to 180 acres of the family landholdings. Eventually he and his family controlled over 400 acres. Their labor yielded crops of hay, corn, cotton and vegetables. William also managed cattle, swine and poultry. William Fay Dicus acquired his first tract in 1930 and his second parcel in 1963. Today, William’s son, James Donald Dicus owns the farm.

Duren Farm

Fred L. Duren

            The Duren Farm lies along the Upper Green River, five miles south of Waynesboro. Established by James L. and Mary Girard Morgan in 1859, the farm originally contained 200 acres devoted to the production of grains, hay, swine, cattle and sheep. Morgan also operated a blacksmith shop. A well-respected member of the community, James was a founder of the Upper Green River Baptist church and later served as a justice of the peace. During the Civil War, he served in the Union army.

            In 1909, the farm passed to the founders’ daughter, Viola Morgan Duren, and her husband Samuel W. Duren. The Durens owned a total of 208 acres. While Viola taught in the local schools, Samuel worked the fields, raising wheat, corn, hay, swine, cattle, sheep, horses and mules.

            Fred L. Duren, the founders’ grandson, acquired 60 acres of the family farm in 1971. As of 1976, Fred supervised operations on the property and his nephew David Duren planted its fields of milo, corn, wheat and soybeans.

Mill Creek Farm

Jerry L. Harris

            In 1904, Cal Harris purchased 225 acres on the headwaters of Mill Creek near the Wayne and Lewis County lines.  Timber and cattle were the primary commodities.  At his death, Cal passed the farm on to his children but his son, Watt Harris, purchased the interests of his siblings between 1943 and 1951. Watt and his wife Grace had two sons, Hershel and Jerry Paul. When her husband passed away, Grace continued to operate the farm until 1967 when she sold it to her sons for $1.00.

            The two brothers and their families continued to raise cattle and grow timber. Hershel and his wife, Carrie, had two children, Kenneth and Vickie, while Jerry Paul and his wife, Loyce, were the parents of Jerry Lee. Over the years, Jerry Paul and his family acquired the entire acreage.

             In 2011, Jerry Lee Harris, the great grandson of Cal, became the owner and manager of the farm which continues to support timber and cattle.  

Haggard Farm

Martin L. Haggard, Jr.

Larry M. Haggard

Sibyl Haggard

Martin L. Haggard Jr.

James Allan Haggard

The Haggard Farm, which is located west of Waynesboro, became the property of Malachi L. Haggard in 1886. At the time, Haggard was only 12 years old and his mother, Tennessee A. Haggard, appears to have been the conservator for him until he came of age.  In 1898, Malachi married Clara Davidson and the couple had three children. Their 150-acre farm produced grains and vegetables and supported swine, mules, horses and oxen.           

At the death of his father in 1918, James Herbert Haggard became the owner of the farm. Under his ownership and with the help of his wife, Mary Frances Haggard and their five children, the farming operation expanded to nearly 550 acres that produced corn, wheat, barley, hay, cattle, swine and sheep. Mr. and Mrs. Haggard were progressive farmers, taking advantage of new information and improvements in agriculture.

 Haggard was a charter member of the Wayne County Farm Bureau and a founding member of the Wayne Farmers Cooperative. Records show he used the services of the UT Extension Office in Wayne County as early as 1928 to produce better crops and livestock. Mrs. Haggard was an active and longtime member of Home Demonstration Clubs and was a “High Point Woman” in Wayne County in 1939. In 1925 the building of U. S. Highway 64, a major route running from North Carolina’s coast through western states, impacted the Haggard Farm. During this generation, the family acquired electricity and single-party telephone lines for the first time.  

Currently, the farm is owned by Martin L. Haggard Sr., Larry M. Haggard and the Haggard Family, Limited Partnership, consisting of Sibyl Haggard, Martin L. Haggard Jr. and James Allan Haggard. Three generations live on the farm today, including Mr. and Mrs. Larry Haggard, son John, and grandson Tresten, and Sibyl Haggard, widow of Martin Haggard Sr.  The home place of James Herbert and Mary Frances Haggard is still standing. and John Haggard currently makes the house his home. A large barn that was built prior to 1950 is used for livestock and storing hay. Martin Haggard Jr. and James Haggard, with the help of their sons, harvest the hay and have about 400 head of cattle and 30 horses.  

Sharpe Farm

Wilson Sharpe

Lila Sharpe Turnbrow

            The Sharpe Farm is located twelve miles northeast of Waynesboro in the Ashland community and was founded by John Sharpe in 1887. On 345 acres, John raised wheat, corn, cattle, and hogs. Married to Margaret Whiteside, the couple had seven children. Their son, James L. Sharpe became the second owner to own the farm.

Under James’s ownership, the farm produced cattle, hogs, hay and orchids. In addition to managing the farm, James and his wife Martha Delila Whitwell had twelve children. According to the family, during James’s ownership, the barn was struck by lightning during a thunderstorm. The lightning killed several horses and other livestock in the barn. A year after this incident, lightning struck a tree near the house and killed one of James’s sons.

In 1979, the grandchildren of the founder, Wilson Sharpe and Lila Sharpe Turnbrow acquired the farm. Today, Wilson and Lila continue to manage the farm but they rent out the land to non-family members who raise corn and soybeans.

Stults Farm

Bobbie and Doris Stults

            Located near Iron City, Tennessee is the Stults Farm that was founded in 1867 by W. M. Dalton. On 137 acres, W. M. cultivated corn, tobacco and timber. In addition, he raised dairy cattle and hogs. Although he married a woman named Martha Dalton, they had no children.

            As time move on, the couple’s nephew John Hayes acquired the farm. Along with his wife, Francis, they had five children. Their names were Kelly, Emmer, Eller, Nannie and Mary Jo.

            In 1994, the great nephew of the founder, Bobbie Stults became the owner of the land. Today, Bobbie, his wife Doris and their sons’ families live on the farm. The farm currently produces corn, soybeans and timber.