Trousdale Place is located on 183 West Main St. in Gallatin.
Photo by rossograph
Built about 1813 by local atty and U.S. House rep Col. John Henry Bowen (1780-1822), it is in Federal style. Two years later, in 1815, Col. Bowen wed Elizabeth Allen. Bowen was a lawyer and the first representive from Sumner County to serve in the U.S. Congress.
After his death, Gen. William Montgomery Blackmore (1803-1853) became the owner. Gen. Blackmore was a decorated officer of the Mexican War. His parents were George D. and Elizabeth Neely Blackmore. His father was Maj. George D. Blackmore who served in the American Revolution and was part of the Nickajack expedition. After the Revolution, he moved his family from Maryland, to the Cumberland country. Blackmore turned it around and sold to William P. Rowles whose family lived there about 15 years from 1822-1836. Rowles was a Methodist clergyman, iterant physician/ educator and Superintendant of the Gallatin Female Academy (1824-1836). He had come from the Huntsville, AL area and later was stationed other areas in the Southeast.
Gov. William Trousdale (1790-1872) bought the property in 1836. Known as the “Great War Horse of TN,” Trousdale fought in many of the early conflicts in the nation’s history: Creek, Seminole, Mexican Wars as well as under Gen. Jackson in New Orleans in the War of 1812. The house was part of a North Carolina land grant to Trousdale’s father, James, which had been sold to found the new county seat of Gallatin in 1802. In 1827, Trousdale married Mary Ann Bugg (1807-1882). He served as Tennessee governor (1849-51) while living there. In 1853, Pres. Pierce appointed him U. S. Minister to Brazil and he completed the 4 year term and resumed his law practice.
After the Civil War, the Tennessee Legislature honored Trousdale’s service by naming a newly formed county Trousdale County in his honor. After he died in 1872, his widow Mary Bugg Trousdale remained until her death. Then their son Julius Augustus Trousdale (1840-1899) and his wife Annie Berry Trousdale (1854-1935) lived there. Julius was involved in Tennessee politics and government as well including serving as Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Annie was part of the illustrious Berry family of middle Tennessee: Daughter of William Wells (W.W.) Berry of Elmwood and sister of Horatio Berry of Hazel Path.
After Julius’ death, Anne gave home to the local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. In the 1970s, the Trousdale House housed the Sumner County Museum, but by 1979, the museum got permission to build its own place on the grounds of the Trousdale. The property has been known as Trousdale Place since 1899. NRHP 1975 See Elmwood, Hazel Path
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