[475] Robertson County Farms Join Ranks of State's Century Farms Program

For Release: May 24, 2011
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947


ROBERTSON COUNTY FARMS JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM

Smoky Hollow and Circle G Farms Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)— The Smoky Hollow and Circle G Farms, located in Robertson County, have been designated as Tennessee Century Farms, 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.
The history of agriculture in Robertson County is closely linked with the production of tobacco, a major crop in Tennessee as early as 1820. Like many other farmers in the area, when Benjamin Lee Murphy purchased 98 acres northwest of Springfield in 1888, he used his acreage primarily to produce tobacco, and the crop continued to be grown by succeeding generations. Benjamin married Julia Lina Holman, and their daughters were Maude, Minnie Frances, Mattie Lou, and Margaret.
In 1891, Benjamin Murphy sold the farm to his brother, Sanford Corneilus Murphy, for $1,800. Sanford married Nannie Wilkerson, and the couple had a daughter named Jenny. For more than 60 years, this family lived on and worked the farm. James Clarence Murphy, a nephew of the founder, Benjamin, acquired the farm in 1952 and purchased two tracts of land totaling 112 acres. Married to Nellie Eva Adams Murphy, James Clarence was the father of two children: Mary Kathryn Skerrod and James Warren Murphy.
James Warren Murphy, the great-nephew of the founder, acquired the farm in 1964. He raised corn, wheat, tobacco and cattle on his acreage. He married Ivy Nell Roe Murphy and their children are James Richard and Laurie Nell Murphy. In 1997, Ivy Nell Murphy acquired the farm, and the acreage is worked by her son, James Richard Murphy. Ivy Nell and her daughter, Laurie Nell, make their home where the original farmhouse, stable, tobacco barn and granary remain as testimony to the generations of farming by the Murphy family at Smoky Hollow Farm.
The circle G Farm was established when John Miles Gower bought 80 acres of land near the Turnersville and Coopertown Roads of Robertson County in 1910. He married Susie M. Head, and they were the parents of six children. The family raised corn, wheat, tobacco, cattle, pigs and hay. During the founding generation’s ownership of more than 50 years, the farm moved from using horses and mules to tractors and other mechanized equipment. Barns were built, and a large house was moved onto the property.
In 1968, Dewell Russell Gower, a son of John Miles and Susie Gower, became the next- generation owner. He continued to make improvements by clearing more of the land, building ponds and adding fences. He also built a large tobacco barn, a smokehouse and a granary. The farm produced corn, wheat, hay, tobacco and milk from dairy cows. Dewell married Emma Lou James, and they were the parents of two children, Terry Russell and Charles Randall, also known as Randy.
Randy Gower acquired the farm in 2005. He and his wife, Melinda Faye Graves Gower, now manage the Circle G Farm. They grow corn, tobacco, cattle and hay on 25 acres. Three generations of Gowers, including Justin Randall, Randy and Melinda’s son, and Emma Lou Gower live on the family farm.
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 farms’ owners or request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP at 615-898-2947.



Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. In September 2011, MTSU will celebrate its 100th year anniversary with special events and activities throughout the year kicked off by a Blue-Tie Centennial Gala on Friday, Sept. 9.