The Farm

The Barn - Passing of an era

Monroe County Ohio was effectively born at the turn of the 19th century. Much of Monroe County is rough, hilly land sculpted by the advance of the ice-age glacier that once covered much of Ohio. As Ohio was being settled Monroe County was largely bypassed for nearly a century in favor of the more fertile and level farmlands in the central and northern part of the state. Yet, it was farmers who finally settled in Monroe County.

The farms that were carved from the Monroe County countryside were reflective of the harsh and difficult lives of the farmers. Barns were built almost exclusively from the unpainted wood that was readily available from the omnipresent forests. Livestock formed the basis for most farms and provided milk, meat, and animal labor for the farmers. The barn was at the center of most farming activity.

Many of the Monroe County barns built in the 19th and early 20th centuries still remain. But many are rapidly drafting into oblivion and others will soon follow. With them will go the passing of an era.

The following is a pictorial story of the demise of one such barn. This once proud barn was originally built about 1883 by Joel and Martha (Thomas) Jones, grandparents of Dorothy Bayes. Having served its purpose as the focus of the Joel Jones farming business, it passed Joel’s son, Homer E. Jones, who used it in the cattle business until about 1985. It was mostly idle for the next 15 years and as with most idle buildings suffered the wrath of the elements and neglect. In 2008 the decision was made to dismantle the barn. The following photos depict the dismantling and salvage of the parts.