Historical Markers - Notable People
Albertine Maxwell
Regarded as the symbol of dance in her adopted hometown of Nashville, Ellen Albertine Chaiser Maxwell (1902-96) operated the Albertine School of the Dance (1936-80). She had danced with Chicago Opera, Adolf Baum Dance Co., and Ruth St. Denis Dance Co. Founder and director of the Les Ballets Intimes with Nashville Ballet Society (1945-80), Maxwell was also a founding member of the Southeastern Regional Ballet Assn. (1955). Her studio in her home, 3307 West End, no longer stands.
Location: 3307 West End Avenue
Erected: 2005
Neil S. Brown 1810-1886
Located 125 yards north is the site of Idlewild, home of Neill S. Brown, governor of Tennessee, 1848-1850. The only governor to live in East Nashville, he is credited with naming the city of Edgfield. Appointed United States Minister to Russia in 1850, and in 1870 was a member of the State Constitutional Convention.
Location: 809 Main Street
Erected: 1971
Capt. Alexander Ewing - "Devil Alex"
Early settler of N.W. Davidson Co. Served in Revolutionary War as Aid-de-Camp to Gen. Green. Wounded at Guilford. Earned nickname and 2666 acres. Built and owned first brick plantation house in area, 1/4 mile East. Later built Ewing Mansion on
Buena Vista Pike. He and his wife Sarah are buried directly across in Ewing Plantation cemetery.
Location: Ewing Drive at Knight Road
Erected 1995
(This marker has been removed)
Capt. John Rains
On Christmas 1779 he led his family and livestock across the frozen Cumberland and settled in this vicinity. In 1784 he built a fort that enclosed the spring 75 yards east. At James Robertson’s orders he often led a company of scouts against Indians. His home was on this hill until he died in 1834, age 91.
Location: SW corner of Rains Ave and Merritt St.
Erected: 1968
Timothy Demonbreun
Jacques-Timothe’ De Montbrun, born on Mar. 23, 1747, in Boucherville, Quebec, was the first white man to live in the Nashville area. Beginning in 1769, he spent several winters here trading for furs. He served as Lieut. Gov. of Illinois country, 1783-86. He became permanent resident of Nashville in 1790, operating store & tavern. Died at home on this site, Oct. 30, 1826.
Location: Broadway & 3rd Av N, wall marker
Erected: 1971
Mrs. John Donelson
After Col. John Donelson was killed in 1785, his widow and family continued to live here in a log house. In 1789 lawyers Andrew Jackson and John Overton boarded with the Donelsons. Here Jackson met Rachel, the Donelson’s youngest daughter. They married in 1791 and lived here until they acquired there own home across the Cumberland in 1792.
Location:
Erected: 1969
Major Wilbur Fisk Foster 1834-1922
Chief Engr. army of Tenn. C. S. A.; Construction Engineer on first R.R. Bridge in Nashville; City Engineer of Nashville and member of American Society of Civil Engineers; Director of Works at the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and Co-Founder of Foster & Creighton Co.; Elder, First Presbyterian Church; 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason.
Location: Centennial Park by Lake Wautauga
Erected: 1975
Julia McClung Green 1873-1961
Dedicated educator who served Davidson County public schools 57 years as a teacher, the first Supervisor of Elementary Education 1911-1944 and Director of Character Education, Miss Julia oversaw schools countywide. A progressive, she pioneered school hot lunch and health programs for children, local affiliation with national education organizations, and the local PTA movement.
Location: 3500 Hobbs Road
Erected: 1999
Adolphus Heiman 1809-1862
Born in Potsdam, Prussia. Came to Nashville 1838. Lived in home on this site, Architect, Engineer & Builder. Designed Univ. of Nash. Main Bldg., Central State Hosp. Main Bldg., Suspension Bridge over Cumberland River Masonic Leader; Adj. U.S. Army Mexican War,; Col. 10th Tenn. Inf. Reg.
C.S.A. Civil War. Buried in Confederate Circle, Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Location: 900 Jefferson Street
Erected: 1976
John Trotwood Moore 1858-1929
Tennessee novelist, poet, co-author, four-volume history, “Tennessee, the Volunteer State”; publisher, “Trotwood monthly”; author of short stories; breeder and judge of livestock: teacher, lecturer; beloved companion & raconteur; President, Tennessee Historical Society; State Librarian & Archivist, 1919-1929; lived in his home Arden Place on this site.
Location: 4425 Granny White Pike
Erected: 1971
James Carroll Napier
James C. Napier (1845-1940), Nashville Negro lawyer, educator, member of the city council, delegate to four Republican conventions, Register of U.S. Treasury, 1911-1915, was a trustee of Fisk, Howard, and Meharry, advocate of the public schools, and founder of the One-cent Savings Bank, later the Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Co.
Correction: Napier resigned as Register of the U.S. Treasury in 1913.
Location: 648 Claiborne Street
Erected: 1971
General Thomas Overton 1753-1825
Gen. Thomas Overton served in the Revolutionary War and as Inspector of Revenue in N.C., the same position held by his brother Judge John Overton in Tenn. He was one of Gen. Jackson’s seconds in duel with Chas. Dickinson. This grave plot was a part of his homeplace, “Soldier’s Rest,” where he lived from 1804 until his death in 1825.
Location: Old Hickory, Donelson Avenue
Thomas Overton died in 1824. His will was recorded on September 3, 1824.
Location: Donelson Avenue in Old Hickory
Erected: 1976
Captain John Rains
On Christmas 1779 he led his family and livestock across the frozen Cumberland and settled in this vicinity. In 1784 he built a fort that enclosed the spring 75 yards east. At James Robertson's orders he often led a company of scouts against Indians. His home was on this hill until he died in 1834, age 91.
Location: Rains Avenue and Merritt Street
Erected: 1968
Cardinal Stritch
Samuel Stritch, born Aug. 17, 1887, southwest corner Fifth and Madison, entered Assumption School at age 7. Ordained when 22, he sang his first Mass here, was priest in Memphis and Nashville, Bishop of Toledo, Archbishop of Milwaukee, Archbishop of Chicago. Named Cardinal in 1946, he was called to Rome in 1958 to head Catholic missions, thus became first American member of the Roman Curia.
Location: 1227 Seventh Ave N
Erected: 1981
Frederick Stump 1724-1822
Frederick Stump, an early settler in the Fort Nashborough area, came from Pennsylvania by way of Georgia. He was a revolutionary war soldier and noted Indian fighter. He owned a large plantation along White’s Creek where he operated a mill and inn and rented land to other settlers. This log house is reputed to have been his home where he operated the inn.
Location: 4949 Old Buena Pk.
Erected: 1975
William Walker, "Grey-eyed Man of Destiny"
Born May 8, 1824, Walker moved to this site from 6th Ave. N. in 1840. In early life he was doctor, lawyer, & journalist. He invaded Mexico in 1853 with 46 men & proclaimed himself Pres., Republic of Lower Calif. Led force into Nicaragua in 1855; was elected its Pres. in 1856. In attempt to wage war on Honduras was captured and executed Sept. 12, 1860.
Location: Commerce St @ 4th Avenue N
Erected: 1970
Samuel Watkins, 1794-1880
Brick manufacturer and builder, who at the age of 15 fought under Gen. Jackson in the Creek campaigns and at the Battle of New Orleans, left at his death in 1880 this site and $100,000 as an endowment for a school later called Watkins Institute. A pioneer school for adult education, it has been in continuous operation since 1885.
Original location: Wall of building on 6th Ave. near Church St.
Erected: 1968
(This marker is currently down and awaiting replacement)
Tolbert Fanning, 1810-1874
In 1844, noted educator, evangelist, and agriculturalist Tolbert Fanning started Franklin College, a liberal arts school near this site where boys farmed to cover tuition. In 1855 he co-founded the Gospel Advocate, a religious journal. Fanning’s wife, Charlotte Fall, began Fanning Orphan School for girls here in 1884. Their aim was to put education within the “reach of every youth.”
Location: Briley Parkway and Vultee Boulevard.
Erected: 2003
Randall Jarrell, 1914-1965
Distinguished poet, critic, novelist, and teacher. Born in Nashville; Hume-Fogg graduate 1931; Vanderbilt bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Served in U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. Wrote about losses of war and childhood innocence. Poet Laureate at Library of Congress, 1956-58. Winner of National Book Award for poetry, 1960.
Location: Hume-Fogg High School, 700 Broadway
Erected: 2005