Thomas Talbot

What is Historic Talbot’s Corner? Who is Talbot? I have been asked these questions in the past and have seen discussions on Facebook concerning both.

Talbot’s Corner is the area around I-24 and West Trinity Lane that was designated as “Historic Talbot’s Corner” in April of 2001 by the Metro Development and Housing Agency. A group of business owners on West Trinity, headed up by Jack Cawthon, came up with the idea to help bring attention and improve the area while honoring the history Thomas Talbot who owned the land there.

This 1871 map shows the location of the Talbot house in reference to Trinity Church.
This link will take you to the full map. 1871 Davidson County.

Thomas Talbot for whom the area was born in Bedford County, Virginia in 1760 and was a Revolutionary soldier who fought at the Battle of Kings Mountain. He came to Davidson County, Tennessee in the late 1780s with his brother Matthew Talbot. Thomas was married to Ruth Greer when he came to Davidson County. Other members of the Talbot and Greer families came at the same time and settled in Davidson County. Thomas purchased 291 acres of land on Dickerson Road that ran back to the Cumberland river and along what is now West Trinity. Page’s Branch ran through his property. He built a grist mill along the branch. He built a two story log home in 1791, with frontage along Dickerson Road. Talbot was well known around Nashville and Davidson County in his day. He was a farmer, with huge apple orchard, said to contain more than 1000 apple trees. Talbot owned thousands of acres of land throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi. He also bought and sold several lots in the town of Nashville over the years.

In October of 1796 Talbot was commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in Davidson County. In the same month he was granted license to operate an ordinary in Davidson County. The license stated that he was obligated to provide good, wholesome and clean lodging and food for travelers and stabling and food for their horses. An ordinary was also known by the terms, tavern, or an inn. He partnered with Isom Allen Parker and early ads referred to their place as Talbot’s Inn. An original license survives and is among the records at Metro Nashville Archives.

It it believed that the tavern was on the north side of the public square in a house owned by William T. Lewis, where the Ben West building is located today. In 1800 he got out of the lodging business, but was back within a few years. In 1804 Thomas, with his brother Clayton Talbot, opened a hotel on the east side of public square in Nashville. This was later the site of the City Hotel and even later the Ensley block of buildings. So well known was this establishment that other businesses would refer to being near or next to Talbot’s Hotel in advertisements.

Thomas Talbot remained on his farm on Dickerson Road until his death in 1831. His wife Ruth died on the 7th of October 1819. She was buried in the family graveyard on the property.

Talbot married a second time on September 4, 1821 to Elizabeth Parr of Sumner County, Tennessee. Thomas Talbot was also buried in the family cemetery. The cemetery is in poor condition and is visible from West Trinity Lane. It is located in a small strip of land at an off ramp from I-24 and has a rock wall around it.

The Talbot house was left standing until 1967. It had been covered with clapboard. Elizabeth Kaufman lived in the house from 1930 until her death in 1966. The logs were disassembled and moved to another location.