History

Moyglass farm has been the home of the Spence family for many generations going back to the 17th century. Historically the farm was mainly a grassland mixed stock farm typical of the region with a milk herd and followers, some pigs and free range hens, ducks and geese that supplied food and income for rearing many generations. The fields are separated by dense hedges of hawthorn, ash, sycamore, cherry and hazel grown on earthen banks. Each field has a name going back many generations, often reflecting its use or some feature, – The Turnip Field, the Long Meadow, Nellie's Acre, the Back Bottom, the Field Behind the Orchard, the Front Orchard, Ned's Field, the Rock, The Glen and the Whinny Brae.

Since the 1950s grass silage has been conserved rather than hay, for winter fodder for the cattle. In the 19th century flax was commercially produced and potatoes and vegetables were grown for family use. Dairy farming ceased in the mid 1990s and today the farm is used for grass production and stock rearing. Three small wood lots are maintained and are being restocked with native hazel, ash, oak and other species.

Around the house there are stands of mature trees planted by the Reverend Gabriel Spence in the late 19th Century, with further planting continually from the 1950s. The farm is self sufficient in wood for wood burning stoves and fireplaces to supplement the central heating. Soon, shallow geothermal energy collected from the land, will take the place of oil central heating.

Today organic vegetable and fruit gardens are maintained for domestic use. Seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs from the garden are available to our guests. There is an open pit barbecue, beautiful treed walks for quiet reflection, and scenic views across the valley to the mountains of South West Fermanagh and County Cavan in Eire.

Hartzell Spence

Hartzell Spence, 93, a best selling author born in Clarion, recently of Essex, Connecticut, died May 9, 2001, at his home. Spence wrote "One Foot in Heaven", a collection of more than 100 short stories about a Methodist minister and his family as they moved from town to town. Spence based the book on his own experience as the son of a Methodist clergyman. One Foot was named to the best seller list in 1941, and eventually was adapted to the silver screen in a movie starring Frederic March. Spence's father, William H. Spence, served the Methodist Church in Clarion from 1907-1909. Parson, as he was called, thought of himself first as a minister and second as a family man. He ruled with an iron hand. Hartzell Spence was born February 15, 1908, in Clarion. He graduated from the University of Iowa, Magna Cum Laude in 1930. He served as the Iowa bureau manager of the United Press Associate from 1930-1941. In 1963, Spence was named to the University of Iowa School of Journalism. Before finding success with his book, Spence received dozens of rejection letters from publishers. Finally, a friend suggested, why don't you write something you know best about? The result was "One Foot in Heaven". One Foot chronicles Parson's predicaments and his ingenious means of getting out of them. The congregation in the book is split into warring factions and the choir is described as a cross between the devil's grandmother and a swarm of mountain wildcats.

The Spence family moved from Clarion to Fort Dodge in 1909, where Parson served the Methodist Church there until 1917. The church was located next to the fire station, which caused a problem if the fire alarm sounded during his sermon.
In 1921, Parson acquired a Ford Model T and the family motored to Colorado for a vacation. During World War II, Hartzell Spence founded Yank magazine for the enlisted men. As executive editor of Yank, Spence championed pin-up girls and the comic strip Sad Sac. Spence received the Legion of Merit in 1945 for his services. In 1964, Spence wrote "Marcos of the Philippines" a biography of Ferdinand E. Marcos. During his lifetime, Spence authored more than 200 articles for publications including the Saturday Evening Post, Look, and Reader's Digest. "One Foot in Heaven" is available at the Clarion and Belmond libraries by making arrangements through the Iowa State Traveling Library.

Read more about Hartzell and One Foot in Heaven here.