Alexander Smith House / Twenty-Four Trees was built about 1793 at 1304 Wilson Pike by Sarah Jane Leiper Smith (1781-1866) and Alexander Smith (1769-1840) in Federal style. In 1780, Sarah’s parents were Capt. James and Susan Leiper. They were the early pioneers along with James Robertson and John Donelson who brought settlers into middle Tennessee. Capt. Leiper perished defending Ft. Nashborough at the Battle of the Bluffs Indian raids, and the North Carolina General Assembly awarded his family 640 acres on the Little Harpeth River.
Their only child, daughter Sarah Jane Leiper, married Alexander Smith, a surveyor, who was charged with settling a boundary dispute between Tennessee and North Carolina. The Smiths acquired more property along what is now Concord Rd (near current Harmon property and the Twin Springs subdivision). The Smiths had three daughters to whom they gave 200 acres each: Elizabeth Smith married Denney Porterfield Hadley and built Hadleywood; Emeline Smith married Richard Christmas and built Ashlawn; and Susannah “Susan” Drake Smith Petway who received the portion with the family home.
She married Thomas Maury Petway in 1832, and later Dr. Southerland Shannon Mayfield. The Mayfield family resided at the property for many years. Petway was the son of Hinchey and Susannah Petway of Franklin and Nashville (Airlie). They sold land near Franklin to create the first subdivision, Hincheyville. Dr. Mayfield's family was among the earliest settlers in the Brentwood area - his grandparents founded Mayfield Station, the first white settlement in the area. Relatives also owned the McCrory-Mayfield Home off Old Hickory BL. Dr. Mayfield was a friend and physician for Andrew Jackson.
At some point, the house became vacant and fell into great disrepair. In 1950, Glen Noble, longtime Brentwood resident and restaurant-owner, discovered and restored the property. He took over long-time pharmacy, Nobles, founded by his father (Dr. Albert H. Noble) and developed it in 1947 as a longtime fixture restaurant, Noble. Paul Harmon, an internationally known artist, was the owner in 1995 with about 3 acres. He called the property Harmon House. NRHPHP 2005 See also Hadleywood, Ashlawn
