Samuel Fearn Perkins (1774-1843) moved to Tennessee and settled in the Triune/ Arrington area just south of “the Nolensville Rd.” about 1805.
In 1806, he married his cousin, Sarah “Sally” Leah Perkins (1776-1826). After she passed away, he then married Nancy Richardson (1789-1860). About the same time, the Perkins family built a small brick home that was near the later mansion house. He became one of Williamson County’s largest cotton producers as well as getting into the mercantile business.
Their son, Samuel Fearn Perkins, Jr. (1828-1889) inherited the estate at his father’s death. His first wife was Susan May Perkins (1836-?), a member of the Overton family of Traveler’s Rest, whom he wed in 1853. Shortly afterward, he wed Eleanor “Ella” Ryburn Brown Perkins (1835-1866). Eleanor’s parents were John Preston Watts and Jane Ramsey Nichol Brown of Nashville. J. P. W. Brown was raised in Kentucky and had lived in Liberty Hall in Frankfort as a child. The Brown family owned Sumner’s Farm near Versailles, KY.
About 1853-1858, he built Westview mansion which at that time was acknowledged as Williamson Co.’s finest home - there were over 30 plantation mansions in the Arrington community alone. The huge mansion stood off the old Nashville and Shelbyville Turnpike (now Horton Highway Hwy 41). Standing on about 1,280 acres, it was a 2 story Greek Revival with massive columns and surrounded by trees. Westview also boasted the typical long winding drive from the road to the mansion. The Perkins hospitality was legendary - with Westview often hosting more than 20 guests nightly. Perkins was a stockholder in several turnpike companies as well as having a prosperous plantation. During the Civil War, both sides used Westview and its grounds. Post-war, Perkins regained much of his prosperity.
After the death of Samuel Jr., the plantation lands totaled almost 1,070 acres, and it was sold in five lots. The children from both marriages were to share equally in the estate. The estate took nearly a decade to probate and prepare and the lots were sold in 1897. Their daughter, Eleanor Jane "Ella" Perkins Bailey (1866-1929), was married to Dr. William E. Bailey (1864-1929). Ella purchased the lot with the mansion and 311 acres and sold it immediately to Lavinia Patton Thompson Wilson Scales (1847-1917) and Fletcher Alexander Scales (1848-1912). They wed in 1888. Her first husband was Robert Wilson (1841-1883)(m. 1872). In 1887, Lavinia Patton received land in Arkansas and Kentucky as well as Tennessee land from her nephew Jason H. Thompson.
After Lavinia passed away, her son, Emmett Patton Wilson (1879-1937) inherited the property and his family, Pauline Owen Wilson (1880-1957) resided there until about 1925.They wed in 1899. Another son, John Robert Wilson (1873-1930), sold his parcel of 245 acres to William S. Smartt. Just three years later, there was a major fire which destroyed the interior of the mansion. Shortly after, a tornado ripped through area causing further damage to the yard, yet the exterior walls remained. In 1928, Smartt sold the property to W. R. Haynes. Haynes was a furniture dealer and undertaker based in Shelbyville. He was married to Mollie E. Summers Haynes. Haynes turned around and sold about half the land (100 acres) to Joe W. Scales.
Finally, in the 1980s, the remains of Westview were destroyed as the State of Tennessee built I-840 in the area. See Traveler’s Rest
[Editor's note: From the 1820s-the 1860s, the Triune community became very wealthy from cotton plantations and had numerous grand mansions. During the Civil War, most of the mansions were burned including the commercial buildings because the community was stridently anti-Union - and so paid the price. Westview escaped burning.]
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