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The historic barns highlighted on the 2019 Barn Tour.

Scott and Erin Buchanan have been the owners of this farm in Delaware Township since 2011. The property has been in Erin's family for several generations. The farm was originally settled by John Rose in the 1830s. John and Lucy (Sampson) Rex were the next owners. Lucy's family, the Sampsons, owned a great deal of property in this part of the county, including one of the other farms on this tour. The farm passed to John and Lucy's daughter, Gladys, and her husbnad, Charles Stauffer. It then transferred to Gladys'sister, Rema (Rex) Patterson, Rema deeded the farm to Vernon Wentz. Vernon and Vera Belle Wentz lived on this property from the late 1940s until 2011, when it was purchased by their granddaughter, Erin Buchanan and her husband, Scott. This large barn likely dates to the late 1890s or very early 1900s. A photography dated 1905 clearly shows the barn in its current location. It is an excellent example of a late-era timber-frame structure. Even though the builders were still using traditional joinery, by 1900, there were just not enough old growth trees left to produce the 60'-plus timbers seen in some of the other barns on the tour. Thus, all of the long beams in this barn are "scarfed," or joined together. By this time, the circular saw mills in the area were capable of cutting very large logs, and these timbers are all sawn, rather than hand-hewn. The wrought-iron bracing that can be seen in the east bay is original and built-in. The barn is impressively tall, with 16' straight queen posts. It was designed for hay storage, and the existing metal hay track and forks are original. When it was built, the barn had a wooden floor. While still considered a ground barn, the floor was slightly raised, which is common in this part of the country, and was probably due to the high water table and propensity for flooding. The original farmhouse was a simple two-over-two, timber-framed structure. While the original portion still stands, an addition was placed on the back of the house in the 1880s. Family legend says that the addition was moved from a nearby inn.

Scott and Erin Buchanan have been the owners of this farm in Delaware Township since 2011, and it has been in Erin's family for several generations. It is an excellent example of a later-era timber frame structure. The barn is impressively tall, with 16' straight queen posts. Built for hay storage, the original hay track and forms are still visible. 

Rex-Buchanan Barn 

This property is located in Section 13, the last section of Delaware Township to be settled. While an original deed for this property could not be located, Judah Chase is listed in the 1840 census. Judah Chase and his family moved to Delaware Township from New Hampshire and raised seven children, although only four of them lived beyond childhood. Upon Judah's death in 1871, he left the house and one acre to his wife, Susan, and the farm to his two sons. In the 1875 atlas, Judah's son, Abraham Williams Chase, is listed as the owner of this parcel. Abraham died in 1914 and left the farm to his daughter, Ila Eliza Chase. Ila and her husband, George Washington Warner, sold the farm to David Bishop in 1925. David Bishop owned a great deal of property in Delaware Township. During the Bishops' ownership, the woods behind the house made up the largest maple syrup production grounds in the county. During the Great Depression, the federal government purchased all of the syrup produced here for three years. David left this property to his daughter, Mildred, and her husband, Henry Snook. They rented the farm to her brother, Medford Bishop, who lived here with his family for many years. Mildred and Henry's son, Eldon Snook, then owned the property until 1977, when it was purchased by the current owners, John and Deb Beagle. The barn was most likely built in the early 1900s, during the Chase family's ownership. It is an interesting example of a late timber-framed structure, as most barns would have been built with dimensional lumber and nails by this point. All of the timber, including the large posts and beams, are sawn, rather than hand-hewn. All of the long beams in this barn are more than one time "scarfed," or joined togehter. The hay track that is still visible in the barn would have been original to its construction. The gambrel roof of this barn is another indicator of its later construction. Many gamble-roofed barns were altered in teh early 20th century by the addition of a gambrel roof to accommodate more hay stroage. In the case of this barn, the gambrel roof wasn't a later alteration, but an originial feature. The barn also has a "fish belly" cross tie on the south end. This unique beam, also called a "swell" beam, is narrower on the ends of wider in the middle, offering additional strength and support against the wind. The south side of the barn was formerly a milking parlor with stanchions. Both the barn and the farmhouse were rotated to face Township Road 150 when the dirt road that went into Mt. Blanchard that they were originally facing was taken out. At that time, a basement was added to the house. It is estimated that this occurred around 1915. The barn is currently used as part of a cow/calf operation.

While the farm was originally settled by Judah Chase in the 1830s, this barn was built in the early 1900s, after the property changed hands to David Bishop. It was purchased by the Beagle family in 1977. The only gambrel roof barn on the Barn Tour in 2019, it was likely one of the last timber framed barns built in the area before transitioned to dimensional lumber. (c. 1900)

Chase-Bishop-Beagle Barn 

James Clason settled this property in 1830. In 1873, he deeded the farm to his relatives, Sanford and Edith (Clason) Smith, who already owned land across the road at the site of the Wingate-Haas barn, featured on this year’s tour. The property then passed to Edith’s nephew, Joseph W. Clason and his wife, Sarah. Joseph Clason owned 113 acres of farmland and was considered to be a very successful farmer. Joseph and Sarah had two children—a son who died as a child, and a daughter, Lilly, who became the next owner. Lilly sold the property to Purley (Hoy) Cole, and she deeded the property to her daughter, Beatrice Musgrave, in 1939. Beatrice and Ralph Musgrave raised their family here and owned the farm until is was deeded to their daughter, Pat, and her husband, Roger Howard, in 1990.  This English ground barn has several unique features that make it something of an outlier in this township, and even within the larger county. The barn was built with a center truss system, which allowed it to be constructed without a center bay or center posting. This created a drive bay that would allow the wagon to be brought in one set of doors and out the other, without having to turn the team around or back up. Many louvers and small windows added decorative detail that also functioned to provide light and ventilation. The barn exhibits superior craftsmanship, with many details that were strictly aesthetic, including double bracing, king post struts, and rounded edges on the ties that protrude through the headers to the exterior of the barn.  The barn is built primarily with hand-hewn timber, with the exception of the smallest braces. It likely dates to the 1850s-60s, and before the invention or widespread use of the metal hay track. The existing hay track would have been added later, and the original straining ties were cut out to make way for this new technology. While this practice was common, it weakened the structure of many barns. Fortunately, the owners of this barn had the foresight to take several steps to preserve it.  In the 1960s, Pat’s parents had the barn lifted and laid a new foundation. New ties were put in where the originals had been cut out, and additional bracing and metal supports were added. A new roof was added in the 1980s, and tin siding was put over portions of the exterior. The original wood siding and wood shake roof can been seen from the interior.

This English ground barn is a rarity for this part of Hancock County. Influenced by the New England settlers who once owned the property, the barn was built with a center truss system to provide a center drive bay.  Decorative louvers and windows accentuate the exterior. Superior craftsmanship is exhibited in its detailing, both inside and out. Built in the 1850s, it was retrofitted to accommodate a hay track sometime in the early 20th century, and extensive steps were taken to preserve the barn in the 1960s. 


Clason-Musgrave-Howard Barn

Current owners, Daniel and Rachel Haas, purchased this farm in 2005. The land was homesteaded by Sanford Smith in 1830. Deciphering the chain of ownership took a great deal of persistence. For unknown reasons, the original deed from 1830 was not recorded at that time. After much research, Dan discovered that the farm had been in Samford Smith’s family for more than 175 years. Sanford Smith, a Connecticut native, passed away in 1873, and the farm was deeded to his grandson, Nelson Wingate. The farm changed hands many times within the family, and was eventually deeded to Smith descendant, Willis Greer. Willis, and his wife, Helen (Burke), founded the Greer Orchard on the property. The orchard was a favorite among Hancock County residents, and many of the apple trees are still producing on the property. Apple crates used in the orchard can be found in the mows of the barn. The Haas family purchased the farm from the Greers’ grandson, Keith Williamson.  This 1,500 sq. ft. English ground barn dates to 1890, and was built while Nelson Wingate owned the property. This is the first barn featured on any of the Museum’s Historic Barn Tours to have benefitted from dendrochronology testing to establish its date of construction. A small core sample from one of the posts was compared to an inventory of known samples and the growth rings were matched. Growth rings can establish when the tree started growing and when it was harvested. Despite its more recent construction, much of the barn is still hand-hewn, and the rafter and purlin plates are continuous 60’ timbers. By 1890, much of Hancock County would have been stripped of trees old and large enough to make such sizeable timbers, but some such trees may have still remained close to the river. The original wood shake roof is still visible from the interior, as is the original splined wooden floor. The metal hay track, which was probably original to the construction of the barn, can still be seen.  The exterior of this barn exhibits decorative details. Decorative louvers in the gable ends and windows above the doors were small luxuries, but also served the purpose of providing ventilation and light. The painted arches seen on the doors are often referred to as “devil” or “witch” doors. Grounded in superstition and German influence, these doors supposedly prevented evil spirits from entering the barn. There are doors on both broad sides of this barn, with a driveway in the center bent that would allow a wagon to drive straight through without having to turn around or back up. The Haas family plans to begin restoring the barn this fall.

Current owners, Dan and Rachel Haas, purchased this property in 2005 and are determined to preserve this unique barn. Settled by Sanford Smith in 1830, the land was once home to the Greer Orchard, a favorite among Hancock County residents. This is the first barn on any of the museum’s Historic Barn Tours to have benefitted from dendrochronology testing to establish its date of construction (1890). Despite its more recent construction, much of the barn is still hand-hewn, and the rafter and purlin plates are continuous 60’ timbers. Decorative and functional details on the exterior of the barn include louvers, windows, and painted “devil” doors. 


Wingate-Hass Barn

This barn is the oldest structure on this year’s tour. The current owner, Jeffrey Horn, purchased this farm from his grandmother, Wilma Borkosky, in 1982. Wilma was deeded the farm from her late husband, Calvin, in 1968. Calvin purchased the farm from his father, Frederick Borkosky, who had purchased it from George P. Edie, and his wife, Sarah Jane (Sampson). Together, the Sampson and Edie families owned 320 acres in this section of Jackson Township. Sarah Jane was the daughter of Levi Sampson, who was the original owner of this farm, settling the land in 1839.  The more than 3,000 sq.ft. barn was likely built in the 1840s, during its ownership by the Sampson family. The barn is almost entirely hand-hewn, and the timbers have wide dimensions, meaning there were still plenty of large, old growth trees at the time of construction. The primary rafter and purlin plates are all one timber with no seams (54’ long). The only sawn pieces in the barn are some of the smaller braces, and their vertical saw marks indicate that they were cut with an early sash saw, prior to the use of circular sawmills that were capable of handling larger logs. The original wood shake roof is still visible from the interior underneath the current standing-seam metal roof. Empty mortise pockets on the south side of the barn indicate that there would originally have been a raised wooden floor with an earthen ramp at the barn entrance. While this gable-roofed barn was designed with hay storage in mind, it was built prior to the widespread use of the hay track. The existing metal hay track would have been added later.  The barn has “fish belly” cross ties on both ends. These unique beams, also called “swell” beams seem to be common in barns in this part of the county. Narrower on the ends and wider in the middle, these beams are laid on their side in the end bents of barns with the rounded side to the interior. They offer additional strength and support against strong wind.  When Jeff Horn purchased the property, the barn had a milking parlor. The left side of the barn was open, so that hay could be thrown down from the mow into the manger. Jeff began raising hogs on the property in 1980. Today, the barn is utilized in his cow/calf and farrow-to-finish hog operations.

The oldest structure on this year’s tour, Jeffrey Horn’s barn likely dates to the 1840s. It is almost entirely hand-hewn, save for some of the smaller braces that show early sash saw marks. The barn has “fish belly” ties to offer additional support against the winds, and the original wood shake roof is visible from the interior. The farm has been in the current owner’s family for nearly 100 years. Today, Jeff Horn uses the barn in his cow/calf and farrow-to-finish hog operations.

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