Current 222 Belle Meade BL - off Richland-Harding Pike (now Harding Rd.) Nashville, TN
Circa 1888.
Honeywood was owned by Judge Thomas Henry Malone (1834-1906) and Ellen W. Fall Malone (1843-1898). He was admitted to the bar in 1859 and became a member of the firm Houston, Vaughn and Malone. He practiced there until the Civil War at which point he served in the Confederate States of America army. He was married to Ellen Fall in 1866. After the Civil War, he resumed his law career with DeMoss and Malone until 1892 when he retired. He was elected judge on the chancery court of the 6th division of Tennessee and performed later as chancellor. Ellen’s father was Prof. Alexander Fall who operated Fall’s Business College and Telegraph Institute in downtown Nashville in the mid to late 1800s.
By 1870, the Malone family had purchased farmland from the McGavock family and established their Honeywood farm off the Richland-Harding Turnpike. From 1875-1904, he became a renowned Dean of the Law Department of Vanderbilt University. He served as president of Nashville Gas from 1893 to 1906. He also imported Jersey cattle for his Honeywood farm. In 1903, there was a major fire. Honeywood was rebuilt in stone. Malone married his second wife Milbrey Ewing Hall Malone (1860-1949) in 1900 and bequeathed Honeywood Farm to her. Malone died 6 years later, and Milbrey resided at Honeywood until her death. Most of the farmland was sold for the Belle Meade development. The old farm road used for Honeywood became the main entrance to Belle Meade Blvd off the Richland/ Harding Pike.
Their daughter, Julia Malone, married Thomas Trabue and resided at Bonaventure. Bonaventure was built off the newly cut Belle Meade Blvd on part of the Honeywood farm given to them.
In 1951, Immanuel Baptist Church purchased Honeywood and its remaining 7 acres. In 1987, the house was demolished for construction of a church addition. The streets, Malone Ave., Honeywood Dr., and Ellendale Ave. recognize the family’s ties. The name came from the number of locust trees on the property. See Bonaventure
Sources:
Nashville Pikes Vol. 3 150 Years Along Harding Pike, p. 188
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