Farm founded by former slaves named to Century Farm list on The Murfreesboro Post

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Farm founded by former slaves named to Century Farm list

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By: TMP - June 4, 2008

Rutherford County’s Butler Farm on Old Woodbury Highway has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation.

“The Butler Farm is one of just a few of Tennessee’s Century Farms that was founded by emancipated slaves and is the 27th Rutherford County farm to be certified,” Hankins noted.

The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a metal outdoor sign denoting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.

To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.

“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”

Hankins said that although the exact founding date is unknown, census records indicate that Josiah Butler owned the property by 1880. Married to Martha Lillard Butler, they had seven children.

On the 26 acres, the family raised corn, cotton and vegetables. In 1889, Josiah purchased more acreage that would eventually be used as the family cemetery.

Josiah and Martha’s oldest son, Perry, was the next generation to own the farm. Perry married Alice Henderson Butler and they had 10 children.

According to the family lore, Alice was the daughter of Isaac and Lavinia Henderson, two former slaves of Rutherford County Judge Logan Henderson. Henderson owned the historic property known as “Farmington” located on the Manchester Pike. During their ownership, Perry and Alice founded a school and a church on the property. The family raised vegetables, cotton, horses, cattle, chickens and goats.

The third owner of the farm was Perry and Alice’s son, Oscar Alfonzo Butler. Oscar and wife Annie Bell Spain Butler had four children: Elizabeth, Oscar Perry Sr., Alice and James. In addition to raising a family, his son reports that he was also a seller of moonshine. During their ownership, Woodbury Road was constructed and, as a result of the highway, two rock quarries were formed on the land.

The current owner of the farm is James Butler Sr. James married Dolores Williams of Murfreesboro and the couple had eight children. In addition to managing the farm, James is a veteran of World War II and has also been an active member in the community by serving as a mason, a shriner, a board member of the St. Clair Senior Center and a volunteer at the Room at the Inn shelter.

Today, James still works the land that produces goats, vegetables, Black Angus cattle and hay. A barn, the family cemetery and a farmhouse still stand on the property.

For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres.

The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.

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Member Opinions:

By: appdancer on 6/4/08
We are so lucky to have Caneta and Van West and the staff of the Center for Historic Preservation here in Rutherford County. They have done hard work not only to help locate and preserve our history but also to educate and preparea new generation of preservationists!

steve cates