Farming

Baily's Dairy of Pocopson Meadow Farm

As a matter of interest, descendants of Eusebius and Sarah (Painter) Barnard still lease the farmland nearby the Barnard House. The 2X great grandson of Eusebius and Sarah Barnard and his daughters are well known locally for their farm fresh milk products produced at Baily’s Dairy of Pocopson Meadow Farm, about ½ mile west on Unionville Lenape road.

The Baily family acquired the farm in Pocopson Township in 1874.

Tobacco growing and processing in Pocopson Township

Pocopson was reported to be one of the principal tobacco-growing townships in the county, with 150 acres devoted to that crop in 1884. Tobacco proved to be a profitable crop, with production growing from 2,400 pounds in 1869 to 600,000 pounds in 1889. The leaves of Chester County tobacco typically was used to stuff the center of cigars in the 19th century.

Wistar's Farm

Lenape has been known by different names over the past 200+ years.  It grew from a locality named Wister's or Shunk's Ford before a bridge was built over the Brandywine.  The John P. Sager purchased the old mill on the east side of the creek, and the name changed to Sager's Mill.  Eventually, that name changed to Sager's Station when the Wilmington and Northern Railroad built a station on the west side of the creek.

Denton Hollow Barn

This barn has been repurposed into a house near the Pocopson Creek bridge on Denton Hollow Rd.  It was most likely built during Joseph Darlington's ownership of the property.  The photo was taken most likely frm the stone bridge.  Note the road just below the barnyard wall extending along the fence.  It was part of Denton Hollow Rd that extended along the Pocopson Creek to Street Road ( Rt. 926).  Back when the Denton Cotton Mill was running it was most likely the main road to that property from that part of the Township. 

Tom Clark Barn

This barn stood where present Brandyridge Drive goes in off Rt 52.  It was part of Lenape Farm and once owned by Truman and Mary Lloyd.  Truman was the postmaster and general store owner at Lenape.

Their daughter married Tom Clark and carried the farm into the 1950's.  Eventually the family retired from farming and sold the property for the Clark's Lane/Cannon Hill subdivisions.

You can stil see part of the barn wall foundation along Rt 52 just uphill from Brandyridge Drive.

Agriculture

photo courtesy Chester County Historical Society

In the early 1800’s, agriculture was the leading occupation in all of Chester County.