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1792, 21 December. Deed transferring 640 Acres
on Whites Creek to Joseph Philips signed. Proven in Davidson county court, July 30, 1793.
Notice Philips is spelled with two "L"s in this deed.
Click on the deed to either download a pdf file of this deed to your computer
where you can view it in a larger size or save it to your computer.
The above deed contains the following information:
Joseph Phillips. Territory of the United States
This indenture made this twenty first day of Dec in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety two
Between John Crow and Thomas Shannon of the first and Joseph Phillips of the other part.
Witnessed that the said John Crow and Thomas Shannon have this day forward in consideration of the sum of one hundred
and sixty pounds Virginia currency have granted bargained sold liened and in so offered to the sd Joseph Phillips and his
heirs forever one certain tract or parcel of land lying and estuate in Davidson County in the territory of the United States
south of the river Ohio, containing six hundred and forty acres more or less on the waters of Whites creek and
on the northside of Cumburland river, it being a preemption granted to the said John Crow by the State of North Carolina by
patent bearing date April 17, 1786. Beginning at an ironwood and hickory running
thence first three hundred and twenty poles to two boxelders. Thence south three
hundred and twenty poles to an elm and sugar tree. Thence east three hundred
and twenty poles crossing two branches to a sugar tree. Thence north three hundred
and twenty poles crossing a branch to the beginning. To have and to hold the
said tract of land with the appurtenances then unto belonging. To the only use
and behoof of the said Joseph Phillips and his heirs forever and the said John Crow and Thomas Shannon do by these presents
oblige themselves their lives executors and administrators jointly and severally to warrant and forever defend the said tract
of land containing six hundred and forty acres more or less as aforesaid and every part and parcel thereof to the said Joseph
Phillips and his heirs forever. In testimony whereof we have here unto subscribed
our names and offered our seals the day and year first above written.
Signed John Crow L.S. Thomas
Shannon L.S.
Test John Overton
Received of Joseph Phillips on hundred and sixty
pounds Virginia currency being the consideration money of the within land witness our hands and seals the day and date above
written.
John Crow L.S.
Thomas Shannon L.S.
Test John Overton
Below is the original land grant given to John
Crow which Joseph Philips purchase from hm in 1792. The grant is one mile square, reaching from Dickerson Road to White's
Creek.
The interactive Google map below shows the location
of Joseph Philips' land, where his house was located, and where the family cemetery, Sylvan Hall, are located.
Joseph Philips made a surveying trip to
Davidson County, North Carolina, from his home in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. In 1791 he moved
his family (his wife and three little daughters), belongings, including his livestock and twenty-five
slaves, to Davidson County. The trip was overland along a blazed trail. His
first house was built of logs. This home burned in 1804. This same year the lovely old home (now no more),
"Sylvan Hall," was built. This house was said to
have been one of the first brick houses in Davidson County, Tennessee. All the labor and material,
including the brick, were the work of his slaves. It is said his better trained slaves, who were fine artisans,
made the exquisite Hepplewhite furniture, which was designed by an itinerant cabinetmaker who supervised the
execution of his designs. This
furniture descended to a great granddaughter, Mary Philips Polk Moore, who now lived with her two married
children in the West. The house remained
in the Philips Family for several generations, until it was sold by Mary Polk Moore about 1915.
It changed owners several times, and lost much of its charm. Finally,
in 1960, it was sold to the Bellshire Methodist Church, and in time razed for the church building which
stands on the site. The acreage, once 1,000 acres, is
now a subdivision; and nice looking, well-kept homes, mostly of brick, and lawns are located on
this once beautiful farm. The location of Bellshire Methodist
Church is six miles from Nashville on the left hand side of Dickerson Road. ( Originally,
Dickerson was spelled Dickinson - for a family which came to this part of the country about the same
time the Philipses did.) They were a Baptist Community, and a church was nearby.
The story above says the house was built in 1791, but in reality the original house burned down
in 1804 and this house was built on the same location in that same year.
Watercolor Print Christmas Card of Sylvan Hall by Mari Omberg
Sylvan Hall around 1815
Above from the book Recollections
and Reflections written by Wharton Jackson Green in 1906.
Joseph Philips Will
Milberry Horn's Dower
The below Dower for Milberry Philips was written on 21 Dec
1822 by Joseph Philips who wanted to be sure that she was taken care of after his death.
Click on the picture to open a larger picture in a new browser to
better see the details of the Dower. I had to photograph the microfilm copy of this document at the TN State Archives
and piece together the best shots of various portions of the document for it to be readable. It contains the following
information:
Milberry Philips her Dower
Recorded 21st Dec 1822
This Indenture made this 22nd day of October AD Eighteen Hundred and Twenty Two. Witnesseth
that the undersigned Acting Executors of the Last Will and Testament of Joseph Philips late of Davidson County deceased and
pursuant of the Power in said Will confirmed, and to effectuate the Testators intent in that Particuar do allot and set apart
for Milberry Phlips Widow and Relic of the deceased, and to her own proper use and behalf for her Support and Comfortable
maintainance during the Term of her natural life. The following Described Property Real and Personal To Wit Negroes,
Moses and Davey and Sterling. Jenny. Sherry with her Children Mary Cinders daughter. Also the Western End
of the dwelling house The Piazzer and free use of the passage. The room on the south end of the kitchen.
The meat house. Spring house and dairy and the Double Cabbin next The garden for her negroes The East End
of the Granary & Stables attached thereto and the Crib and free use of the thrashing floor. The half of the
garden next the Kitchen and one section of the Vineyard on the Other side. The Pasture Lott between the house and Dickinson's
line and that around the chep(sic) and that part of the meadow West of the little Branch and the Small field adjoining
the Orchard fence & half the Orchard, Half the Big field commonly called the Still House field her half to lie
next to the creek and the field on the side of the Creek next to Wilson, & grinding free from toll when the mill is in
opperation and wood without stint for fires and sufficience of Timber for Repairs Convenient to the Dwelling House and the
Lands Above Allotted and Let Apart. Also the Tools with which her people work in doors with, one half of the Kitchen
furniture one double plough and Gears & three Single Ploughs all the furniture in the West end of the House The
side board in the passage and one half of the crockery, Glasses and China ware. Also two Thousand Pound of Pork one
hundred Barrells of Corn Thirty Bushells of wheat. One Mare & two Horses. Eight Ewes fifteen head of Hogs
three Cows and calves and all the Poultry & fowls, In Testimony we have hereto Amended our names and affixed our
Seals the day and Date Above. Written
Will Williams (Seal)
J. F. Williams (Seal)
State of Tennessee Davidson County Court October Session 1822
This Allotment of Dower to Milberry Philips Widow & Relic of Joseph Philips desceased was Returned
into Court and Acknowledged by William Williams and Josiah F. Williams the Executors of the decedant to be their Act and Deed
as Such & Ordered to be Recorded.
Test - Nathan Ewing - Clerk of said Court
This given to Wm Williams
You may wonder how long Joseph Philips' descendants held on to his plantation. I'm in the
process of researching that information, in part to determine the ownership of the Philips' Sylvan Hall Cemetery which is
shown on the Davidson County Tax maps as being a separate parcel of land with no owner named. I will post the relevant
documents below.
On 2 September 1922 J. L. Hulme and wife Pearl M. Hulme sold the home portion of Joseph Philips'
plantation consisting of 207 45/160 acres to S. L. Brown and wife Asenith V. Brown for $40,000.
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