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 |  Dr. John Livingston Hadley was one of the largest land holders in Jones Bend. Dr. John was born August 1788 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the only child of John Hadley and Margaret Livingston. Before moving to the Jones Bend area, John Hadley graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1807 and from the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1812. He served as a surgeon during the War of 1812. John Livingston Hadley's grandfather, Thomas Hadley was killed by Tories during the Revolutionary War. Thomas moved to Virginia from London Grove MM, Chester, Pennsylvania shortly after his marriage to Mary Thompson in June of 1750. He did not remain in Virginia long. In 1760, he with a partner, John Wilcox, were the first merchants of Cross Creek in Cumberland Co., North Carolina. He represented his district at the Constitutional Convention at Halifax, NC. in November 1776, which enacted a Bill of Rights for the new government. He was elected sheriff of Cumberland Co, NC in 1778, and re-elected in 1781, but was killed before he could serve his last term. Despite being Quakers, Thomas, his sons Joshua and Simon were very active in the American Revolution. All were Captains of Militia. Unlike his father and brothers, John Hadley took no active part in the American Revolution. As a result he became known to the Scotch Tories of North Carolina as "Gentleman John". He was, however, Constable of Cumberland County which rendered him ineligible for military service. John died August, 1817 in Cumberland Co., NC John Livingston Hadley moved to Tennessee some time during 1815 probably with his uncle Joshua, who was a land speculator following his career in the military. On December 6, 1815, John married sixteen year old Amelia Hadley, the daughter of his uncle Joshua. His uncle/father-in-law must have been pleased with this union as he made a very generous gift "for and in consideration of the love and affection I have for sd. John L. Hadley and Amelia Hadley" of 620 acres of land on Rutherford's Creek in Williamson County in 1817. In 1826, John Hadley purchased from Beal Bosley 1,171.75 acres in the area known as Jones Bend for the sum of $8202. John began immediately to build his house which he called Vaucluse, after the valley in France famous for its wine and association with Petrarch. He devoted more time and energy to the management of his plantation than to the practice of his medical profession. He did send the only two sons who reached maturity John Livingston Hadley and Robert Livingston Hadley through medical school. Both attended the University of North Carolina and medical school at the University of Pennsylvania like their father. Dr. John and his wife Amelia had a total of thirteen children, only two of whom lived to maturity. The children are as follows:
All the children were buried in the Hadley family cemetery and later were moved to Springhill cemetery in Madison. The Hadleys were staunch Presbyterians and Dr. John built a church on his plantation grounds. Originally called Amelia's Chapel the name was later changed to Edgefield Presbyterian Church. The original altar is in the present Old Hickory Presbyterian Church. Dr. John Livingston Hadley died the day after Christmas, December 26, 1870. He is buried in the Hadley family cemetery and remains intered there despite the movement of his children to Springhill. The will of Dr. John leaves most of his acquired lands to his two surviving sons, John and Robert. Amelia Hadley died February 11, 1875 and is buried by her husband. In February, 1917, the United States Government condemned John Livingston Hadley's plantation to make way for a power plant. His heir's received $333,000 for 3,300 acres and all buildings thereon. Only the family burying ground was preserved. After the close of World War I, the duPont interests purchased the power plant and converted it to rayon mills. In the process, Vaucluse was destroyed. Much of the polished wood and hand carved stones were shipped to the homes of officials of the duPont company in Delaware. A pair of iron gates and stone posts were given to the Overton cemetery in the village of Old Hickory. A pair of carved stones from Vaucluse are now at the entrance to a home on Craigmede Drive in Donelson, Tennessee. |
