Cove Loses Farming Legend Bill England

The Morrisons Cove farming community lost a legend when William England of Williamsburg died on Jan. 6 of this year.

England, son of the late Foster and Frances England, was born into a farming family, but growing up, didn't want to remain on the farm. Instead, he entered Penn State, studying geophysics and geochemistry.

The summer before graduation he went to Redding, Calif., to work for the Phelps Dodge Corporation. The mining company had a subsidiary in Douglas, Ariz., and the company assigned him there. That's where he met his wife, Bertha.

Mrs. England, a resident of Douglas at the time, said she was working at J.C. Penny when Bill came in to buy work clothes and she waited on him. The two met later that night at a dance, and again the next day at the post office. Six months later, they were married. Bill was 22 and Bertha was 17. They were married for 64 years when Bill died.

The couple moved back to Pennsylvania so Bill could finish college. While Bill studied at Penn State, Bertha enrolled at Williamsburg High School to receive her high school diploma.

After graduation, Bill accepted a position with an oil company in Texas, then worked for the Coast and Geodetic Survey in Washington, D.C. He moved on to work as a civilian in the Navy Oceanographic Office. He was based in Washington, D.C., but traveled overseas often, sometimes on naval ships and submarines.

Despite telling his friends that he never wanted to see a farm again, in 1967 he and Bertha and their children moved back to Williamsburg so he could work on his father's farm. His wife wasn't surprised. "When he worked his other jobs he was always reading farm publications and magazines. He wanted to be his own boss."

Mrs. England estimated they moved 22 times before returning to Williamsburg.

In 1970, the Englands started working their own farm, Weeping-Hollow, in rural Williamsburg. They made the farm a family affair, with each of their six children working on the farm before and after school.

Daughter Maureen remembers learning to drive a John Deere 630 tractor at the age of 12.

"I was really nervous," she said.

With her father sitting on the fender, she put the tractor in gear, and took her foot off the clutch too quickly, despite her father's direction to let off the clutch easy.

"The tractor jumped and took off and Dad flew off. Dad wasn't very happy, but we tried a few more times until I got it right."

Although farming chores were a priority, the children were active in school and community activities, notably FFA. Bill and Bertha received special recognition for having three daughters, Laura, Teresa and Maureen, receive FFA Keystone State Degrees as seniors in high school. Sons Keith and Brent also received the Keystone State Degree, and oldest son Mark belonged to FFA as well.

Bill was active in the community, serving on the board of directors of the Williamsburg Public Library, the local planning commission, and as a judge of elections. He sought and won election to the board of the Williamsburg Community School District, and eventually was named president of the board.

Professionally, Bill served on the board of the Atlantic Dairy Cooperative, and as president of a Farm Credit Board. He was a member of the Young Adult Farmers, the Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council, the Blair County, Pennsylvania and National Holstein Associations, and the Pennsylvania DHIA (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) Advisory Committee.

In 1990, Bill received the Master Farmer Award, which recognizes farmers for their high achievement in farming and public service. Bertha said Bill recognized farming as a business, and treated it as such. He was one of the first farmers to use a computer to manage a farm.

He spent his free time traveling, sometimes flying a rented plane to meetings and vacations. Bertha remembers flying with Bill to Dulles airport to see the supersonic Concorde airplane.

"It looked like a giant praying mantis," she said, laughing.

She praised the help they had on the farm, saying they were able to travel because they knew the farm was in good hands.

The family also enjoyed skiing trips to places like Whistler Mountain in British Columbia and Mount Snow in Vermont. Laura's son Matthew learned to ski during a family trip to Mount Snow. Laura said the five-year-old enjoyed ski school, but would have preferred joining his mother and grandfather on the mountain.

Keith remembers his father as always being active and physically fit.

"He never took his health for granted. He didn't smoke, drink, or dip, and rarely ate junk food. He was a state-level wrestler at Williamsburg High School, and wrestled at Penn State until he gave it up after an injury."

In 2009, Bill and Bertha retired from farming and Weeping-Hollow Farm became part of Penn England Farms, LLC. Keith manages the operations of the farm today and milks 450 cows.

After retirement, Bill and Bertha traveled, and Bill helped around the farm when he could. In 2014, they moved from the farm to a new home nearby where Bill kept a fish pond. The pond features a colorful array of koi fish and goldfish, which the entire family enjoys, especially the great-grandchildren, who love feeding the fish.

Even after his health began to decline, Bill stayed active, walking his dog and working in the yard. On his 85th birthday Teresa, a guidance counselor for the Northern Bedford School District, asked him to share his advice for living.

"Never stop learning and never stop moving" he said.

Brent, a Chaplain in the U.S. Department of Justice, said his father left a legacy worth honoring and remembering, and instilled a work ethic and appreciation for work in his children that he is tremendously thankful for.

"God is faithful and provides for us," said Brent.