Photo by rossograph
Built in 1833, James Randal McGavock (1812-1862) and Louisa Caroline Chenault McGavock (1813-?) lived in this 2 story Greek Revival mansion. James’ father, Randal McGavock, built the home off Lewisburg Pike near the Harpeth River (current address is 1711 Forrest Crossing in the Forrest Crossing subdivision).
It was a wedding gift for James (2nd son) and Louisa. [James’ family: Father was Randal of Carnton; sister was Elizabeth McGavock Harding who married Giles Harding of Belle Meade Plantation; uncle was Lysander McGavock of Midway.] Randal was a good friend of Andrew Jackson, and when Jackson heard of the new house wedding gift, he gathered cedar saplings from the Hermitage, traveled to Franklin, and planted them by hand around the new home. By 1859, the McGavocks had increased their land to 714 acres.
The property was purchased by James “Jim” Gains, an architect, in 1905. The home suffered damage from a fire shortly afterward, and Gains rebuilt it with the original bricks in Neo-Classical style. He named the home Riverside.
In 1919, William Jessie Prichard (1859-1930) and Mary Gibson Prichard (1857-1944) became owners. They married in 1883. Riverside farm had 250 acres. They socialized and entertained a lot. Then their daughter, Mary Wood "Polly" Pritchard (1888-1973), and her husband Dr. Ray Wallace Billington (1880-1962), a bone specialist, purchased the McGavock-Gains House in 1939. They wed in 1913. He graduated from BGA. Dr. Billington opened his practice in Nashville and became an assistant professor of theAnatomy and Material Medicine Department at Vanderbilt Hospital from 1906-10. From 1911-1950, he taught orthopaedic surgery at Vanderbilt. In the 1910s, Dr. Billington was a pioneer in some surgeries: In 1912, Dr. Billington performed the first bone graft operation in the South and the next year, performed the first fusion of spine. The Billingtons helped fund the Junior League Home for Crippled Children. In 1949, in a last hurrah, Dr. Billington helped organize and became president of the Tennessee State Orthopedic Society and then retired the next year.
In 1971, Ronald S. and Martha “Marty” Ligon owned Riverside, but lived on West Main St. in downtown Franklin. Ligon is a Lebanon, TN native who moved to Franklin in his youth. In 1957, he started work at Union Acceptance Corp. and became president that year. In 1960, he traveled to Gatlinburg to scout investment property and purchased land. He erected a famous tourist attraction Christus Gardens which he operated until 2008.In 1970, he purchased controlling interest in Harpeth National Bank and served as vice chairman until 1978. In 1998, Ligon helped purchase and incorporate the Cox House at Harpeth Academy as the lower school for Battle Ground Academy. His parents, the Raymond Ligons, owned Melrose Plantation. Marty has served as Mother Christmas during the Dickens of Christmas festival in Franklin for nearly 30 years. After Ron died, Marty became owner of Lillihouse in Franklin by 2022.
In 1988, Sharondale Properties owned the home and 3.25 acres of land.
In 2006, Henry and Rebecca Stilwell bought the home. Rebecca had a long career with Morgan Stanley, was on the Board of Trustees of O’More College of Design, and served as the interim president in 2014. In 2018, Riverside was for sale with 6.5 acres. NRHP 1988 See also Belle Meade, Carnton, Melrose, McGavock-Hayes/Midway
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