[174] Rhea 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


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

Double S Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

MURFREESBORO— The Double S Farm, located in Rhea 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.
John Q. Shaver, a confederate veteran of the Civil War, purchased 200 acres in Rhea County just east of Dayton. Upon acquiring the land in August 1868 he and his wife, Elmira, began growing hay, corn and cattle. John, a religious man, donated the land for Salem Baptist Church. He preached at this church and also traveled to deliver sermons. The Shavers had eight children: Henry Houston, Nancy Jane, Jesse, Hester, Alice, Mary Delia, Ida and Ollie.
The Shaver family has remained on the farm for 143 years, passing through five owners and four generations. In 1903, the founder’s son, Henry Houston Shaver, was next to farm the land. Henry had nine children with his wife, Mattie. This generation of Shavers grew strawberries, corn and hay. The farm was then managed by Wallace Shaver, Henry’s son, who continued to grow the same crops.
Wallace passed the farm to his brother, John Hudson, a World War I veteran. John Hudson Shaver, raised cattle, hogs, mules, corn and hay. In addition to these agricultural activities, he was a prominent strawberry producer.
In 1970, John Q. Shaver’s great-grandson, Marvin R. Shaver, and his wife, Debbie, acquired the land and now own 45 acres of the original farm. With the help of their son, John A. Shaver, they grow cattle, hay and sheep. Marvin served in the Vietnam War, was in 4-H and was the Future Farmers of America chapter president. John also was in 4-H and FFA. The Double S Farm is the sixth certified Century Farm in Rhea 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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