"Sunday School Barn" (now Ranz Family) on Country Club Road

History of the "Sunday School Barn"

1795-1922, Hale and Jackson Families

This land has been farmed since the late 1700's when Asabel Hale, born in Connecticut in 1773, came to Greensboro in 1795. On June 25, 1817 the First Sunday school Convention in New England was held in a barn which he had just built on this site. Israel Jackson bought the farm around 1850 and passed it on to his son Walter A. Jackson. Around 1880, a new, bigger bank barn with one cupola was built surrounding the earlier barn, which is still visible from level one. Alpha Jackson, son to Walter, born in 1874 built the addition with second cupola on the barn sometime before 1920.

1922-1990, Wilson Family

In 1922, Alpha Jackson sold the farm to Irwin Wilson.

The Wilson farm milked approximately 35 registered Jerseys. They also had horses, pigs and chickens. All the work was done with horses until 1940 when Wilson bought a John Deere. Between 1922-1950, up to eight acres were planted in potatoes. On the ground level of the west side of the barn is a large potato cellar and some of the old potato harvesting equipment is still in the barn.

Sometime before 1950, Wilson halted the dairying operation and stopped growing potatoes because of the drop in prices. The Wilsons used their large house to board summer people and served big meals to the boarders and other customers. The farm was well known for its beautiful views and level fields. After World War II, a summer resident used the fields there for about 5 years as a landing strip for his small airplane. Robert Wilson acquired the farm in 1968 and has since then rented out the farm house. There is a large sugarbush on the farm and a 1930's sugar-house where the sugaring operation continues. Fields on both sides of the barn were sold between 1980-1990.

1990-Present, Schleifer (Ranz) Family

The Schleifers bought the barn and 16 acres in 1990. There are many old fruit trees and well established hedgerows which attract a large variety of birds. New fruit trees and berry bushes have been planted along with a variety of deciduous and evergreen trees. The fields continue to be hayed and manured. There are wood stanchions for more than 35 cows on the main floor and some horse stalls. The catwalk to the west end cupola is still useable. The roof has old wood shingles covered with asphalt and metal. Jan Lewandoski has repaired the structural support of one of the cupolas and done much of the restoration of the wing. Foundation and drainage work along one side of the barn was completed recently by Everett Kinsey.