Powe Farm Recognized as a Century Farm

Dexter, MO - The Powe Farm received recognition on Saturday, September 25, 2021 as a Century Farm.  The Powe Farm, as it has always been called, was purchased by John Whitehead, Violet (Norman) Silliman's grandfather, on September 20, 1920.  it was described as the south half of section 8 in Township 23 North in Range 9 East and is located at Powe, Missouri.

The Silliman family were recognized in a small ceremony at the Stoddard County Fair main stage area.

On February 9, 1921, Drew Norman, Violet (Norman) Silliman's father, purchased the land from John.  john had begun to clear the trees from the farm, when he decided to sell the farm to Drew.  Then when Drew purchased the farm, he finished the clearing of the trees.  This acreage soon became part of 419 total acres that the family now owns in this vicinity.

Drew Norman farmed the acreage until 1939.  At that time, the Ray Silliman family took over the farm and Drew moved his family to Bernie, Missouri.

Ray Silliman and his sons, Bill and J.W., farmed the land until 1946 and they then moved to Vinson, Missouri.  The farm was contracted to local farmers at that time.

On October 29, 1952, Bill Silliman and Violet Norman were married.  They began to farm the Powe land until their retirement in 1975.

The farm today is operated by B. Dawson Planting Co.  This company is consists of Bill and Violet's daughter, Karen (Silliman) Dawson, her husband Bruce, son Billy, daughter-in-law Rachel and granddaughters Caroline and Ellie Dawson.

The Powe Farm has always grown the crops that are traditional grown in this area of the country.....beans, corn, and most recently, cotton.

The Missouri Century Farm Program celebrates the lasting contributions farmers and ranchers have made to our country’s and state’s heritage.

In 1976, the Centennial Farm project was initiated in Missouri, awarding certificates to persons owning farms that had been in the same family for 100 years or more. Ten years later, the University of Missouri Extension and the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources created the annual Century Farm program and recognition. The Missouri Farm Bureau joined as a co-sponsor in 2008. Since the program began in 1976, more than 8,000 Missouri farms have received the Century Farm designation.