This story begins with a photograph of an old painting that led to three cemeteries, the remains of an old chapel, and three historic homes. While we all know history is the stories of people, places, and events that intertwine, I was completely surprised by this entangled story. I typically run out of places that still exist, and that brings me to a stop. That was not the case with this history rabbit hole. I felt a little bit like Alice in Wonderland, but rather than being led by the White Rabbit, I was being led by history from one place to another. So, if you’re up for it, let me lead you through my history wanderings… “I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date!” Come on, let’s go, I have a story to tell. There’s no time to waste!
Where to Begin?
So, as I stated, my history search started with the painting above. All I knew was that this was Eden Farm, which had been owned by Elias Dorsey, and that it had been painted by J.W. Owings. Being a born-and-raised Louisvillian, I knew the name Dorsey from Dorsey Lane in the eastern part of the city. So, I figured it had to have been near that part of town. I started doing my research with just Eden Farm and Elias Dorsey. This search led me backward in time to a Revolutionary War Patriot named Benjamin Lawrence, who owned the land before Mr. Dorsey.
Benjamin Lawrence (1741-1814)
Benjamin Lawrence was born on May 17, 1741, at Dorsey’s Grove in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to Levin and Susannah Dorsey Lawrence. Dorsey’s Grove was a 1,080-acre tract of land originally purchased by Colonel John Dorsey (1688-1764), father of Susannah Dorsey Lawrence. The Dorseys and Lawrences were very well intertwined in Maryland through marriage, land ownership, and business partnerships. They were both very prominent families in the 1700s.
Benjamin Lawrence married Urith (Urath) Randall Owings in January of 1762. Benjamin and Urith had at least five children together, all born before the American Revolution. There was Samuel Lawrence (1764-1822), Mary “Polly” Lawrence Chambers (1767-1810), Susannah Lawrence Dorsey Williamson (1769-1818), Rebecca Lawrence Winchester (1771-1822), and Leaven Lawrence (1774 – 1846). Now, of all those children, Susannah Lawrence Dorsey Williamson is the person you want to remember. We’ll come back to her in a bit!
When the Revolutionary War began in 1775, Benjamin Lawrence was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in his brother-in-law, Richard Owings’ company of the Soldiers’ Delight Battalion, Baltimore County Militia. This, of course, earned him the title of a Revolutionary War Patriot.
In 1798, Lawrence moved his family to Kentucky. In 1800, Lawrence purchased 377 acres in the area that is now the University of Louisville Shelby Campus in Louisville, KY. (This land would become Eden Farm in the painting above.)
By 1813, Lawrence was in business with two much younger gentlemen: Benjamin Head (1782-1837) and Basil Nicholas Hobbs (1786-1837), both of Middletown, KY. The company was called Head, Hobbs, & Lawrence General Store. Benjamin Head would ride horseback all the way to Philadelphia and Baltimore for his store stock. The store became very well-known for its impressive goods and attracted wealthy families from Louisville and throughout the county.
Just a year later, on March 5, 1814, Benjamin Lawrence died at the age of 72. He was buried in the family cemetery on his property, next to his wife, Urith, who died in 1807. (Just as a side piece of information – Benjamin’s son, Leaven, is also buried in this family cemetery. He died in 1846.)
The cemetery is now called the Lawrence Family Cemetery and is located on the back side of the University of Louisville Shelby Campus property, closer to Whipps Mill Lane. This was my first history stop!
Top Left: Benjamin Lawrence’s Burial / Top Right: Susannah Owings Lawrence’s Burial / Bottom Right: The Lawrence Family Cemetery / All Photos Property of KHT
Benjamin Head (1782-1837)
Now, the only connection I could find between the Lawrences and Mr. Head was the fact that the two Benjamins were business partners, but I knew that Benjamin Head’s home was standing in Middletown, so I fell down the history hole, and once I did, I found a different connection. It’s a twisted labyrinth, so stay with me.
The Benjamin Head home is located in Middletown, a suburb of Louisville, KY. The 2.5-story home was built by Benjamin Head, started in 1813, and completed in 1815. It is one of the finest stone homes in Kentucky. It was built of hand-cut limestone with 20 to 22-inch-thick walls. The asymmetrical design of this home is rather unique for this time period. The 1st floor stair hall leads to two large rooms on the right, and two smaller rooms at the back of the home that may be older. The staircase includes a Georgian balustrade that leads to the second floor with a landing across the back width of the room. The second floor includes a large front room and a bedroom. Along the back portion is an attic reached by a steep flight of stairs. The attic space reveals the beams carved with Roman numerals used by our pioneers to help with the construction order. This home was built with a full basement that features a massive 15″x15″x44-foot summer beam that spans the width of the building. The floor joists are mortised into it. Also on the lowest level is a brick-floored summer kitchen, built separately from the basement. The home also features large stone chimneys and ash flooring.
The man who had this beautiful home built was originally said to have been a Revolutionary War Patriot (a sign in front of the home still states this), but when you research further, this detail is inaccurate. Benjamin J. Head was born in 1782, at the tail-end of the American Revolution. It is thought that Benjamin was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky. We know that he is in Middletown by 1804 (the town was settled in 1797), and by 1815, he is one of the town trustees. He married Harriot Hobbs (1787-1824) in 1808.
Does the name Hobbs sound familiar? That’s right! Harriot Hobbs was the sister of Basil Nicholas Hobbs, with whom Benjamin Head went into business in 1813. So, there’s the connection. But hold tight, we’ll get to another one in a bit.
In 1820, for reasons unknown, Benjamin sold his home to John Hansbrough. It passed through several hands before being purchased by Dr. Silas Witherbee in 1877. Witherbee used the home for both his medical practice and a family home. The Witherbee family held onto the property until the 1960s. The house went on to become a boutique and a restaurant. Currently, I believe the property is vacant, and I am unsure of its future plans.
Now, back to Benjamin. He moved his family to a farm a few miles down the road in 1820. His wife, Harriot Hobbs Head, died in 1824. He remarried on September 16, 1824. His second wife was Margaret Nora Brengman (1805-1891). Nora’s father was Martin Brengman, a Revolutionary War Patriot who served in the Continental Army.
Benjamin and his 2nd wife, Nora, had a daughter named Margaret Amelia Head (1825-1843). Benjamin died in 1837 and was buried in the Middletown Historic Cemetery. His exact burial spot has been lost to time. His broken headstone is on display at the Middletown History Museum.
From the Garrs to the Tways
Benjamin’s daughter, Margaret, married Oliver Perry Garr (1818-1888), whose father was Jacob Garr. Jacob Garr arrived in Jefferson County, KY, in 1832. He purchased a 300-acre tract, and by 1852, he owned 4 tracts of land throughout the county. He was one of the wealthiest men in the area. He likely purchased land that had originally belonged to Benjamin Head. (Oliver’s grandfather, Andrew Garr, was also a Revolutionary War Patriot.)
Oliver and Margaret had a daughter named Harriet Amelia “Hattie” Garr (1842-1920), who married Thomas Levi Tway (1832-1893). They had a son named Robert Chester (R.C.) Tway Sr. It’s with R.C. Tway that we finally arrive at the 2nd home of this story — the Tway Home of Jeffersontown, KY.
The Tway Family & The Plainview Dairy Farm
Robert Chester Tway Sr. (1881-1964) inherited the family property that came down from his Garr family and Benjamin Head. Tway Sr. was a horse breeder/businessman. In 1923, he had a 2.5-story brick Georgian-Revival home built by the architectural firm Nevin, Morgan, & Wischmeyer. That home became known as The Tway Home. Robert and his wife Estelle S. Bennett Tway filled their home with three children: William T., Robert C. Jr., and Helen Harriet.
In 1929, Tway Sr. founded the Plainview Dairy Farm. He was already a successful livestock and show horse breeder. He also ran the R.C. Tway Coal Company, and in 1912, he established the Tway Building Materials Company. R.C. had a head for business, and by 1939, he had also purchased a trailer company called Kentucky Manufacturing Company. That company went on to become Kentucky Trailer, which is still in business today.
The Plainview Dairy Farm grew and grew, becoming a “modern farming estate.” They sold milk, cream, buttermilk, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, and ice cream. They became so popular in the 1950s and 1960s that school children from Jefferson County would visit the farm while on field trips to learn about the daily workings of a dairy farm.
In 1971, Tway descendants sold the 630-acre estate to a development company, Plainview Ventures. It was then that a community was planned and designed. There would be a nature-oriented setting with homes, businesses, retail centers, and recreational areas – all known as Plainview, today.
In 1973, the City of Jeffersontown annexed the Plainview area, expanding the city’s size by about 33%. It was also at that time that Jeffersontown had plans for the Plainview Swim and Tennis Club. The Tway Home was to become the clubhouse, while four swimming pools would be constructed, along with a bathhouse, tennis courts, a basketball court, and parking lots with landscaping. The swim club opened in 1974. Residents of the Plainview area paid a fee for membership to the club.
The City of Jeffersontown still manages the swim club today. The home can be rented for special events. An annual fee can be paid for use of the complex’s amenities. The pools are open to the public during the summer for a small daily fee. You can find more information about the Plainview Swim Club on the City of Jeffersontown’s business page.
The Dorsey Line in Kentucky
So, now that we’ve finished with that history rabbit hole, I’ll take us back to the Lawrences and the Dorseys. You see, many of Benjamin and Urith Lawrence’s children and grandchildren married other influential families that also travelled to Kentucky. For example, Benjamin and Urith’s daughter Susannah (1769-1818) married Edward Dorsey (1762-1804) in Maryland in 1786. (Yep! Susannah’s grandmother was a Dorsey, and she married a Dorsey. They clearly didn’t understand genetics in the 1700s.) Edward and Susannah moved their family to Kentucky in 1802.
Even though Edward was only in Kentucky for two years before his death in 1804, he acquired several lots in Middletown where he ran a store, a tavern, and a dwelling house. He also had several hundred acres of land where he and his family lived in the area known as O’Bannon, in the far eastern part of Jefferson County near today’s Factory Lane and Lagrange Road.
Edward and Susannah Dorsey had at least six children together. Their eldest daughter, Mary Ann “Polly” Dorsey (1791-1833), married Basil Nicholas Hobbs in 1808.
Does the name sound familiar? It should. Mary Ann “Polly” Dorsey married her maternal grandfather, Benjamin Lawrence’s business partner. I told you this history was majorly intertwined. I feel like I need a map to keep this story straight!
Edward Dorsey Hobbs (1810-1888)
Now, Basil and Polly Hobbs had at least two children together: Susan Evalina Hobbs (1809-1881) and Edward Dorsey Hobbs (1810-1888), both born in Jefferson County. Their son, Edward, became a real estate agent at the age of 19. Then, on March 16, 1831, he was elected City Surveyor of Louisville.
Hobbs “continued in that work for about five years, surveying the streets, alleys, and river front of Louisville, as it was then. …As early as 1835 he founded the Louisville Savings Institution,” and “As a real-estate agent he had charge of the holdings of the Preston family of Virginia (large tracts of land in Louisville, as Preston Street signifies).”
In 1832, Edward married Susan Henning. Their marriage, however, was rather brief as Susan died in 1835. They did not have any children together. In 1839, Edward married again, this time to a young lady named Mary Ann Craig. In 1840, Edward and Mary Ann moved to what would later be known as Anchorage, KY, where he built a home and eventually an estate, which would become known as Evergreen for the business he ran on his property – Evergreen Nurseries. (Which, by the way, is where Evergreen Road, inbetween Middletown and Anchorage, got its name.) Edward and Mary Ann had at least six children together: Sidney Johnston Hobbs, Captain Basil Nicholas Hobbs, Susan Henning Hobbs, Tarleton Craig Hobbs, Mary Craig Hobbs, and Edward Dorsey Hobbs Jr.
In 1843, Edward was elected to the Kentucky State Legislature, representing Jefferson County. He was re-elected twice. Then, in 1847, he was elected to the State Senate. He didn’t stay there long, however. In 1848, he resigned his seat and took up a project that I suspect he knew would be very prosperous. This project was the building of a train line from Louisville to Frankfort. With Edward as the president of the company, construction of the Louisville & Frankfort Railroad began in 1848 and was completed in 1849.
“A year later it was merged with the Lexington & Ohio, running from Lexington to Frankfort, and the line was then known as the Louisville & Lexington. In spite of the many financial, physical, and moral obstacles which were opposed in those days to the building and operation of railroads, the road prospered. It was one of the parents of the huge system now known as the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.”
~ Marion Castner Browder
Sometime around 1855, Edward established Hobbs Station, a stop along the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad. Anchorage was actually first known as Hobbs Station.
A Name Change
A “retired riverboat captain James Winder Goslee built [his] house around 1868 and called his estate “Anchorage Place,” to signify his intent to make the property his final stopping point.
Goslee’s friend and neighbor Edward Dorsey Hobbs was the president of the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad, and before the city was incorporated in 1878, the train station in what is now Anchorage was called “Hobbs Station.” As a sign of his and Goslee’s friendship, Hobbs placed an anchor at the train station and changed the name of the stop from “Hobbs Station” to “Anchorage,” after Goslee’s estate.”
In 1862, a year after the Civil War started, Edward Hobbs was appointed by President Lincoln as a special agent of the Treasury Department for Northern Kentucky. This appointment was made at the suggestion of Joshua Speed, a close friend of President Lincoln. In this role, he saw “to the outfitting of volunteer troops with arms, equipment, and supplies.”
Edward continued his work with the railroad until he resigned in 1867. At that time, he turned his full attention to his nursery company, which had developed into one of the largest in the country.
Memorial Methodist Church (Hobbs Chapel)
Edward Dorsey Hobbs had an absolute love of beauty. He enjoyed developing properties around him. He would purchase a plot of land, build a home on it, landscape it with shrubs, trees, and flowers from his nursery, and sell the property for a profit. Several homes in the Anchorage area came into being because of Edward Hobbs. This is also how the Memorial Chapel at Anchorage came to be. The only difference was that he didn’t sell the property; instead, he gave it away.
You see, the Methodist Church that the Hobbs belonged to was located in Middletown, and there wasn’t a Methodist Church any closer. Some time around 1872, Hobbs decided to change that. He donated a piece of his land and most of the money for a chapel to be built, a whole lot closer to his home. In 1876, a 1,500 square foot chapel, built in the Greek Revival style by Louisville architect William H. Redin, was completed. At the time, the little chapel was named Memorial Methodist Church.
Memorial Methodist Church (Hobbs Chapel) Exterior and Interior / Photos Credited to the UofL Archives
“It [was] a beautiful example of Gothic architecture, pronounced, by men who know, one of the noblest small church buildings in America. The pews and furnishings are made of black walnut. The frescoing, done by an unnamed artist of that day, was paid for by a donation by Captain Zachary M. Shirley. The chapel, which was designed by Mr. Hobbs and erected under his supervision, was dedicated to those sleeping nearby in the Hobbs Burial Ground.”
~ Marion Castner Browder
Sadly, in 1954, a caretaker was burning leaves in the chapel yard when the fire spread to ivy that was climbing the walls of the chapel. The chapel was terribly damaged by the fire and was unable to be saved, except for the front facade, which is now maintained and cared for by the Anchorage Garden Club.
Hobbs Chapel Grounds / All Photos Property of KHT
The Hobbs Cemetery
The Hobbs Cemetery was actually established before the chapel. I suspect it started as a family cemetery on Edward’s Evergreen estate. He did more than just bury family members below a pretty tree, though. He actually laid out the burial grounds for his family and neighbors sometime before 1861, with a wide aisle down the center of the cemetery, leading from one set of iron gates on the back side to another set of iron gates on the front side. He also had elaborate stone pillars erected and numerous pine trees planted. When Edward established this cemetery, he had his grandparents, Edward and Susannah, reinterred there.
The stone wall, gates, and the center aisle of the cemetery were designed by Edward Dorsey Hobbs. / All Photos Property of KHT
In 1861, Hobbs deeded the cemetery to the Governor of Kentucky and “his successors in office, as trustees. Burial plots in it were assigned to neighbors and other residents of the community.” In 2019, the deed was transferred to the City of Anchorage, which now cares for the cemetery.
My Visit & Reflection
Now, those who follow my blog know that I typically wander under history finds me. (It always has a way of finding me.) But that was not the case on this particular day. I had already wandered and discovered Benjamin Lawrence’s grave site a few days before. I had gone home to do my research, where I learned about Basil Hobbs and his descendants. That led me to learning of Hobbs Chapel and Hobbs Cemetery. I then learned that not only were Hobbs’ family members buried in the cemetery, but also Dorsey family members. I had an address, and I knew exactly what I was looking for when I pulled up and parked the car on the side of the road that day. The first thing you see when you pull up is the gorgeous brick walkway and the remains of the chapel. (See the first chapel photo above.) As I explored the area near the chapel, I was startled by the crunching of fallen leaves. I froze as I looked in the direction of the sound. I was surprised to see that I was being watched, not by the neighbors, but by the wildlife that enjoys the solitude of the area, and for a moment – quite a lovely moment, I might add – we just stood and watched one another.
The residents of the area watched me from a distance. / All Photos Property of KHT
After my moment with the deer, I followed the brick path around the side of the wooded area. (The deer and I continued to watch one another. They were quite inquisitive.) Off in the distance, I saw the beautiful stone pillars and iron gates and knew exactly where I was headed next. The cemetery was just a few hundred yards away from the chapel, and was a very easy walk.
Left: Looking back toward the chapel facade. Right: Looking toward the Hobbs Cemetery. / Photos Property of KHT
When I arrived at the iron gate, I stopped to take photos, and then stepped into the most beautiful cemetery I think I have ever seen. (Yes, Cave Hill is beautiful, and I love it, too. This was a different kind of beautiful.) As I looked around in awe, my eye came upon another deer standing inside the stone walls, looking at me with watchful eyes. I entered the cemetery, walking in the opposite direction from the deer. She took a few steps and, within the blink of an eye, gracefully jumped the wall and disappeared from sight. I was now free to explore the cemetery without fear of spooking the deer. I simply didn’t want to see her injure herself.
On the far end of the cemetery was another set of stone pillars and iron gates, and down the middle was a very wide aisle with headstones to the left and right. It was like I had entered a chapel. I knew immediately that this aisle was for carriages or wagons that carried the caskets of loved ones to be buried. It was both a brilliant and beautiful design. I then began wandering through the 80 or so gravesites looking for the Hobbs and Dorsey family members I had come to find. I was quite surprised to find them so quickly, but like I said, history likes to find me.
The Hobbs Cemetery, where Basil N. Hobbs, Polly Dorsey Hobbs, Edward Dorsey, Susannah Dorsey, Edward Dorsey Hobbs, Susan Henning Hobbs, Mary Craig Hobbs, and many others are buried. / All Photos Property of KHT
Can you believe how gorgeous and large this cemetery is? I was so very surprised by the amount of green space within the cemetery walls. It made it feel more park-like and truly serene. A place where I wouldn’t mind spending a few hours, just sitting on a blanket, enjoying a good book. It was one of those beautiful settings that you needed to look back on as you headed out of the gates, a place you felt that you needed to say good-bye to, like I always do when I leave the beach for the last time before the long drive home. That’s oddly how this cemetery made me feel.
I quietly and reflectively walked back to my car, climbed in, buckled my seatbelt, and felt a sense of accomplishment. I found the people I was in search of, the people who had an impact on my hometown, and, for that matter, my state. I would keep their story alive, and that, my friends, is immensely satisfying… a job well done.
I drove down the road knowing I had more people to find and more stories to tell. Join me next time. This story is not yet finished. In my next post, I will return to the Dorsey family line, which will lead us into another historical rabbit hole with another historic home and historic cemetery. I simply couldn’t put it all in this one. Stay tuned! There’s more to come!
Beautiful story. Beautifully written.