WOODS CEMETERY (REMOVED)
“WESTWOOD”
OH-52: NASHVILLE, DAVIDSON COUNTY, TN.
ORIGINAL LOCATION. “WESTWOOD” ON FRANKLIN PIKE (present day Melrose area )
Sarah Armistead, wife of Edmund Armistead, a great-great grandson of Robert Woods, sent to the Davidson County Cemetery Survey project, on March 30, 2005, the following historical information about the cemetery at “Westwood.”
The estate of the late George M. Deaderick was sold to Joseph and Robert Woods, in a Davidson County deed written on November 27, 1824, and registered December 24, 1824. The deed included the following reservation:
“… containing two hundred and forty five acres of land excluding and reserving
one fourth of an acre by the said George M. Deaderick, deceased,
in his will for a grave yard including the graves now in the garden,
the said Deaderick in the center of said reservation…”
[See George M. Deaderick Cemetery (Lost) on Davidson Co. Cemetery Index]
Rober Woods married Sarah West. Their names together formed “Westwood,” the name of their home built of the land purchased from the George M. Deaderick estate. Sarah was a sister of William Edward West, a prominent Nashville artist. Mr. West was buried in the Nashville City Cemetery. To see his tombstone: www.thenashvillecitycemetery.org
Robert Woods died in 1843. His obituary in the local Nashville newspaper reported:
“… The remains of Mr. Woods were committed to the family vault
at West Wood last evening, in the presence of a large concourse of
family and friends, and after a feeling and impressive discourse from
the Rev. Dr. Edgar, of those congregation (First Presbyterian) where Mr. Woods
was a zealous and exemplary member…”
In 1908, graves were relocated from Westwood to Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Section 6 Lot 104, purchased by R. F. Woods, Jr. in 8174. The following were listed in the Mt. Olivet Interment records as buried on November 28, 1908:
Robert Woods Dec. 15, 1786 – Jan. 25, 1843
Theora Jane Woods Handy Jan. 11, 1822 – March 16, 1842
Daughter of Robert Woods. Wife of Edward S. Handy
Josephine Imogene Woods Branch March 10, 1819 – Oct. 25, 1852
Daughter of Robert Woods. Wife of John Branch
Sallie F. Foster
David and Juliet Cantrell
John B. Armistead
“Westwood” was razed in the late 1960s. For additional information on “Westwood,
Homes and Gardens of Tennessee, originally published 1936 and republished 1964.
RESEARCH REPORT: JANUARY 5, 2008