908 Meridian St. Nashville, TN
Circa 1840. 2-story Federal style home.
The McGavock-Gatewood-Webb House was built on Meridian St in East Nashville. The 640-acre tract was originally owned by David McGavock in 1765, and he divided it in equal sections of 320 acres for two sons, John and James - who married sisters, Mary and Cynthia Kent of Virginia.
Photo by Sandy Wilson
James McGavock (1790-1841) and wife Mary Kent McGavock (1788-1827) built a house on his estate in 1840 - both the home and estate were called Fountain Blue. James died the next year. That year the property was reduced to 94 acres each between four children, and daughter Lucinda McGavock Harris (1817-1847) and husband Jeremiah George Harris (1809-1891) inherited the house. They married in 1842, and Jeremiah was a New Bedford, Mass native. He was editor of the Nashville Union newspaper which was partisan for Andrew Jackson and promoted James K. Polk. Jeremiah was a Naval officer in the 1840s and was active during the Mexican-American War. He continued to serve Federal forces in the Navy during the Civil War. The family continued living at the home until the Civil War.
The house was vacant during the Civil War as Jeremiah served in the Union Navy, son Joseph served in the Confederate army, and daughter Lucie lived in the Northern states. Post-war, Lucie lived in the house again with her husband Professor Van Sinderen Lindsley (1840-1885), professor of Surgical Anatomy and the chair of the ophthalmology and otology departments at the University of Nashville and later Vanderbilt University. They married in 1868. In 1871, Meridian Street was completed. After Dr. Lindsley’s death, the 94 acres began to be subdivided.
In 1891, Lucie sold Fountain Blue and moved to New York. Dr. Wesley Emmett Gatewood purchased the property and lived there until 1905. In 1905, he sold the property to Alonzo C. Webb who rented the property out. In 1939, Webb died and left the home to his children. His daughter, Susanna Webb sold the home in 1941. Then their son, Hanor Webb, bought it for use as rental property. In 2003, the house was purchased by Ray of Hope Community Church on .97 of an acre. NRHP 2007
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