Photo: Nashville Public Library, Special Collections
Lockeland Mansion, built in 1810 by Col. Robert L. Weakley (1764-1845) and Jane Locke Weakley (1769-1838), was originally a Federal-style house which faced Woodland St. in East Nashville. If it stood today, it would have the address of 105 South Seventeenth St. It had a 390 acres estate surrounding it.
It was named for Weakley’s in-laws - his father-in-law was Gen. Matthew Locke of North Carolina. Weakley’s family was from Virginia. Robert and Jane married in 1791. Weakley was given a land grant by North Carolina for Revolutionary War service and added to his lands over the years. He had settled originally in the White’s Creek area and then moved closer to Nashville. Just 10 years after Ft. Nashborough was founded, Weakley acquired substantial land at McLean’s Bend along the Cumberland River (north end of Shelby Bottoms and across from Two Rivers Park). He built Lockeland on top of a hill overlooking a natural spring. Weakley was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, served in the State Legislature in 1796, and in the state senate from 1799-1809. He was re-elected to the state senate in 1819 and was speaker of the senate. In 1803, he and Thomas Bedford co-founded the town of Jefferson in Rutherford Co. He was one of the founders of Nashville Bridge Co. in 1819 (and the second president) which spanned the Cumberland River from 1823-1851. In 1823, because of his long service to Tennessee, Weakley County was named in his honor.
Their son, Robert Locke Weakley (1801-1848), and three daughters (Narcissa A., Mary, and Jane Baird) received the estate after Col. Weakley’s death. Adrien Van Sinderen (V.S.) Lindsley (1814-1885) and Eliza Trimble Lindsley purchased a portion of the property including one side of the hill and built their home Springside. In 1849, because Robert L. died without a will and held debts, the Chancery Court took over the estate. The Court sold Lockeland to Edwin Childress with 390 acres and he sold the home and 213 acres to his daughter and son-in-law, Mary A. Childress Chadwell (1818-1889) and (William) Thomas Chadwell (1821-1880) in 1850. They wed in 1846. The property became known as Chadwell Place, and the Chadwells used the property as farmland. In 1860, Thomas Chadwell prospered as a farmer and real estate agent. From about 1887-1902, the family began to subdivide and sell parcels.
After Mary died, Lockeland and 8 acres were sold to James Benagh Richardson, Sr. (1847-1912), an attorney and businessman and his wife, Sarah Elizabeth “Maggie” Evans Richardson (1854-1905). They wed in 1875. James started in the retail dry goods business with A.B. Beach and Co. Then he changed professions to wholesale boot and shoe company Wright, Hooper and Co. Later, he was a junior partner and organizer of Richardson, Carter, Mason and Co. Discovering medicinal qualities in mineral water in the springs on the property, Richardson bottled and sold the medicinal water locally. In 1904, Richardson sold Lockeland waters at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis and won the grand prize. Carl Howe and Howe Bottling Company bought the springs, and the water was sold until the 1940s.
After James died, his son, William Evans Richardson (1883-1946) took over Lockeland and the spring water operation. In 1925, William left the mansion, moved to the downtown area, and sold Lockeland and the water business to his uncle, Harry Williamson Evans (1866-1927) and aunt, Marie Horton Evans (1868-1953). Eight acres of the land was subdivided and sold at the time. Evans only lived there for two years. After Harry died, Marie stayed until 1939. Ultimately in 1939, the city of Nashville purchased the property, destroyed the house and erected Lockeland School on the property.
The Lockeland Springs park property remains at 1810 Woodland St. Until the East Nashville tornado of 2020 devastated the East Nashville area, the entire community including Lockeland Springs was famous for a dense tree growth and canopy. The park area remains with several acres and continues to be cleared and enjoyed. See Fairfax Hall, Springside
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