3050 Del Rio Pike Franklin, TN
Circa 1825.
Locust Valley, et al was the third Perkins home constructed and was built by Col. Nicholas Tate Perkins for his daughter Mary Tate Perkins Moore (1805-1886) and her husband, Thomas Moore (1796-1883).
Thomas was a cousin of Mary Tate who lived in Virginia and that is where they married in 1823 . The couple moved to Arkansas to begin their family, but were struck by tragedy when their small child died. They returned to Williamson County in 1825 when their wedding gift house was done. They originally named the home Locust Valley; later it was renamed River Grange.
In 1867, Daniel Price Perkins (1839-1930) purchased the property with 338 acres, and the elder Perkins remained in the house - for 16 more years before their deaths. The mansion remained in the family - Perkins was a grandson of Col. Perkins. Daniel was married thrice: 1st wife, Sarah Catherine “Kate” Morgan (1842-1872), 2nd wife, Florence Ewing Fletcher (?-1896), and 3rd wife, Mattie Curran Wilson. Daniel and his family farmed the land until 1882 when they sold it and moved to Murfreesboro. He entered the lumber industry, and in 1913, was president of Perkins Crichlow Lumber Company.
In 1889, (James) Otey Walker (1849-1940) and Laura Dorsett Walker (1853-1930) got possession and renamed property Walker’s Bend. A relative, Fred Walker, was a renowned trainer and operator of Walker's Bend. He worked with Harlinsdale Farms nearby and developed Midnight Sun into a champion horse.
Then about 1938, Gen. Jacob McGavock Dickinson, Jr. and his wife, Margaret, moved from Travelers Rest in Nashville and purchased it. The Dickinson’s expanded their world-renowned equine operation at the farm which was larger than Travelers Rest at 300 acres. Dickinson renamed the place Travelers Rest and enlarged the operations to become the largest Arabian horse operation in the U.S. He proceeded to build an enormous stable about 300 feet long. In 1946, Dickinson moved his family to California and sold his Tennessee properties to the Haun family.
Soon afterward, the Dickinson marriage failed. Margaret remained in California, and Jacob returned to Franklin. He became a tax administrator with the Tennessee Department of Finance and lived in Franklin. The horses which had been moved to California were sold off. Several of the fine Arabian horses were purchased by the Dickson daughter, Peggy Dickinson Fleming, who had wed Swope Fleming and resided in Maury County at Antrim Farm. She used the name Travelers Rest in her horse operations.
Caleb Powell Haun (1904-1963) and Julia Fay Norwood Haun (1906-1991) became the owners of Locust Valley in 1950. They also owned Travelers Rest in Williamson County. They wed in 1938. Haun was one of the founders in 1930 of Equitable Securities. It was a regional financial powerhouse which eventually merged with American Express. American Express grew into the mega-corporation today. In 1947, Haun formed and owned Franklin Limestone Co. with H.E. Rodes. He obviously got very involved with the Tennessee walking horse area, and the property became River Grange once again. A prime horse was Old Glory. The Haun family later moved to Deer Park Drive in Belle Meade. [Julia had three husbands: Frederick W. Hecker, Cale P. Haun, and Bertram H. Chalfant.]
From at least 1998 to 2020, the owners were Livingfield D. More (1926-2021) and Agnes Stokes Fort More (?-2011). They wed in 1957. Livingfield was an attorney and had deep ties to Middle Tennessee. His great-grandfather was Josiah Nichol, mayor of Nashville and owner of Belair Mansion. His maternal grandparents were Walter and Nellie Treanor Stokes, Sr. of Breezemont at Stokes Farm. He was the son of (Elijah) Livingfield More and Ellen”Miss Ellen” Stokes Wemyss.
After Livingfield died, she wed Wemyss of Fairvue, and finally built Three Terraces in Nashville. His mother’s relative was Rufus E. Fort of Fortland. Livingfield helped found Harpeth Academy which evolved into Battle Ground Academy. He was primarily a farmer. Their daughter was Ellen L. More. Ellen lives in Franklin. For about a decade, she was the CEO and a major shareholder of the Nashville Arcade in which her family and the Buntins were investors. The property was known as River Grange with the More family from its history as a grain field. NRHP 1988 See also Belair, Meeting of the Waters, Montpier, Travellers Rest, Fairvue, Fortland, Three Terraces, Antrim Farm
Sources:
Historic Williamson County Old Homes and Sites
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