3104 Del Rio Pike Franklin, TN
Circa 1820. 2-story red brick Federal style home
Photo by Skye Marthaler
Col. Nicholas Tate Perkins (1767-1843) married his cousin, Nancy Ann Perkins (1770-1839), in 1790 and they purchased the property off the Big Harpeth River in 1802. Ann was the sister of Nicholas "Bigby" Perkins. A couple decades later, they built their home in 1820 off what is now Franklin Rd. Perkins increased his estate to 702 acres. The Perkins named it Poplar Grove. Col. Perkins was a representative of Williamson Co. in the TN Legislature in 1805, and two years later was elected a state senator. He negotiated a treaty with the Cherokee to gain title to the lands that became Maury County, TN in 1806. He earned his "colonel" status in the Creek War, 1813-14. His son, Nicholas Tate Perkins, Jr. sold the property in 1847.
Dr. Simeon Shy (1792-1878) and Amelia Mabry Shy (1800-1884) were the next owners. Dr. Shy was a successful farmer. His son, Col. William M. Shy served in the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment in the Civil War. During the Battle of Nashville, he was killed on Compton’s Hill south of Green Hills area and later that hill was renamed in his honor, Shy’s Hill, off Harding Place. The Shy family resided at Two Rivers until 1890. Another son, Dr. (James) Louis Shy (1835-1890) and Tennessee Byrd Hughes Shy (1837-1890) resided at the home as well. After the passing of Tennessee, the Horton family purchased a portion of Poplar Grove.
The Henry Horton family bought two-thirds of the property about 1890 and then twenty-two years later, in 1912, acquired the house and its surrounding land. In 1927, there was a terrible storm which destroyed many of the trees on the plantation. The Horton family renamed the farm Two Rivers for the West and the Big Harpeth Rivers flowing around the property.
In 1971, Marion Green and the James L. Buford family owned and resided at Two Rivers.
Dr. Bernard O. “Ben” Griffith (1931-2010) and purchased Two Rivers with 3.4 acres in 1977. Dr. Griffith was a veterinarian who had a Nashville practice with his brother Dr. Leland Griffith; later, he opened Hillsboro Animal Hospital in 1963. He retired to the farm in 1987. In 1988, Dr. Griffith submitted Two Rivers for historic recognition with an increased land of 15 acres.
Two years after Dr. Griffith's death, property was purchased by daughter Mary "Abbie" Abigail Griffith. NR 1988 See also Meeting of the Waters, River Grange, Montpier
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