1218 West Jefferson Pk. Walter Hill, TN
Circa 1831. 2-story white frame home with 2-story columns at front portico
Photo from Susan Harber
An original log dogtrot building was constructed by unknown owners about 1831. Granville S. Pierce and Elizabeth Abbott Pierce married in 1830. He had purchased about 700 acres. His relative Alfred Pierce bought a part of the property seven years later and lived there with his wife Harriet. The Pierce family lands may have totaled 1,400 acres in the 1830s.
By 1870, Alfred and Harriet owned the home, and their son, William Pierce, inherited it. In the next two years, William sold most (570 acres) of the land and the house to Beverly H. Randolph, Jr. (1837-1921). Randoph's family lived beside Riverside. Lucy Wade Searcy Randolph lived at the Searcy-Mathews-Tarpley farm and web Randolph Sr. Randolph's parents were Harrison and Mary Jones Randolph from Virginia and members of the Randoph and Beverly families of that area. Randolph Jr. (1837-1921) married Elizabeth Casandra Wade (1844-1929) in 1865. They remodeled the original structure into the Greek Revival style. Beverly also became magistrate in 1871 as his father had been and filled that office until 1892. He also served as the clerk of the circuit court from 1880-1884. They grew cotton, corn and vegetables as well as raised cattle and hogs.They named the home Riverside.
At Randolph Jr's death, the estate was divided among four children, and over two years, John Beverly Randolph (1874-1966), bought out his siblings. The farm grew smaller to about 465 acres. He was married to Alice Fletcher (1882-1945). He served as county clerk from 1912-1959. Electricity as added in the 1920s. He started a dairy operation.
In 1966, their daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Randolph Jones (1911-1999), and her husband John Claude Jones, Sr. inherited the house with 450 acres. They raised corn, hay, soybean and cattle as well as running an antiques business.
In 2006, Beverly Randolph Jones, the great, grandson, owned the property with 13.5 acres. NRHP 2006 See Searcy-Mathews-Tarpley Home
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