[173] Sullivan County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program

For Release: Nov. 14, 2011
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947

SULLIVAN COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM

Samuel Bruce Slaughter Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

MURFREESBORO—The Samuel Bruce Slaughter Farm, located in Sullivan 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 at MTSU.
The Century Farms Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have owned and kept family land in continuous agricultural production for at least 100 years.
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 Samuel Bruce Slaughter Farm is the 23rd certified Century Farm in Sullivan County.

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 Farms Program.
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit www.tncenturyfarms.org. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132 or 615-898-2947.

• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owner or request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP at 615-898-2947.



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