Present Metrocenter area Nashville, TN
Circa 1800. 2-story Federal brick home
Coming from Virginia with his brother Randal McGavock in 1786, David McGavock, Jr. (1763-1838) surveyed and initially bought 960 acres in what became North Nashville including Freeland’s Station (Eighth Ave. North/ Rosa Parks Blvd. and Hume St.) starting in the 1780s. The area was generally in the present-day Metrocenter area. David also purchased 2 640-acre pieces of land across the river in East Nashville. David built a house on the tract closest to the river and called it Fountain Blue (held in Davids’s name) and the other tract was held in his father James’ name. Soon, the McGavock family owned 2,240 acres.
Freeland’s Station evolved to McGavock’s Spring. In 1789, David returned to Virginia, visited his family in Virginia and married Elizabeth “Eliza” McDowell (1761-1803). She remained in Virginia until the Indian struggles were calmed. About 1800, David built a nice brick home near his cotton factory. After Eliza died, David married Mary Turner “Hubbie” `Hubell (1773-1834). David was a trustee of Davidson Academy (which evolved to Cumberland College, then to University of Nashville).
Randal McGavock was a deputy in Nashville’s land office, the clerk in the circuit court, and mayor of Nashville in 1824. Later he moved his family further south to Franklin, TN established Carnton Plantation.
The David McGavock family was large. Son, James McGavock, settled on the Fountain Blue property with his wife Mary Kent. Son, Francis “Frank” Preston McGavock (1794-1866), married Amanda Harding (1807-1873), the daughter of John and Susannah Harding of Belle Meade Plantation. The newlywed couple was given land by John Harding on the eastern side of his holdings (the Hillwood area) where they built a mansion named Clifflawn. Their son, Dr. David Turner McGavock (1813-1866), and Caroline E. Pugsley McGavock (1815-1863) inherited the home and ferry business. David studied medicine under his future father-in-law, Dr. Pugsley, but never practiced.
Lysander McGavock married Eliza Crockett. In 1837, they moved to a 1,000 acre farm in Williamson County called Good Springs. They changed the name to Midway. The fate of the David McGavock house is unclear. See Belle Meade, Carnton, Clifflawn, Midway, West Meade, McGavock-Gatewood-Webb House/ Fountain Blue