From dairy cows to Appaloosas to alpacas to goats and gardens — 926 Remsen has always had a heart for life.

A Bit of History

Before there were barns, gardens, or even road names, Granger Township was home to the earliest inhabitants — the prehistoric Native Americans known as the Mound Builders. It's believed that two mounds once stood right here in Granger. Later, members of the Seneca, Ottawa, Iroquois, and Wyandot tribes passed through these lands on hunting journeys, leaving behind traces of their history — like the arrowheads still found by curious locals today.

Granger’s next chapter began in 1795, when it became part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The state of Connecticut sold this land to a group of 36 investors, who then drew lots to claim their new holdings. One lucky man, Oliver Phelps, drew Granger — along with plenty of other northeastern Ohio plots. When Phelps passed away in 1809, his debts led to Granger’s next owner: Gideon Granger, a Connecticut legislator and Postmaster General under President Thomas Jefferson.

By 1817, Gideon Granger sold the northwest section of the township to Henry Remsen and the rest to settlers from Canandaigua, New York — including Anthony Low, Elizur Hills, James Ganyard, and Burt Codding. These early families packed up, made the trek, and began carving out a life here. Meanwhile, the Remsen land stayed mostly untouched until 1845, held in trust for his daughter's children.

In 1820, Granger officially became a township. In true community fashion, the name "Granger" was chosen by vote — honoring Gideon Granger’s contributions to the area's beginnings. A few months later, the township held its first election. Settlers got to work: clearing dense forests, building homes, roads, churches, schools, businesses, and the township’s very first town hall in the early 1820s.

From these early days of hard work, heart, and homegrown spirit, Granger Township grew into the beautiful community we know and love — the same land that The Bauman Barn proudly calls home today. 🌾

The Story of 926 Remsen Road

The earliest records tied to our farm show Clair and Sarah Willey as owners. They moved onto the property around 1915 — the same year our beautiful barn was built. The farmhouse, however, had already been standing strong since 1871, a true testament to the craftsmanship of its time.

Clair and Sarah raised three daughters here: Millicent, Ruth, and Mary. Their daughter Ruth Willey grew up enjoying the rich farm life alongside her sisters — days filled with hard work, fresh air, and community spirit. Ruth later married the love of her life, William "Bill" Kelly, in December 1944. Though their early years together were spent on military bases, Granger always remained home in Ruth’s heart.

In 1947, Ruth and Bill helped found Bil-Jac Foods — a remarkable success story born right here in Granger. Their first product, Bil-Jac Frozen Dog Food, was groundbreaking, using real meat as the #1 ingredient when most others used gluten fillers. The recipe and production method were so revolutionary that the Kelly family secured the first dog food U.S. Patent in 1951. What started with just six pounds of food sold in a day quickly grew, as dog owners and breeders alike saw immediate, positive changes in their animals. Today, Bil-Jac remains a family-owned company, proudly dedicated to making nutritious, high-quality dog food.

Ruth remained deeply tied to Granger her entire life. She was an avid Cleveland Indians fan, a passionate baker, and a lifelong member of Granger United Methodist Church. She loved fishing trips to Canada, bowling nights, playing cards with friends, and, above all else, her family. Her legacy of love, hard work, and dedication to community still echoes through these fields.

The Dun-Roven Era

In 1957, a new chapter began when Gene Woodling — professional baseball player and five-time World Series Champion with the New York Yankees — and his wife Betty purchased the farm from the Willey family. At the time, Gene was still playing ball, so Betty and their children managed the farm and the 20 Holstein cows that came with the property.

The farm was renamed Dun-Roven Farm — a playful nod to Gene's excitement about one day retiring from baseball and settling down. Eventually, the Woodlings traded in cows for Appaloosa horses, beginning a small but notable breeding program right here on the property.

In time, as Granger grew, the Woodlings made the decision to subdivide part of their land, creating Woodling Way and the surrounding Dun-Roven Farm community — 21 homes, each sitting on 2+ acres, designed to carry forward the area's spacious, rural charm.

Fun fact: The street, Woodling Way, honors both the family's farmstead and Gene Woodling himself — a local legend who not only helped build community here but once brought championship rings back to Cleveland. ⚾️

A New Chapter: The Bauman Family

After the farm’s subdivision, the original homestead was reduced to 9.3 acres. In 1990, the Woodlings sold the remaining property to Jeffery Mccowin, who made the space his own — choosing to raise alpacas instead of cows or horses.

While information about Jeffery is sparse, one thing is certain: when he passed away in 2018, nature quickly reclaimed the property. Within just two years, the once-cared-for land grew wild and unruly, a reminder of how quickly the earth takes back her own.

Meanwhile, just a mile down the road, Craig and I (Cayla) were living with our family, dreaming of a farm of our own. One ordinary day, I happened to drive a different way home — and there it was: 926 Remsen Road, with a lonely For Sale sign standing proudly in the front yard.

After some digging (and with the help of our wonderful realtor, Tim VanderLaan), we learned that the property had been listed two years earlier but hadn’t sold. It was coming back to market in just two weeks. Those two weeks turned into months of anxious waiting as we worried about others buying it — with talk swirling about buyers who wanted to tear down the farmhouse and barn and build something new.

But fate (and maybe a little farm magic) was on our side. We submitted our offer — and won. Our dream had found a home.

Today, we are proudly breathing new life back into this historic farmstead. Like the Willey family before us, we are bringing back the spirit of farm animals, gardens, kids running barefoot, the sound of laughter in the fields, and a deep-rooted love of community.

The story of 926 Remsen Road is still being written — and here at The Bauman Barn, we’re honored to be part of it. 🐐🌻