9305 Crockett Rd. Brentwood, TN
Circa 1840. 2-story red brick Greek Revival style.
The Holt House/ Holtland/ Wildwood was built in 1840 by Thomas Holt (1802-1876) and Rosanna Julia Herbert Holt (1805-1853).
Photo by rossograph
They wed in 1828. After Rosanna’s death, Holt married Mary Oglesby in 1855. Holt was a successful Louisiana planter who grew up on his family's property. His parents, John and Isabella Perkins Hardeman Holt settled the property which was a Revolutionary War land grant for the services of his grandfather, Christopher Holt. Thomas and Rosanna removed the old log home on the property. The Holts were one of Brentwood’s first families.
Thomas and Rosanna grew the size of the Holtland plantation to 1,500 acres with its own cotton gin and saw mill. They built a second home named Wildwood. Reflecting Thomas’ Louisiana background, the home had a lot of New Orleans influence in furnishings. Holt later made Wildwood his family’s permanent home and became involved in the community which included serving as a justice of the peace. In 1859, the Holtland plantation stood on 682 acres. During the Civil War, the Holt family suffered great financial damage.
The Holt’s son, Lewis Herbert “Teat” Holt (1843-1916), and Almira T. Page Holt (1850-1911) inherited the place. They wed in 1872. Post-war, Holtland continued with tenant/ sharecropper farming and raising cotton and soybeans. Teat also ran the woolen mill that was located west of Wilson Pk south of Church St.
Holtland was maintained by family members as a 1,200 farm until the 1980s when about 80% of the land was sold for residential development. Next family owners were Charles Wesley Witherspoon (1851-1937) and Annie Dale Witherspoon (1859-1919).
John Page Holt (1890-1984) and O’Delle Kelly Holt (?-1993) also lived at Holtland farm. They wed in 1924. They built a “modern” house nearby on the property where they resided and called it Wildwood. Holtland was about 1,200 acres around Crockett Rd. then. About 1929, the property contained a sawmill, a dairy farm and raised livestock. By 1965, the family shut down the Wildwood home.
In 1984, John sold 900 acres to develop the Raintree Forest community. His sister Kate Holt Witherspoon (1886-1939) owned the remaining property. Her husband was Charles Wesley Witherspoon, Sr. (1888-1959(m. 1922 ). Their son C.W. "Charley" Witherspoon (1926-2017) resided there. Charley was a high school music teacher in Williamson and Davidson Counties and composed the alma mater songs of Hillsboro High School and Harpeth Hall School. He was very involved in music programs in Metro Nashville schools.
Other relatives also lived at Holt House. Cherry Kelly Hall, O’Delle’s niece, husband Edward Hall and their family stayed at Holt house for years until moving back to Virginia. In 1965, great-grandson Charles Witherspoon III (1926-2017) closed the historic home and moved into a small home on the property.
Between 2016-19, most of the remaining estate, 263 acres, were sold for further residential development - Witherspoon. Mike Ford Custom Builders is building the new homes. Holt House with 8.45 acres was purchased by a local family, Jodie and David Smith, who are renovating it. The home had been vacant for half a century. The family is recognized by Holt Woods, Holt Rd., and Holt Run Rd. - both between Edmondson Pike and Nolensville Rd. NRHP 1988
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