Bicentennial Farm Profile – Cromley Farms

The farm today. The farm is approximately 450 acres, which is farmed by son, Thomas Lynn and his wife, Kayla and four children. They raise corn, popcorn, soybeans, and livestock on the farm, which is also home to the 4-H projects of the 7^th generation grandchildren. The family founded the Ashville Grain Company, which is now under different ownership.  

The farm in 1803. William Cromley rode a horse to Chillicothe about 1803 and bought 1,500 acres near Ashville to raise crops. He almost missed the purchase, since another man was in line in front of him at the Chillicothe courthouse, but William had gold coins in his saddle bag which were more appealing to the seller than the paper bills presented by the other man. He acquired more land around 1837, and in the 1870s, he gave the Norfolk & Western Railroad access through his land. Grain from the farm was moved on the Ohio canal to the railroad for transport. Originally, corn, wheat, and hay, hogs, cattle, horses, and sheep were raised on the farm. In 1860, William (Catherine’s great, great grandfather) recorded in his daily farm operations notebook that he sold his wheat for $5 per bushel. 

Notable ancestors and accomplishments. Thaddeus E. Cromley was a state senator and served on the Ohio Board of Agriculture before spending 12 years in the state legislature, where he served as Senate president. While he served on the board of agriculture, much of Ohio’s groundbreaking research on hog cholera was conducted on his Ashville farm. Curtis Cromley is a retired veterinarian. 

“Quotable quote.” “The Lord loaned our family this land, that we would be caretakers for him.” – Catherine Cromley Conner on preserving the legacy of her family’s bicentennial farm. 

Special Note. Catherine Cromley Conner and William Curtis Cromley are both descendents of William Cromley. Their farms have been preserved as separate entities.