COUNTRY GENTLEMAN

Return to Rural Life

Dean exemplified the saying “You can take the boy out of the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the boy”. Dean had set his sights on leaving his urban residence to buy a farm in Summit County. On May 27, 1941 he purchased a 199.75-acre farm at 6981 Stow Road in Hudson Township from Marie Barnes for $5,500. 15. She held title to the property since 1908. Dean’s long-term plan was to become a “weekend farmer” and to develop a lake. With the declaration of war upon Japan on December 08, 1941 the long-term plans would be placed on hold until after the war.

In 1942, Dean and Dorothy moved to 169 Streetsboro Street, Hudson Ohio. (See photo above.)

This placed them in close proximity to the newly purchased land on Stow Road. Dean didn’t wait to get on the farm. He purchased some chicks and raised Road Island Red chickens in the back yard – probably the only “city farmer” in Hudson!

His real estate experience served him well. While preparing to sell and move to the farm, Dean enclosed the side porch and paneled it in wild cherry harvested from the farm and finished the third floor as a bedroom for the three youngest – Don, Mike and Joe. Dean’s accounting records reflect his original investment, cost of improvements, sale price and profit, reflecting his property-development background. (footnote 16)

Notes:

16. The Streetsboro Street house accounting sheet: