Evening star., 1909-04-28
DIR. Lyon s
PERFECT
Tooth Powder
Cleanses, beauties and
preserves the teeth and
purifes the breath.
u sed by people of
refinement for al m ost
Half a Century.
faz-sa&w.lyr
gives the following advice to the con-
gregatinns affected.
5a2-sa&w.1u

same state, but that cannot be done in
other states about other property. A
suit for one church house will not reach
another church house, although the deeds
may be of the same class or alike. There
are thousands of church houses belonging
to the local congregations Of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church, and none of
them now in possession of persisting
Cumberland Presbyterians can be taken
from them without suits brought for
each particular house. A suit for one
does not include another, and a decree or
decision in one suit does not authorize a
demand for property now included in that
suit. Stand your ground firmly. If you
are in possession, and there exists
union contingent disposed to demand pos
session, inform them that it must be at
more, yield no right or claim in prop
erty held by union contingent or used
alternately
Famous Belle Meade Farm.
Belle Meade. which in it's time was the
most famous and probably the most per-
feet horse breeding farm in the world,
now belongs to Jacob NJ. Dickinson. the
Secretary of War. He purchased the
stately mansion. the stables and all of
the buildings with 400 acres of land
few years ago for 100000. which was con-
sidered an insignificant price for valua-
BILE property. The house alone cost more
than that. 1t is very strange that some
Of the rich thoroughbred breeders and
there are many in this country, did not
buy the entire farm. for it remained in
the market for years after the death of
Gen. William H. Jackson, without bid
der. Finally Judge Dickinson bought it,
for sentimental reasons, because its for
mer owners and his own family are
closely related secondly, because he
wanted a country home. where he could
retire and enjoy his vacation, and thirdly
he wanted home for his son Overton
who now lives at Belle Meade. breeding
Jersey cattle and selling milk and butter
in Nashville. He has about 300 head OF
cattle on the place. and is milking 12o
cows today. Judge Dickinson has spent
$4,000 or $4,000 in repairing the build
ings and introducing conveniences.
Belle Meade is nearer like an irish
baronal estate than anything else we
have in this country. and originally in
cluded five thousand acres which were
taken up by Gen. Harding, pioneer
from North Carolina, who came here
Immediately after the revolutionary
war. Five generations of Hardings lie
in the little cemetery. Only small por
ton of the land was cultivated, the
greater part of it being pastures, inter-
sperSed with parks, forests and groves
of primeval oaks and other grand old
trees, which are very rare in the United
States. Gen. Harding had game pre-
serve with over 300 deer grazing in the
forests. but after the death of Gen.
Jackson the park was opened to the
public. the deer were turned loose and
gradually scattered all over the sur
rounding territory. Many OF them
found their way up into the noun
tains.
The mansion dates back to 1885. and
ion Of slavery times. 1t is a three-story
brick, with a stone front as massive as
that OF fortress. and a lofty pediment
supported by six stone solumns each
twenty-five feet high. There are seven
large rooms below, seven corresponding
rooms on the second floor and others
in the third floor. The drawing room.
library and dining room are unusually
large and of fine proportions. The ne
gro quarters, which are detached like
those on all the large plantations in
the south, remains exactly as they were
before the war. An abundance OF wa
ter is supplied from a neighboring
spring and there is an icehouse, dairy
and stables enough to accommodate oOO
horses.
Gen. Jackson's Place.
Belle Meade stock farm was estap-
lished by Gen. William G. Harding
many years ago. but it did not become
famous until 1t passed under the control
of the late Gen. William III. Jackson. He
was a graduate of West Point Military
Academy of the class of 1856, while
Gen. Robert e. Lee was superintendent
of that institution. FitZhugh Lee was
his classmate and intimate friend jack
son served with the army in the west
until the civil war. when he resigned.
raised a regiment for the Confederacy
and saw much active service until the
surrender, reaching the rank of major
ma, and his brother, Howell e. Jackson.
afterward justice of the United
States Supreme Court married Miss
Mary. the daughters and only children
of Gen. William G. Harding.
Gen. Jackson came to live with his
brides father and took charge Of the
plantation. He introduced modern meth
ods of agriculture, imported SouthdoWn
and Leicester sheep, Cashmere goats.
Berkshire swine, Durham cattle, Shetland
ponies and collected a stable Of ninety
thoroughbred mares Of the Barb breed OF
Arabia whose pedigrees could be traced
in an unbroken line to the sixteenth cen
tury He had some of the most famous
stations IN the Worid. incluolng boanie mn.
Scotland, Enquirer, 1roquois. the first
American horse to win the Derby: Great
Tom Proctor Knott, the most celebrated
horse of his time. and others, and every
spring the auction sale OF yearnngs at
Belle Meade was attended by horsemen
from all over the world. A colt was sell
dom sold for less than $500. and $500 is
the record price for yearling.
Genuine Ante-Bellum Air.
The farm was conducted upon the old
fashioned patriarchal methods Of slave
times. There were altogether about 100
colored families. descendants Of the
slaves Of five generations OF the Harding
family, who occupied Belle Meade. Nearly
every servant and plantation hand was
born on the place. and 1t is asserted that
Jackson never discharged an employe in
his life His rules were very strict, but
were based upon justice and kindness, and
the story goes that during the seventeen
wears he was in charge he never failed
to fulfill promise to one Of his hands
except on one occasion. when he forgot
to buy pair of trousers for colored
boy in one of his stables. When he re-
turned from the city and was reminded
that he had forgotten the errand he gave
the boy money and loaned him horse to
ride to Nashville to make the purchase
himself.
There was a day school on the place
kept by a coIored teacher. which the chill
dren we're obliged to attend uo to their
fourteenth or fifteenth year; there was a
Sunday school which all hands were
obliged to attend. and every evening at
sunset the servants and farm hands were
called in for family prayers. which Gen.
Jackson always led himself when he was
at home.
He was strict Methodist and trustee
of Mckendree Church of Nashville. He
was president of the State Agricultural
Society for a generations: he was Dresi-
dent of the Trust and Banking Associa-
tion of Nashville. and for many years
a member of the board of agriculture for
the state government.
Upon his death there was no one to
take his place. The property was divided
between the two sisters. the wives OF
aF Ta. .~R