Photo by Skye Marthaler
Owen-Cox House / Maplelawn is a 2-story brick Classical Revival style on what is now 8220 Moores Lane.
It sits across from the present Nashville Golf & Athletic Club. In 1830, the original dwelling was built by Nathan Owen (1782-1865) and Jane Hightower “Jincy” Owen (1786-after 1866) on 300 acres.
In 1866, Nicholas Nichol Cox (1837-1912) and Mary Slayden Cox (1841-1925) bought and completely remodeled the house in the 1870s and 1900s into an Italianate style. He was a prominent lawyer and county politician and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1891-1903. In 1891, Cox had another mansion constructed and moved into it - Cox House. Afterward he engaged in farming and was a vice-president of the National Bank of Franklin. Nicholas and Mary had a few children.
Their oldest daughter, Imogene Cox, married John D. Tulloss of Inglehame, and they eventually moved to Ravenwood. The oldest son, Parmenio E. Cox, became a local lawyer and was involved in the community. Parmenio resided at the family Cox House. The other son, Carter Cox, and his wife Bessie built and lived at their Coralto estate near Franklin. Carter and Bessie’s adopted son, Edward, remained at Maplelawn until the 1970s.
Nathan assisted H.H. Mayberry to organize and establish the Nashville-Franklin Interurban and served as its first legal counsel. In the 1920s, Cox was a driving force to construct the Nashville-Centerville-Dickson Turnpike which evolved to State Highway 100.
The Cox family members continued to live there until 1933. In 1974, William James “Bill” Donoho (1915-1993) and Jessie Mildred "Maud" Donoho (1917-2011) purchased Maplelawn with 5 acres. Bill became a high ranking officer with the Nashville Metro Police. He and Mildred then helped bring auto racing to Nashville and managed the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway as president for years.
In 2014, Kylan Bodin purchased Maplelawn and its 5 acres. Bodin is a legal nurse consultant. NRHP 1988 See Cox House @ Harpeth Academy, Inglehame, Ravenwood
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