061 BLEDSOE COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 14, 2006
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

Maple Grove Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)—The Maple Grove Farm in Bledsoe County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located south of Pikeville, the farm was founded by Jonathan Pope in 1832. Pope fought in the War of 1812 and received five Tennessee land grants for his service. He moved from Upper East Tennessee to the Sequatchie Valley to take possession of the grants that totaled 1,180 acres. A successful farmer, by 1850 he owned 4,000 acres. Married to Deliah Coutler, the Popes had nine children. The family raised cattle, sheep, hogs, corn, oats and hay.
James Jerome Pope acquired his parents’ farm in 1869. According to the family, James served in “Standefer’s Co. 1st Tennessee MTD Infantry with brother Thomas Alexander Pope in the Cherokee Indian War from 1836 to 1838.” In addition to managing the farm, James was appointed justice of the peace for Bledsoe County in 1854. He married Mary Murphy Worthington and they had 12 children.
In 1891, their son, Charlie, acquired the farm. While raising crops and livestock, he also built a house that is still standing on the farm. In addition, he taught school for several years, was elected as a member of the County Court and served as an elder of the Pikeville Church of Christ. Wed to Dora Billingsley Pope, the couple had seven children.
Charlie and Dora’s son, Andrew Hershel Pope, was next to obtain the land. During World War I, Hershel served as a medic in the army. He and wife Virgie Mae Walker had four children. The family recalls that Hershel worked “constantly to improve farming techniques, family farms and the future of farming.” He helped to organize the Bledsoe County Farm Bureau in 1924 and served as its president for 17 years. He also served on the soil conservation committee for 18 years and was a director in the Production Credit Association for 15 years. Also, Hershel helped organize the Bledsoe County Farmers Cooperative and the Bledsoe County Telephone Cooperative. Hershel and Vergie Mae were members of the Mount Airy Church.
Today, the farm is owned by the great-great-grandson of the founder, John Hollis Pope. He and his wife, Patricia Pope, have one son, Gary, who helps his father raise beef cattle and hay. Over the years, Hollis has served as a member and as president of the Bledsoe County Farm Bureau and was a director in the Bledsoe County Farmers Cooperative for 32 years. In addition, Hollis served as a foreman of the grand jury for 17 years.
A farmhouse that was built in 1875 and remodeled by Gary has been home to and he and his wife, Cathy Lynn, since 1991. Their sons, Shaun Garrett and Andrew William, were reared on the farm. Shaun and his wife, Crystal, have a daughter, Kaitlyn Grace Pope. Andrew works in Chattanooga. Continuing the tradition of his family’s
attention to progressive farming, Gary attends workshops sponsored by the Agricultural Extension Office and, as the sixth-generation owner, plans to keep the working farm in the family in the future. He and his father manage and operate the farm.
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 Center for Historic Preservation 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 (TDA) began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today the TDA provides a metal outdoor sign noting 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. There are more than 1000 Century Farms across the state and all 95 counties are represented.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins says, “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.”
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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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request an interview with the owners of this farm for editorial use, please contact the Center for Historic Preservation at 615-898-2947.