FARMERS
OF LAWRENCE COUNTY, OHIO

Ironton Register, Thursday, March
17, 1892

P.
L. Turley was in town Friday, attending court. He said he wouldn't
say anything for publication except that he had sold several hundred
apple trees to Col. G. N. Gray for his Symmes Creek farm, and
is still "doing business at the same old stand."
William Swartzwelder, one of the leading farmers of Perry
township, was in town Saturday, looking for a good milch cow. He
stopped us in his search and we gleaned from him the following facts:
He owns a farm of 134 acres, which he is trying to convert into a
sheep farm, and is now buying up sheep with which to stock it. Has
recently purchased 17 head from J. O. Yates of Aid township.
Has most of his land in grass. Has rented his farm land to his boys,
Will and Ed, who will put in about 20 acres in corn. Wheat has
suffered very much from the freezes and does not look very well.
Mr.
Frank Howell from beyond Hecla in Upper township, says there is
more money to him in raising grass than in raising oats or corn.
However he is going to tend about 20 acres in corn this year. Mr.
Howell is a very fleshy man and had us guess his weight. We sized
him up and guessed 240 pounds, miss his weight 39 pounds, as he had
just been weighed and tipped the beam at 279 pounds. He complains very
much of his corpulence, and it certainly is quite a burden to him.
Uncle Jerry Cooper was in town Friday and in usual good spirits
when met by your reporter and we gleaned from him these facts. He owns
a large boundary of land, some eleven hundred acres, mostly in grass.
He deals largely in cattle and hogs. Has sown 58 bushels of wheat,
expects to plant 100 acres in corn; has been plowing corn ground; sod
land all winter. Uncle Jerry says he always flatters a good number of
hogs and makes some money and his own pork. Doesn't raise any oats
although some seed is thrown away almost every year.
Mr.
Isaac Massie, of Lawrence township, was in town Friday, seeing the
Commissioners in regard to some "sheep claims." Mr. Massie is
turning his attention to sheep raising and has rearranged his farm,
erected new wire fences, and had, a few days ago, one of the finest
flocks of sheep in the county. But within the past week the dogs of
the neighborhood made a raid on his flock, and killed a dozen or more
of the finest of the flock and injured a number of others. He found a
number of his neighbors dogs in his field after and sholed of his
sheep and killed them then and there. He feels very much discouraged
and says no person can raise sheep in this county where so many dogs
are kept and allowed to run at large. And when you remonstrate and
threaten to use the law, you in nearly every instance, offend the
owner of the dog, who is usually your neighbor, and no one wants the
ill will of his neighbors. Mr. Massie is one of the successful
farmers of the county, and has shown his good judgment in his new
departure in farming. He has a good sized farm of about 150 acres or
more, and has it well down in grass and has prepared himself to
properly engage in the business. We think Mr. Massie pursued
the right course in introducing his gun into the argument, and think
the results will tell in the future as well as they were felt on the
occasion of the shooting. We think sheep raising one of the most
profitable enterprises the farmers can engage in, and Mr. Massie
should be encouraged in his undertaking.
David Martin, of Lawrence township, owns the old Gore farm at the
forks of the road on Dog Fork of Ice Creek, consisting of about 90
acres, he has it mostly in grass; has some wheat growing; has rented
his corn land to his son-in-law and will not farm much himself. He is
broken down in health and is no longer able to work. He too, has quit
sowing oats, and given his attention to grass and stock.
J.
H. Sutton of Fayette came in Monday after goods for his store; has
been laid up for some days with something like la grippe. He has
one-hundred and thirty-five acres of land mostly in grass and pasture;
has two-thousand apple trees and thinks he will turn his attention to
sheep raising and fruit growing. He says the dog tax places a good
protection upon the sheep and the wool will pay for all the expenses
in raising and feeding them; and leaves the mutton clear. He will
plant some new ground in corn; has in a small crop of wheat; sows but
little oats, and each year sows more or less grass and clover.
Walter O. Woods is becoming very feeble and has turned the care of
his farm over to his son W. C. Woods, who is a very industrious young
man and is sure of success. The farm is mostly in grass; has in a fair
crop of wheat, but will not put in a very large crop of corn. They
have a neat clean looking farm and gives evidence of proper care and
attention. They have erected a new barn and have otherwise improved
the premises.
Rev. John Hill owns the north part of the old McComas farm
just below Rock Camp, has it mostly in grass and wheat; will not plow
much; has several churches of which he has been chosen pastor, and
will devote much of his time to the work of the church. His farm looks
very well and has not been neglected.
Mr.
Anthony Clark, of Bald Knob, was in town Tuesday. He has a good
crop of wheat; will plant about 15 acres of corn; sow some oats and
grass. He has about 60 acres of land and has it about half in pasture.
Nathan Jenkins Jr., has a very good farm of new land, which he
purchased a few days ago, from Hecla Iron and Mining Co. He has coaled
most of the timber and cleared up a good portion of the land; will put
in a good corn crop, as much as he can tend, (in connection with the
office of Justice of the Peace, to which he hopes to be elected, at
the coming Spring election.) He has new strong soil, and it produces
good yields of corn, potatoes, and sorghum.
Robert Dillon tells us he will farm largely this year. He doesn't
know the amount of corn and other crops he will put in, but is
intending to make up for the time he lost last year on account of
sickness. Besides his corn crop, he will plant a good crop of potatoes
and a large patch of sugar cane; will sow some oats, and try to have
all the work he can get through with. He will farm a part of his
father's farm and send his marketing to town once a week or oftener.
E.
F. Kitts has a good large farm of some one-hundred and sixty
acres, situated on one of the highest hills in the county. No farmer
takes more pride in his lands than does Mr. Kitts; has his farm well
down in grass; has a good growing crop of wheat, which has stood the
winter well and is looking finely; he has a large orchard of apple,
peach, and pear trees, and no man in the county takes more pride in
his farm than Mr. Kitts. Will plant about his usual crop of corn, from
15 to 25 acres. He deals some in cattle and runs a very profitable
country store of general merchandise; ships his marketing to Ironton
every week.
William E. Rowe of the County Infirmary, has a large farm of over
two-hundred acres, within a mile and a quarter of Rockcamp, on what is
known as Neds Fork of Ice Creek. Capt. Rowe would like to
dispose of this farm as his interests are now centered in Coal Grove,
he having purchased property there, and will make his home there
hereafter. He has a very large apple orchard of several thousand
trees; also a young cherry orchard beginning to bear. His farm is well
set in grass and pasture and is an excellent stock farm. He has rented
his farm to various tenants and receives a fixed grain rental each
years.

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