Long story short - I share an office building with my cousin who also has a Real Estate background. His Mother, my Aunt (who is also a Realtor) is helping him organize years of boxes, files, etc. Today she walked over to my office and said, "Hey, I thought you might like to see this." She handed me an old photograph and told me it was my Great, Great, Great Grandfather E.W. Crews. It was a picture of him standing in front of one of the first Real Estate Firms in Tennessee - Farmer Crews, Real Estate Dealer. In addition to being a real estate agent, he had also been a banker and an avid farmer.
She kept walking back to my office with more photos and even an ad or flyer he had placed in the local paper or sent by mail. It was wild to see a family member from the late 1800's standing in front of his own Real Estate Company. Pictured was himself, two other men, the store front, and a horse and buggy. Of course the large real estate sign was posted outside! Here is the ad copy:
"Farmer" E.W. CREWS, REAL ESTATE DEALER.
GET OFF THE TRAIN AT WAYNE; I'll meet you there. You'll know me by the above picture; look for a red-whiskered Indiana-Tennessean, with a smile that won't come off. That's "Farmer" Crews.
I am a farmer; live on my own farm seven (7) miles from Wayne and eight (8) from Lawrenceburg. I want you to GET OFF AT WAYNE because I can drive you through the "red lands" of the Flat woods country-the richest land of Lawrence County-and to my home farm on the "gray lands"
I came to Lawrence County, Tenn. 21 years ago. I am therefore justified in claiming to you that I KNOW this county, climate, soil, fertility, crops, water, grasses.
I am familiar with every farm in Lawrence County.
I came here for my health and lived at first in a log house. A picture of this house as it appears today is shown on page 7.
I live now in a comfortable house (a picture of this is shown with that of the log house) to which you are welcome. I raise all we eat. You will get country fare. If you buy of me, I entertain you free; if not, I make a small charge.
Ask the First National Bank or the Lawrence Bank & Trust Co. as to my responsibility.
GET OFF AT WAYNEand we'll drive through every variety of land Lawrence County owns.
I'll deal fair with you; tell you the truth. If you buy though me I'll see you get a good title; I'll help you in every way I can.
My business success depends on my telling the truth, for then I make friends. See? And THEY send THEIR friends to "Farmer" Crews.
Get off at Wayne!
"Farmer" E.W. Crew
LAWRENCEBURG, TENN.
Also, in the dated memorabilia, there was a letter to a prospective buyer in Lawrence County, TN. It was wild to see the writing style and how much information was given in the letter. Nowadays we would send links to specific demographics, county data, etc. The internet can make things a lot easier, but on the other hand, it can be too easy. This letter and seeing the ads made me think of the efforts that went into selling real estate in the late 1800's and how easy is to be lazy from time to time. It was also inspiring to see an ancestor in the same business and see how much time and effort was put into selling real estate. I loved the parts about "entertaining for free, if you buy from me"...classic!
Hope you enjoy this blast form the past and can see how things have changed. I'll try and scan the pictures tomorrow and post those too.
Todd
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