Land of many resources

There's a beautiful stately pecan tree on the McNeely farm that was planted there by Lecretia McNeely who brought the original nut (seed) from Tennessee.

"Every year we gather pecans from that tree," said Brownie McNeely, "and all the pecan trees around here came from that first tree."

Before his death last year, Bill McNeely was the one who enjoyed cracking the little hard shelled native pecans. Once his job was done, Brownie packaged up the nuts and froze them for future eating or to use in her baking.

That pecan tree was planted before the McNeelys took legal possession of the land. W. V. and Lecretia, lived for several years on the farm site before they actually bought it on October 10. 1901. And, since the farm has remained in the family all these years, it was recently designated as a Missouri Century Farm.

The current owner, Brownie McNeely, is very proud of the farm and of having it officially recognized by the University of Missouri Extension Service. However, having lost her husband in November, her only regret is that he did not live to see the honor bestowed on the farm.

The second McNeely on the farm, W. M., was born in the old farm house on February 12, 1892—before his parents bought the land. He was born at home in his parents bed. When he passed away, on May 6, 1963, he died at home in the very same room where he was born.

His son, Bill McNeely, was born in the same house on August 22, 1931, and passed away in what was then the "new" house on the farm.

"We built our new house on the same spot as the old house," Brownie explained, "and our bedroom was in the same spot as the old master bedroom. Bill died, not in the same house, but in the same location where he was born."

The McNeely property began as a typical farm with corn, wheat, oats, soybeans and milk cows, but over time, due to heart problems, Bill gave up the milk cows and the family became cattle ranchers.

An unusual feature of the McNeely farm is that the land has pockets of lead, and the first three generations all either leased out the mineral rights or actually mined lead themselves.

"When he was a boy, Bill worked the shaft his dad had sunk and hauled the lead to Granby," Brownie said.

Brownie has closed the mine shafts and has them filled for safety reasons. Lead mining is now just part of the history of  the land.

To quality as a Century Farm, the family must still reside on at least 40 acres of the original farm. Today, 46 acres of the original farm is still in the  family, which has added about 160 more acres to the spread.

Brownie laughs as she remembers how little she knew when she married a farmer. "Bill liked to cut up and he was always teasing me," she said. "He was a happy man."

Although she loved being on the farm and is proud to be a farm/ranch wife, Brownie also spent 38 years as a banker. Although she officially retired in 2000, she still is called in to substitute at Community Bank and Trust.

She smiled when she said how things at the bank are changing and she wasn't sure she was up to another computer change. "I'll be 75 on my next birthday, and I think it's time to really retire," she said.

When it's time for Brownie to give up the farm, she has already made arrangements for her two children to take over.

"Brad, my son, will get the part that is the original farm, and Becky will get other pieces of the farm," she explained. "I want to keep the McNeely name on the old land."

When Brad takes possession of the farm, he will be the fourth generation to own the property, and he's very proud of the history of  the place and pleased it has been named a Century Farm.

But, as his mother had already said, Brad remarked "I just wish Dad was here to know it."

"But I think Bill would be happy," Brownie said. "I think he would be proud."