fthe prettiest farms in the area belongs
n and Della Rowntree. The house is
d by lovely trees and well-tended plant
rs, The Rowntrees purchased the farm in
60's from the Brook family, descendants
original owners. The land was pur-
i from the government in 1842 by Joe
The first house may have been built in
40's facing the nearby plank road from
,ster. The large barn on the property
uIit In 1869 according to its cornerstone.
j farmhouse, beautifully crafted of cut
was built by Joe Brook's son, Jim in 1883.
ate is legible high on the front of the
indicating when it was completed. Jim
was a remarkable stonemason, and his
tnanship is also visible in the little build-
)ar the road. Reportedly, Jim said that
Das proud of his work and wanted it
ý people could see it.


Jim's son, Preston, inherited the farm, but had
no heirs. A rather eccentric man, he report-
edly said that he would leave his farm to
someone who had not done him any good or
harm. One day, he visited his nephew, Alfred
Brook and family, and inquiring as to the chil-
dren's names, he heard the youngest was
Joe, in his teens at the time. "I'm going to will
you my farm," he said. "Joe Brook had it to
begin with, and when I get done with it, I
want Joe Brook to have it back again."
According to Roman Brook, Joe's older broth-
er, the family didn't take it seriously; but when
Preston Brook died, sure enough, he had left
the farm to Joe.


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