.Milbrey Horn Williams (6).

.Milbrey Horn Williams (6).

Milbrey Horn Williams is a daughter of Josiah Frederick Williams and Margaret "Peggy" Thomas Philips.

Milbrey Horn Williams

The above pictures of paintings are courtesy of Milbrey Zelley who is a direct descendant of this couple. She has these paintings hanging on a wall in her home.

Milbrey was born 8 Dec 1815 at Maplewood on Gallatin Pike in Inglewood Davidson county TN. She died 27 Sep 1864 in Davidson County TN.

She married Orville Ewing on 26 January 1832 in Davidson County TN.

She is buried in the Nashville City Cemetery

Nashville City Cemetery

Orville Ewing (brother of Andrew and Edwin Ewing), was educated as a lawyer, but never practiced. He was president of the Planters Bank of Nashville and the brother of Andrew and Edwin Ewing who were married to Milbrey's sisters.

The house below was built by Anthony Foster, one of the early settlers in 1780, and was purchased by Orville and Milbrey Ewing who raised seven children there. They were living there during the civil war when Nashville was under military rule and Federal soldiers camped continually on the beautiful lawn.

The house was named "Mile End" and was located one mile south of the Nashville square where, in 1905, St. Katharine Drexel founded the Immaculate Mother's Academy, the state's first Catholic school for African-American girls which replaced the house. In 1954 the school was demolished and replaced by a large Sears store which remained there until 1991.

Shortly thereafter the Nashville Rescue Mission and homeless shelter occupiied the old Sears store and remains there today in 2008. Leaving downtown Nashville on eighth avenue south, turn left onto Murfreesboro Road (Lafayette Street) and you will see the Nashville Rescue Mission on your right.

Milbrey planned the gardens, marking the central square with a tall Norway spruce tree bordered with shrubs and flowers. Graveled walks radiating from the center and intersecting at right angles formed squares where calacanthus, pyrus japonica, licacs, bridal wreath, and roses flourished. On the north side a brick wall formed a natural trellis for the grapevines, and on the south fruit trees and a vegetable garden lay beyound the flower beds. On the east side handsome trees and a hedge of Bois d'Arc formed a green background for the garden.

The entrance to the greenhouse was covered with a star jasmine, and here pomegranates, Marechal Neil, and other rare plants were kept. A Catalonian jasmine within its shelter furnished bouquets for many family brides.

Mile End, the home of Orville Ewing and Milbrey Horn Williams

(Picture and below text copied from the book "History of Homes and Gardens of Tennessee" compiled by "the garden study club of Nashville" and published by "The Parthenon Press" in 1936)

A mile from Nashville's Public Square, Anthony Foster, pioneer citizen of the city, built a Colonial brick residence which bore the name Mile End.

During the Civil War, the home, then owned and occupied by Orville Ewing, was under military rule, and Federal soldiers camped continually on the beautiful lawn.

Mrs. Ewing, the former Miss Milbrey Williams, planned the gardens, marking the central square with a tall Norway spruce tree bordered with shrubs and flowers. Graveled walks radiating from the center and intersecting at right angles formed squares where calacanthus, pyrus japonica, lilacs, bridal wreath, and roses flourished. On the north side a brick wall formed a natural trellis for the grapevines, and on the south fruit trees and a vegetable garden lay beyond the flower beds. On the east side handsome trees and a hedge of Bois d' Arc formed a green background for the garden.

The entrance to the greenhouse was covered with a star jasmine, and here pomegranates, Marechal Neil, and other rare plants were kept. A Catalonian jasmine within its shelter furnished bouquets for many family brides.

Between 1873 and 1880 Mile End was the home of Dr. William Morrow, and afterward of Mrs. James Woods. In 1880 it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Keith, who occupied it for twenty-five years. In 1905 Mile End was sold, the house and gardens were demolished to give space to the building erected for St. Katherine's, a Catholic school for Negro girls.

Steven Hoskins wrote the following document about the corner where this house was located.

The Sanborn map of Nashville for 1914 shows the location where the Mile End house was located on 7th Avenue just south of Murfreesboro Road, named Lafayette Street.

The below dissertation was written by Steven Hoskins at MTSU in pursuit of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.