FRANKLIN, Ohio — If there’s any question as to the authenticity and age of John Forman’s farmhouse in Warren County in Ohio one only needs to walk the premise and examine the structure.

For starters, the fence and posts that surround the home were erected in 1840, and still stands. Many layers of paint have preserved the structure. Next, the original brick and mortar has never had to be repaired, just painted. A few turn-of-the-century chicken coops are rusting on the premise.

“Only 50 years ago did we finally add wood shingles,” said Forman. “This house is structurally sound.”

To say this farm is one of the oldest in this county is an understatement. Not only is it recognized by the Ohio Department of Agriculture as a Century Farm, but it is on the National Register as selected by the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board, recognized as the Hunt-Forman farm. The farm is one of eight added to the National Register. Four others are located in Cuyahoga County, and the remaining farms reside in Hancock, Franklin and Lake counties.

Among other aspects, to be eligible for the National Register, a property must be associated with significant events in history or be associated with the lives of significant people, or embody a distinctive type or period of method of construction.

The Hunt-Forman farm, located a mile south of Red Lion on State Route 741, was originally settled by Aaron Hunt and later by George W. Hunt, who in 1865 sold the 101 acres to John Forman, the present owner’s greatgrandfather.

Half the farm was given to John’s son, William B. and a daughter, Lida Forman in 1911. Lida deeded her half to William B. Forman, her brother, in 1931. William deeded the property to a son, Maurice C. Forman, and his wife, Pauline, in 1939. Present owner John M. Forman acquired the farm from his mother in 1997.

John has never married and his sisters show no interest in the farm. “I don’t know what I’m going to do in keeping this in the family,” Forman laughed. “I’m close to retirement from being a manager of construction projects at Wright State University and want to retire on this farm. I still tend to hay and corn; and up until 1999, I had Hereford cattle. I’m looking into turning this farm into a museum.”

The farm has quite a history.

The original farm and its owner, George W. Hunt, were involved in helping maintain an Underground Railroad Station. But the farm was most popular in the 1800s for the development of the Poland China hog breed, today one of the major sources of pork for the American diet.

The Poland China breed connection came between 1816-1835 when the swine industry of southwestern Ohio was growing rapidly, but size of the animal and transport endurance had to be improved. Several Butler and Warren County farmers (John’s great-grandfather included) joined in developing improvements in what was then a new hog, which stemmed from a breeding project of the Shaker Society. Members of the society had developed what was then known as a Big China hog, which promised more meat and less loss in travel. Hogs then were driven to market often 100 miles away.

“Only two families ever owned this farm,” said Forman, now 69. “I enjoy this setting and peacefulness the farm brings and would like to enjoy retirement here on this farm. But right now I’m at a crossroads and I’m not certain what I’m going to do with it.”

This farm news was published in the Oct. 4, 2006 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.