FARMERS OF LAWRENCE COUNTY, OHIO
SERIES
 

           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.