[094] Dickson County Farm Joins State's Century Farms Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 18, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

DICKSON COUNTY FARM JOINS STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
191-Year-Old Baker’s Burden Farm Becomes County’s 23rd Century Farm

(MURFREESBORO)—The Baker’s Burden Farm in Dickson 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, which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located three miles south of Dickson, the farm was founded by John Dunnagan in 1818. John married Martha “Patsy” Fussell and they had six children. On 533 acres, the family raised hogs, sheep, cattle, geese, and ducks. In addition, they grew corn, oats, tobacco and wheat.
Their daughter, Ailsey, who married Carter Baker in 1850, received 226 acres from her father’s estate. The children of Ailsey and Carter were Martha, John Carter and Missouri Jane. During their ownership, Ailsey and Carter built a one-room log house that, in later years, was expanded to another room and a kitchen.
According to the family’s reports, the large fireplace in the log room was where all the cooking took place until sometime after 1900 when a stove was purchased for the kitchen. Also per the family, Carter—who also was a distiller— cut timber and made charcoal for the nearby iron forges. Additionally, Carter was also a county constable and served warrants and collected judgment.
In the Civil War, he supported the Confederacy and volunteered for service but was rejected because of a limp from a poorly set broken leg. Carter often traveled to Clarksville, where he received permission to pass through Union lines to trade goods and supplies. After his death, Ailsey lived at the home until her death in 1909.
John Carter Baker was the third-generation owner of the farm. John married Sarah Adeline Horner Weems, a widow. They were the parents of Ewell Festus, William Jesse, Virgil Carter, Robert Theodore, Nellie Emeline, Elbert Hardy and Jennie Lucille. In addition, Sarah’s youngest daughter from her previous marriage, Victory Tennessee Weems, grew up in the household. The family raised horse, cattle, hogs, geese and chickens as well as growing vegetables, watermelons, corn and apples.
In the 1940s, John and Sarah’s son, Robert T. Baker, became the owner of the property. Following the death of his father in 1942, Robert rented the homeplace to various people. The family reported that during this time electricity was installed and the house was remodeled. Robert and wife Shirley Greenlaw Baker focused much of their attention on the many improvements they made to their farm, known as Spring Valley, which is adjacent to the original homestead, which became known as “Baker’s Burden.”
The family said a number of tenants lived in the home, with rent as low as $5 a month. In 1959, the house was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. After Robert died in 1967, his wife Shirley became the owner.

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Today, the great-great-grandchildren of the founder, Carter G. Baker, Ailsie Baker McEnteggart and Georgia L. Baker, own the farm. Currently, Dennis Holland works the land and raises hay and timber.
“Baker’s Burden is the 23rd Century Farm to be certified in Dickson County,” Hankins confirmed.


About the Century Farms Program

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, 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.
“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.”
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 interview the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the property for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.