Photo by rossograph
Greenfield/ David Chenault House is a 2-story L-plan house built for the Chenault family by John Fonville and originally sat on a 6,300 acre tract at 638 Rock Springs Rd. at Castalian Springs. The property was granted to Anthony Bledsoe (1733-1788) and Mary Ramsey Bledsoe (1734-1808) by North Carolina. Bledsoe and James Robertson were leaders of the first pioneers to middle TN. He and other pioneers were the first settlers in the western wilderness of North Carolina, then Tennessee lands. After Bledsoe was killed near the station/fort, his widow remained there.
Greenfield Fort was built on the lands. Indian wars in the late 1700s prevented settlement on the land. Bledsoe’s widow, Mary Bledsoe Parker continued operating the Greenfield fort. By 1801, son Isaac Bledsoe (1735-1793) had possession of the land. He wed Katherine Montgomery (1752-1811), sister of fellow pioneer Col. John Montgomery, in 1772. Col. Montgomery helped found Clarksville. They sheltered at Mansker’s Fort from 1782-83, then moved to his brother’s fort, Greenfield, in 1784.
In 1836, their son, Isaac, sold 595 acres and the fort to David J. “Tennessee David” (1800-1883) Chenault and Louisa Quisenberry Chenault (1811-1887) of KY. David and Louisa married in 1827. By 1840, a brick home replacing the original fort was constructed in Federal style and also called Greenfield.
By 1860, Chenault owned over 2,500 acres and was one of the greatest landowners and successful farmers in the county. Son Milton W. Chenault took over the farm in 1883, and it remained in the family until 1913 when it was sold to the Willmore family. Then A.J. Fitzpatrick owned the property from 1914 to 1930. The Wilson family owned it. In 1962, Dr. and Mrs. T.F. Parrish purchased property. They sold it to Nathan Harsh, a principal with the law firm Harsh & Harsh, in 1986. Nathan Harsh owned Greenfield with 208 acres in 1990. NRHP1990 See Oaklands
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