The first few years on the farm must have been difficult. Three of the children and Benjamin Bugg Lanier himself passed away in a short amount of time. And then, Mary passed away a few years later in 1860 leaving only her two sons Benjamin and Robert. These two brothers persevered through the hard times. 
In February of 1869, Benjamin Jones Lanier married Almanza Wallace. That same year, he and his brother Robert built this farmhouse. It was a typical house of that day. The framing was fastened together with oak pins. The nails were square. The rooms were large with high ceilings.
Robert lived in the main house and Benjamin and Almanza lived in the old cabin. They had three children there. Robert eventually bought property elsewhere so Benjamin and his family moved into the main house.
Much of the original detail in this home remain. The side lites, transom, and doors are all original. In fact, most of the doors throughout the home are original along with their hardware! The back porch was made into a kitchen during World War II and the kitchen area into a living room. Unfortuntately, a tornado in the 1970s took out a fireplace and a staircase on the right side of the home, but they were able to save the vast majority of the home. It is furnished with family heirloom pieces and antiques that have been passed down.
This old photo of the family in front of the old homeplace is a treasure! This was taken somewhere in the late 1890s. The man sitting in the chair is Benjamin Jones Lanier and the man standing next to him is his brother Robert. The lady in the plaid dress is Ivie. She is the great-grandmother of the current owner of this home! Many of the details I’m able to share with you today are from her journal and I am grateful for the words she penned so that the story of this farm can live on. I’m also grateful for the Smith family who gave me (and you!) a peek into this homeplace! Check out the last picture of this sweet family standing in front of the old home at a recent wedding.
Seven generations have lived on this farm. It has always been occupied by ancestors of Benjamin Bugg Lanier. 2022 marks their 175th year! What a legacy!
Read Part 1 of this installment HERE.
Read Part 3 of this installment HERE.
