Dade County History Book

JILES O. GASS FARM

A typical mountain farm is that owned and operated by Jiles Gass on Sand Mountain, about four miles west of Trenton.

Ten years ago, Jiles and his family resided in Chattanooga, where he was employed by the Crane Enamel Works. Spurred by a desire to come back “home” Jiles picked up and moved back to Sand Mountain, where he was born and raised. He settled on a tract of “woods” and began clearing and cleaning up. He now has about 100 acres, 35 of which are in cultivation. He has built a new home near the highway.

Jiles goes out for truck farming; marketing 1,000 to 1200 bushels of Irish potatoes annually. Beans, tomatoes, peas, etc., are raised quite extensively.

For the past several years, Jiles has built his farm up considerably. Aside from his truck farming, about five acres of cotton are planted each year; producing a bale per acre.

In the way of stock, Jiies has a milch cow, the old “family” mule and a few hogs. His wife, Essie, boast of the fact that her big flock of chickens pays for the groceries and many other incidentals. She and the only son, LeBron, make regular hands in the trucking season. LeBron particularly makes a good hand when the watermelons begin to ripen.

Peaches, apples, pears, plums, etc., are gathered from the young orchard, and in the cellar of the Gass home are hundreds of cans of fruit and vegetables.

Jiles says he is careful to rotate his crops and keep his terraces up.

He corporates with the Extension service and federal farm program. (THE DADE COUNTY TIMES, January 12, 1942)

Jiles O. Gass was born September 30, 1904 and died June 21, 1964. His wife Essie B. Gass was born April 28, 1909. Both are buried in Brown Gap Cemetery on Sand Mountain near their infant daughter.

Submitted by Sue Forester