Clay County, Mo. – Hidden between Excelsior Springs and Liberty, Missouri, lies a 160-acre property with rich soil and a lasting legacy of education and conservation, known as Pharis Farm.
Established in 1836, the farm holds deep roots in both Clay and Ray counties. Fielding Bell, the son of a Revolutionary War veteran, moved with his wife and children from Mason County, Kentucky, eventually settling on the land that would become the Pharis Farm.
After establishing their home, the Bells built a log cabin and began working the land. When Fielding passed, the property was passed down to his eldest son, Daniel Bell. According to records maintained at Pharis Farm, Daniel made his living as president of Missouri City Savings Bank and operated E.D. Bell and Sons Dry Goods and Clothing Store. He later rebuilt the family home.
In 1858, Daniel hired mason John Morrison, a skilled contractor who also constructed the Clay County Courthouse, to build a farmhouse on the property. “Morrison also fabricated the bricks using clay from the property itself,” explained Ann Grundy, a Friends of the Pharis Farm board member and Bell family descendant. During that era, the land also included an icehouse, smokehouse, and blacksmith shop.
The property remained in disuse for decades until 1927, when Donald and Helen Pharis purchased it and transformed the old homestead into a thriving family farm and hub for agricultural education.
Donald Pharis, born in 1896 in Butler, Missouri, grew up in a farming family and later earned a degree in agriculture from the University of Missouri in 1920. He also served in the Student Army Training Corps during World War I.
After graduation, Donald began teaching vocational agriculture at Richmond High School, where he met Excelsior Springs native Helen Elizabeth King. They married on Oct. 22, 1921, and began their life together in Richmond, both working as educators.
In 1927, the couple discovered the long-abandoned Bell property and decided to restore it. Over the next five years, they renovated the house and began building the working farm that still stands today.
As the Great Depression loomed, Donald left teaching to farm full time. Despite the economic downturn, the Pharises thrived by producing wheat, corn, oats, and raising livestock, including egg-laying hens, cattle, Columbia sheep, and collies.
Donald became an early proponent of terrace farming, a conservation method gaining traction in the 1930s. By reshaping sloped land into flat, step-like areas, terrace farming helped control water runoff and reduce erosion. Today, the farm’s rolling contours still bear the marks of Donald’s efforts.
“Donald was very much about soil and terracing,” said Miriam Spencer, a Friends of the Pharis Farm board member. “He was the first farmer in Clay County to terrace, and he taught many others how to do it.”
His passion for soil conservation extended beyond his own land. He helped establish the Clay County Soil and Water Conservation District, spreading sustainable practices across the region.
In 1945, Donald and Helen adopted a five-year-old boy, Charles Fox Pharis, after the death of a relative. Though they never had children of their own, the couple raised Charles on the farm, continuing to educate others through hands-on experiences.
Agriculture students frequently visited the farm to study Donald’s techniques. The couple also welcomed local children to see the animals and learn about Missouri farming firsthand.
In 1957, Helen passed away from breast cancer. Donald later remarried Laura Ann West, a widow and employee at the Bates County Treasurer’s Office. Laura and her children moved to the farm, where she supported Donald’s mission of agricultural education.
“Though they never had biological children together, Donald treated Laura’s children as his own,” Grundy said.
After Laura’s passing, those close to the farm continued its preservation. Former Clay County employee Giselle Fest remembered Donald as “a unique man.”
“Even after he lost most of his vision, he could still memorize and recite bills. He never slowed down,” she said.
Donald continued to mentor young farmers, often loaning lambs to 4-H members. “He and Laura would have children come to see the sheep, pet the animals, and learn about early Missouri farming,” Fest added.
Together with Helen and Laura, Donald played a key role in founding the Clay County Historical Society and the Clay County Museum. Preserving the farm was always part of his plan.
“He had decided from the very beginning that this would be a historic property,” Fest noted. “Both of his wives supported that vision.”
When Donald passed, he donated the property to Clay County, officially designating it as a Clay County Historic Site. Today, Pharis Farm serves as an educational, cultural, and environmental resource for the surrounding communities.
“We’re maintaining the property as a story setting,” Spencer said. “When people visit, they can tour and learn about its history.”
Spencer and the other Friends of the Pharis Farm continue working to incorporate art, music, and the humanities into programming for all ages.
The farm currently operates on a limited schedule, with the next public tour set for Friday, June 28, from 9 a.m. to noon. More events will be announced soon.
For more information or to get involved with Friends of the Pharis Farm, visit facebook.com/HistoricPharisFarm, or contact Miriam Spencer or Elizabeth Beckett, Historic Site Manager, at spencer_mm@yahoo.com or by phone at (816) 736-8502.
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