Officer Farmstead

Overton County, Tennessee's Officer Farmstead traces its history back to 1835. It was in that year that William Alexander Officer and his brother in law, Thomas Fincher, constructed a modest home in the Queen Anne architectural style. The home was constructed of Stucco. When looking at the more modern picture above, the impression is given that the home is more deteriorated than it really is, due to the large amounts of Stucco that has fallen off. In addition to the home, the Officer Farmstead has several outbuildings, such as a barn, and a smokehouse. There is also a family cemetery located on the property. The Officer family were large livestock producers, and at the peak of the farm's operation the family had grown this farm into a 1,000 acre operation. Once the Civil War broke out, the history of this farmstead took an entirely different turn. Most of the Officer family's property was confiscated at various times during the Civil War. On March 10, 1864, Union Colonel William B. Stokes, sent out a scouting detachment from Sparta, Tennessee in search of Confederate guerrillas. Their prime target was the notorious Champ Ferguson. On the morning of March 12, a skirmish broke out at the Officer Farmstead between Stokes' men and Company D of the 8th Texas Cavalry. According to accounts by members of the Officer family, the soldiers, along with the Officer family, and a young man who was home on furlough from General George Gibbs Dibrell's regiment, were all gathered around the breakfast table. Stokes' men barged into the house and commenced to shooting the place up. They tried to set the house on fire, but fast acting by the Officer family helped extinguish the blaze. By the time the fighting was finished, six soldiers were dead. This event is known as the Officer House Massacre, and a complete history of this event can be found in Putnam County Historian Dale Welch's book "Shadows of Gray." William Stokes was never successful in his bid to capture Champ Ferguson, but Ferguson was ultimately arrested, tried, and sentenced to death for his terroristic acts on the people of the Upper Cumberland region. One of the witnesses to testify at his trial was none other then William Alexander Officer. Following the Civil War, Officer returned to his agricultural production. Like so many others, agriculture was his way of life. When Officer died in 1886, the farm began its succession through the different generations. Today the farm is still owned by William Alexander Officer's descendants. In 2001 the Officer Farmstead was added to the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A for its historical significance, and Criterion C for its architectural significance. The Officer Farmstead serves as a reminder of how brutal and deadly the Civil War was in the Upper Cumberland Region of Tennessee.

At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own a historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, nominations to the Century Farms program, and writing text for historic makers. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.