Ferdinand Tonney (left) of Swifton produced a cotton crop in 1908 valued at $2 million. The field pictured here produced cotton worth $90 per acre. The Swifton farmer was aided by a mild climate, rich soil, an abundance of timber, and a location near the great markets. On the right is W.D. Morgan, who was president of the local bank. In 1910, Tonney produced the first rice grown in Jackson County.
Courtesy of J.W. Hulen
From Watson, Tim, and Elizabeth Jacoway. Newport and Jackson County. Arcadia Publishing, 2016