On April 15, 1905, seven agricultural students at the University of Missouri founded a club that emphasized the importance of friendship, academics and faith. Today, the club, now known as FarmHouse Fraternity, has grown into an international organization with 32 chapters currently across North America and more than 30,000 lifelong members.

Founded by a group of men sharing a passion for agriculture, FarmHouse is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading agricultural fraternities. D. Howard Doane (Missouri 1905), the man who conceived the basic ideas and values of FarmHouse, had clear ties to the agriculture industry as he founded Doane Agricultural Services in 1919 and served on a task force to reorganize the U.S. Department of Agriculture under President Herbert Hoover.

Founders Robert F. Howard (Missouri 1905) and Melvin E. Sherwin (Missouri 1905) also had deep ties to agriculture: Howard worked as a cattle rancher and pecan farmer before becoming a professor of horticulture at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1912 to 1914; Sherwin was a soil scientist and agronomist before joining North Carolina State as a professor and the head of the soils department in 1910.

Although the Fraternity’s roots are in agriculture, FarmHouse has made significant contributions in athletics, business, education, government and more through the work of its exceptional members.

For example, Don Faurot (Missouri 1921), is considered one of the most pivotal head coaches in college football history. Faurot, who led the Missouri Tigers to a 107-79-10 record over 19 seasons, invented the Split-T formation, which helped Missouri win its first two conference championships. Faurot was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1961 for his contributions to the game.

In business, several FarmHouse members have made their mark, including founder Earl W. Rusk (Missouri 1905). During his career, Rusk served as the farm service director of two Chicago radio stations, a railroad agricultural agent, a supervising salesman and a farm service director for a rock phosphate company.

Six FarmHouse alumni have served as university presidents, while seven alumni have represented their constituents in the U.S. House of Representatives. Country music artists Leroy Van Dyke (Missouri 50) and Pat Green (Texas Tech 92) are among the FarmHouse members who have had notable careers in the entertainment industry.

As FarmHouse continues to grow across the United States and Canada, the Fraternity’s impact will only expand. Just as the founders intended, the men of FarmHouse consistently seek excellence in their chosen fields and in life, with progress marking their every step.