Judge Edward East Home/ Wesdel
- Jay Brothers
- May 9, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 29
Couchville Pk (former Stones River Rd.) in Donelson
Circa 1810 Original portion/ added 1880 - 2 stories with 18 rooms, wrap-around porches on both levels
This property was purchased from the Maj. John Buchanan Revolutionary War grant of 1,280 acres in the Donelson area - over time, it held the Central Hospital, Nashville Municipal Airport and the nearby community. Buchanan gave his daughter, Cecilia Buchanan East (?-1870), and her husband Judge Edward Hazzard East (1792-1872) 175 acres on Stones River near Franklin 33College Pike (now Couchville Pike). They built the home.
In 1870, the Easts deeded portion of the land to their sons, J.H. East, Jr. and Addison with East Jr. receiving the house. Judge East Jr (1830-1904) He was married to Ida Tennessee "Teenie" Horton East (1842-1914). He served as the Tennessee Secretary of State from 1862-1865 during the Union Army occupation. He also had various political offices, and after about 1872, worked as counsel for the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway. Teenie was a relative of the Pinckney family and nobility in England. As a young adult, she became involved with and a leader in the Womens Christian Temperance Union (W.C.T.U.).
At Tennessee's death in 1915, their daughter Elizabeth "Bessie" East Anderson (1872-1948) and Walton Sloan "W. S." Anderson (1874-1957) got the property.W.S. was an attorney.
The Andersons sold the home in 1915 to John Frederick Wessel (1875-1949) with 174 acres. The same year, Wessel sold a portion of the home to his sister Margaret Mary "Mamie" Wessel Eidell (1873-1965)and her husband Gerald Anthony "G. A." Eidell (1881-1950. They wed in 1914. At that point, the home was called Wesdel because of the two family names.
In 1942, the home was sold to the City of Nashville in preparation to demolition to make room for the new Berry Field/ Nashville Municipal Airport. Demolition did not happen, and the home as used in 1944-1945 as an officer's club for Berry Field military personnel. From 1945-1958, Youth Inc. owned the home with its 743 acres (see Allen Dobson and Ridley's Landing entry).
Wesdel was torn down in 1958.
By 1968, the land hosted the Central Hospital for the Insane, the Nashville Municipal Airport and other entities. The home is remembered with the community being called Wes-Del.
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