At 810 Jackson Blvd, Boxwood sits at the corner of Jackson Blvd and Harding Place and astride Belle Meade Blvd. on the curve across from Belle Meade Country Club.
Photo from Page Duke Archit.
In 1917 Richard Cheatham Plater (1872-1955) and Anna Gay "Nannie" Butler Plater (1877-1961) built this Georgian style mansion in the newly developing Belle Meade neighborhood. They wed in 1904 and traveled between at least Louisiana, Tennessee and Virginia. His family was descended from the Lewis, Custis and Washington families of Virginia. The Plater family owned properties across the eastern United States. They owned several Louisiana plantations including Acadia, St. Brigitte Plantation and Evergreen. Plater had founded Thomas Plater & Co., a private banking firm, with his father Thomas Plater, and became CEO by 1920. The family had a summer home in Clarke County, Virginia. In 2003, Acadia mansion sold, torn down, and the 100 plus acres developed into residential and commerical uses. After Plater's death, Ann moved and lived with her aunt Ann Price (and Andrew Price) at Clover Bottom and in St. Louis. At some point, Ann and Andrew Price owned Boxwood as well. They also had owned Belair and Clover Bottom.
It was later remodeled by John Manson Oman, Jr. (1873-1949) and Elizabeth Bond Oman (1878-1975) in the 1940s. They were related to Stirton Oman of Ashlawn. They had lived on a large estate The Maples off Golf Club Lane at the turn of the century. At some point, they purchased Boxwood. They moved to the Brentwood area to the James Johnston House/ Thurso in 1945 which had been vacant. John began renovating the home.
By 1974, Sam Milton Fleming (1908-2000) and Ada Josephine Cliffe Fleming (1907-1980) were residing in it. They were married in 1930. After Josephine’s death, Sam remarried Valerie Ellis in 1983. (The marriage was Valerie’s third marriage. She primarily resided in Palm Beach, FL.) Valerie died in 2016. Fleming was one of the most important and influential bankers of his era. Under Fleming’s leadership, Third National helped fund such major companies as National Life & Accident Insurance, Genesco, HCA Healthcare and KFC. He became president and chairman of Third National Bank. He served on the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust from 1952 until his death (president from 1975-1981). During his chairmanship, the Owen Graduate School of Management (1969) was created, the 1979 merger of Peabody College occurred as well as the 1981 merger of Blair School of Music. He was also a founding director of Hillsboro Enterprises which held varied business interests. He served on a number of corporate and non-profit organizations.
In 2005, Thomas F. Frist III and Julie Damgard Frist purchased the home and its 4 acres. He is the founder and managing principal of Frist Capital. See J Johnston Home/ Thurso, Clover Bottom
Sources:
Commentaires