Alabama Tallies 200 Plus Century-Old Family Farms

There is much talk today about the survival of the family farm. High interest rates and low crop prices have put most Coastal Plains farmers in a bind. But the family farm is a proud tradition which surely has faced tougher times than these in the past 100 years.

To find out just how many family farms had been in the same family for that long, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries started doing some research in 1977. They found that more than 200 Alabama farms had stayed within the same family for at least 100 years.

The farms were placed in two categories.

Alabama Century Farms: Farm ownership must remain within one family continuously for a minimum of 100 years. The farm must be at least 40 acres large. It is not mandatory for the owner to live on the farm.

Alabama Heritage Farms: The frm must have been in continuous operation as a family farm for a minimum of 100 years. Nominated farms must possess interesting historical and agricultural aspects, including one or more structures at least 40 years old. The farm must be at least 40 acres in size.

These Alabama Coastal Plains family farms received both century and heritage honors.

Conecuh County:   Witherington Farm

The Historic Witherington Home", a Lyeffion landmark, is listed on the Alabama historic register. The large home, currently under restoration, is the center of operations for Sunnyside Farms. It was built in 1856 by William Leander Witherington and it has housed five generations of that family.

The house, built completely of heart-of-pine lumber, is covered by a tall pyramidal roof and features large gallery porches on the front, rear and side of the house.

Notes from Family : The Historic Witherington home near Lyeffion is credited to William Leander & Eliza (Johnson) Witherington, circa 1856. William Leander Witherington (1827-1890) was the third generation Witherington in Conecuh County. He was the son of Daniel Witherington and Melissa King and the grandson of William Witherington, Jr. and Sarah 'Sally' Stanley, who settled in Conecuh about 1819, coming from East Feliciana Parish, La. Both Daniel and his father, William Witherington, Jr., served in the War of 1812 and Daniel is said to have been a participant in the Battle of New Orleans.