Photo by russograph
Skipwith Hall/ Oakwood Hall is located at 2366 Williamsport Pike near Columbia.
It was built in 1816 as a 2.5 story timber frame mansion in late Georgian style. The owners were Edward Brinley Littlefield (1787-1836) and Cornelia Lott Greene Skipwith Littlefield (1779-1865). They wed about 1810. The original estate was 1,100 acres of a 25,000 acres Revolutionary War land grant in TN given to Cornelia’s father Gen. Nathaniel Greene, one of Gen. George Washington’s trusted officers who hailed from Rhode Island. Cornelia’s first husband, Peyton Skipwith (1779-1808), had recently died after his and Cornelia’s move to Maury County.
His father was Sir Peyton Skipwith who lived at Prestwould estate in Mecklenburg, VA. Capt. William Littlefield was Nathaniel’s brother-in-law and established the land grant for Greene and was deeded a portion for his help. After Peyton died, Cornelia married her cousin Edward Brinley Littlefield (1785-1836) in 1810. Edward was Capt. Littlefield’s son and had been living in Newport, RI. Then Edward became involved in Tennessee politics, won a Senate seat from Lucius Polk, and moved to Nashville. The family ran the farm including a mill and distillery.
Later Cornelia passed the property in 1836 to her sons George G. Skipwith and Peyton H. Skipwith. The property was on the market for nine years until, in 1849, they deeded it to Planters Bank. In 1844, Maj. Benjamin “Ben” F. Harlan had leased land for his business, and he bought it when the bank put it up for auction in 1849. He renamed the property Oakwood Farm and operated a successful stock farm. The same year he married Sarah Ann Harlan (1825-1895) who was his first cousin. [Her parents, James and Sarah Harlan, were among the founders of Harrodsburgh, KY, the first permanent white settlement across the Appalachian Mtn.] Maj. Harlan ran a successful horse and mule breeding operation when he bought the mansion. His efforts likely brought the first mules to Maury County. The Harlan family added the six distinctive pillars and the large veranda to the house as a symbol of the Planter Age. About 1863, Harlan built a schoolhouse for the community on a portion of his land. Maj. Harlan and his son, Allen, continued running one of the most famous horse breeding operations in the South.
In the 1930s, Oakwood was sold out of the Harlan family, and J. Rufus Baker and Elva Baker purchased it. Baker was Maury County School Superintendent for over 30 years. In 1971, J.R. Baker Elementary School was opened and named for him.
In 1936, Allen Harlan regained ownership of the property and at some point returned to the name Skipwith. The Harlan family has continued to own the property for nearly a century. (Howard) Leon and Fannie Sue Stone Harlan were owners in 1977.
In 2011, David and Debra Hill purchased the property and renovated it to restore a Columbia historic home. The Hill family has also purchased and restored the Mayes-Hatcher House and won a preservation award. David Hill has created HillHistoricProperties web site to promote these two restorations as well as Columbia’s former Union Station. David is also owner of Wiremasters, Inc. NRHP 1977
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