Like father, like son is a repeat of history In the Funk family. Both Curtis and ger live on the farm but continue to help out as needed. Jay, Pam and their two
his son, Jay, were 30 years old when they signed papers to take over the family daughters milk 50 cows and crop farm 100 acres,
farm, a bicentennial farm In Manor Township. Curtis and his wife Betty no lon-
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
As the only son growing up a
family farm that has been in the
family for more than 200 years, it
seemed natural that Jay Funk
would follow in his family’s
footsteps.
“But we didn’t want him to take
over the farm just because other
people expected him to do so. We
knew you don’t plan children’s
lives. It doesn’t work if their heart
isn’tin it,” Jay’s mother Betty said.
“In fact, we tried to discourage it
We encouraged him to go to school
or to try a different type of work.”
Instead, Jay insisted from tod
The Funk farm that has been passed down through the family for more than 200
years Includes two log homes on 100 acres. The Funks continue to operate a dairy and
ship to Atlantic Dairy Cooperative as family members have done for 64 years.
Son Takes Over Bicentennial Farm
dlerhood to his present 30 years of
age that he wanted to farm.
And his parents are quite proud
he chose that route.
“Few sons want to stay in farm
ing nowadays, with the long hours
and low pay,” the elder Funks said
of their insistence that Jay realize
the drawbacks of fanning in the
’9os.
The Funks are delighted that
their son realizes the benefits of
farming cannot be weighted by
mere economics.
. ‘The farm is a great place to
raise a family,” Jay said.
Recently, Jay, his wife Pam, and
Jay’s parents, Betty and Curtis,
spread out the historical docu
ments about the farm. From the
light in their eyes and the lilt in
their voices, it was evident that the
younger Funks share the enthu
siasm of their parents for the rich
heritage of farming.
The framed sheepskin deed
shows the farm was surveyed in
1741 and deeded in 1758.
Research shows that Thomas and
Richard Penn deeded 237 acres
and 23 perches to Martin Funk for
119 pounds, 12 shillings, and 6
pence and a half penny for every
acre quadrate payable the first day
of March of every years.
Additional tacts uncovered
arouse the Funks’ curiosity for
details, but little is known about
some documents uncovered that
show that over the years two
women, who were evicted from
the farm, a tobacco packing busi
ness was established, a transfer of
the property fdrsl to Richard Mar
tin and back again to Christian H.
Funk on the same day, and receipts
that show an older lady’s depen
dence on ladanum, an opium drug
used in the late 1800 s.
A transfer in tracts of land
appeared numerous times through
out the 200 years, but the 100 acres
on which the Funks lived followed
the sequence of being transferred
from Martin Funk to his son Mar
tin Jr. to Amos, to Christian who
transfered to his son Christian, to
Curtis, and now to Jay.
The Funks have copies of wills
and deeds that show heirs who pur
chased the property or others that
signed off their claims so that it
was free from other family mem
bers to retain it.
When several sons were bom
within the family, it was not
always clear how it was decided
who should be given the opportun
ity to buy the farm, but Martin
Funk’s will stated that 100 acres
was to be sold to whichever one of
his three sons were willing to give
the highest price.
Although Jay is the only son in
his family, he has two sisters who
farm with their husbands. The
siblings include Lois married to
James Hamish, Janet married to
Mark Charles, Joanne, and Janie
married to Le6n Horst
The elder Funks said that they
cautioned their son to make sure he
chose the right wife if he had ihten-
Homestead
notes
tions of farming as a career.
“The right wife can make or
break a farm,” Betty said.
Jay said that his parents’ advice
had little influence on him while he
was dating, but he is full of praise
for his wife’s help on the farm.
“She’s by my side. It makes a
difference,” he said.
Pam was raised on a tobacco
farm, but.she quickly made the
transition to daily farm life and
now milks and feeds cows
whenever needed.
During the 200 years, the farm
has changed as each generation
adapted it to his or her era.
“Dad did a lot to make the farm
modem. He probably made the
most changes,” Jay said of the
seven generations who owned the
farm.
The bam, believed to be built in
1738, had to have the bay built out
to pass for milk inspections in later
years. Curtis erected six buildings,
which includes a free stall bam, a
heifer pen, a bunk feeder, and three
silos.
Before Curtis took over the
farm, he did try off-the-farm jobs
for several years, but was happy to
purchased the farm from his
parents in 1961. He dropped tobac
co raising in 1965 and added more
cows to compensate for the loss of
tobacco income.
Jay said that he began accumu
lating his own herd when he was a
ninth grade student at Manor FFA,
where he won a chain animal. In
1990, Jay purchased the remaining
(Turn to Pago B 3)