| Sources |
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 27 Aug 2012.
Upland Chronicles: Murphy College played a role in education history of county
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 9 Nov 2013.
Upland Chronicles: Sevier’s Murphy-Swan House has rich history
CARROLL MCMAHAN
The front façade of the Murphy-Swan House, built in 1883.
The stable and dairy barn on the Murphy-Swan farmstead.
The mantle in the parlor 0f the Murphy-Swan House was designed by Lewis Buckner.
Located off Old Knoxville Highway on top of a hill with a view of the Little Pigeon River valley and the Smoky Mountains, the Murphy-Swan House was built for William Campbell Murphy, a Sevierville merchant, in 1883. The two-story structure is an example of an extremely rare tripartite-style dwelling built in the Victorian era.
The frame house is supported by a solid brick foundation and features one-story porches on the front and rear facades of the north wing and on the front façade of the south wing. Five entrances to the house are located on these porches, which are supported by simple, square columns.
The weather-boarded exterior exhibits modest ornamentation with window and door crowns supported by small hand-carved brackets; corner pilasters with molded capitols; a wide frieze band; deep gable returns; two-over-two wood sash windows; and original shutters.
The most decorative exterior elements are the half-circular shaped pediment vents, which exhibit sawn-work detailing, and a central chimney stack with patterned brickwork. Four unique mantels display tapered pilasters and artisan Lewis Buckner’s signature flower motif gouge work. Lewis Buckner was an acclaimed African-American cabinetmaker and house carpenter in Sevier County during late 19th century and early 20th century.
William C. Murphy was one of the founders of Murphy College, which was named in honor of him and his father. He received the land on which the house was constructed, a part of the old Cannon Farm, from his father Col. James Crawford Murphy. He built the home for himself, his wife, Lucy Rawlings Murphy, and their children: Frank, Willie, Anna (Bryan), and Hattie (Wade).
When Murphy moved his family to the farm to live, there was no church nearby. There was a schoolhouse, Low Gap, where public school was conducted for elementary grades and Sunday school was held regularly in the same building.
Realizing a need for a building designated as a place of worship, Murphy purchased the lumber from the old Sevierville Methodist Church South, which was being demolished to make way for a larger building for the Southern Methodist congregation. He bought the old building and had it torn down and rebuilt on a hilltop near his home. The church was built by James H. Thomas, who was paid one dollar a day
Murphy specified that the church was to be named Luretta, to honor his two wives; Loretta McBath Murphy, called Retta, and Lucy Rawlings Murphy, who was often called Aunt Lou. The church was built under the jurisdiction of the Holston Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. However many in the community who attended identified themselves as Baptists.
William C. Murphy died in 1901 at age 70 and his wife Lucy died in 1914 at age 72. Their son Frank Murphy and his wife Lou Catlett Murphy then lived there where they raised their children, Harold and Lucy.
When the Knoxville, Sevierville and Eastern Railroad Company was established in 1908, Revilo Construction Company laid tracks from Vestal (in south Knoxville) to Sevierville. The path of the tracks cut through the farm. Ewing Station was about one mile south of the farm and Revilo Station was located about one mile southwest.
A swinging bridge was built over the Little Pigeon River connecting Catlettsburg (commonly called Cobtown) with the farm. Residents of Catlettsburg crossed the pedestrian bridge and walked through the Murphy farm to board the train.
During the years of the Great Depression years, financial difficulties forced Frank Murphy to relinquish the property.
Charles Karns Swan and his wife, Margaret Henry Swan purchased the house and a large portion of the acreage in 1933. They were owners of Swan’s Bread Bakery, located on Magnolia Avenue, Knoxville.
The Swan family, which included four children — Charles Karns Jr., John Henry, Elizabeth (Heim), and Margaret (Webb — lived on the farm in the summer and returned to their home on White Avenue in the Fort Sanders Neighborhood to live during the winter months. They relied on several hired hands to manage the day-to-day operation of the big farm that included a sizable dairy and a stable of fine horses.
Charles Swan was an invalid for several years but the family continued to return to the farm every summer; accompanied by a nurse to care for him. Margaret Swan was an accomplished equestrian and therefore enjoyed living near the riding stables. The fiery red-headed widow was known for her outspoken temperament.
Through her friendship with the Motlow family who owned Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Margaret managed to obtain a luxury box at the Kentucky Derby which she and her family used for many years. Ironically, she died as a result of an accident in which she was involved while horseback riding.
The heirs of Mrs. Swan sold the property to Frank D. McCroskey and Jack Miller in 1973. Miller sent the antique carriage that was part of the estate to Pennsylvania where a talented group of Amish craftsmen restored it and he prominently displayed the carriage in front of his restaurant, the Open Hearth in Gatlinburg.
Miller and McCroskey sold the place to a couple of brothers named Martin from Blount County. The Martin brothers held on the property for about seven years before putting it up for sale.
In 1983, the farmstead was bought by Ted Miller, president and partner of Dolly Parton Productions, and his wife, Linda “Chigger” Miller. They set about refurnishing and remodeling while maintaining the historic integrity of the house. The Millers lived there until 2005 and the house has been vacant since that time.
John and Shari Coleman recently acquired the property and plan to create a venue for weddings, receptions and corporate events. They will offer horse-drawn carriage rides, reminiscent of the days when the Swan family resided there, along with a variety of unique amenities. They plan to call the place Swann Plantation
Interestingly, the Swan family who once owned the property spelled their name Swan. However, in recent years the owners who followed them have spelled the name Swann. The Colemans plan to continue to use the Swann spelling.
Carroll McMahan is the special projects facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and serves as Sevier County Historian.
The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments; please contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or email to cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or email to ron@ronraderproperties.com
- [S94] Sevier County, Tennessee Census, family 804 page 443b, line 12, 12 Oct 1850.
ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/census/tn/sevier/1850/pg0433b.txt
- [S112] Census, 1860.
Name: W C Murphy
Event Type:
Event Year:
Event Place:
Minor Civil Division: District No 5
Age (Expanded): 29 years
Birth Year (Estimated):
Birthplace:
Gender:
Page: 100
Household ID:
Affiliate Publication Number: M653
GS Film number: 805270
Digital Folder Number: 4297412
Image Number: 00354
- [S112] Census, 1870.
Name: W C Murphy
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1870
Event Place: Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 39
Race: White
Race (Original): W
Birth Year (Estimated): 1830-1831
Birthplace: Tennessee
Page Number: 4
Household ID: 26
Line Number: 15
Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Affiliate Publication Number: M593
GS Film number: 000553058
Digital Folder Number: 004275525
Image Number: 00293
Household Gender Age Birthplace
W C Murphy M 39 Tennessee
Lauretta Murphy F 37 Tennessee
Charley A Murphy M 11 Tennessee
Lauretta Murphy F 3 Tennessee
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tn/sevier/census/1870/0378b.gif
- [S112] Census, 1880.
Name: Wm. C. Murphy
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1880
Event Place: Sevierville, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 49
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Farmer
Race (Original): W
Ethnicity: American
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Birth Date: 1831
Spouse's Name: H. L. Murphy
Spouse's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Father's Name:
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Mother's Name:
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Page: 372
Page Letter: B
Entry Number: 1364
Affiliate Film Number: T9-1277
GS Film number: 1255277
Digital Folder Number: 004244657
Image Number: 00753
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Self Wm. C. Murphy M 49 Tennessee, United States
Wife H. L. Murphy F 19 Tennessee, United States
Daughter Lauretta Murphy F 13 Tennessee, United States
Son Frank Murphy M 5 Tennessee, United States
Daughter Anna Murphy F 3 Tennessee, United States
Son William Murphy M 1 Tennessee, United States
- [S112] Census, 1900.
Name: William C Murphey
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1900
Event Place: ED 142 Civil District 7, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
Birth Date: Jun 1831
Birthplace: Tennessee
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Father's Birthplace: North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 26
Marriage Year (Estimated): 1874
Mother of how many children:
Number of Living Children:
Immigration Year:
Page: 10
Sheet Letter: B
Family Number: 186
Reference ID: 74
GS Film number: 1241596
Digital Folder Number: 004118730
Image Number: 00052
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head William C Murphey M 69 Tennessee
Wife Harriet L Murphey F 48 Tennessee
Son Frank Murphey M 26 Tennessee
Daughter Hattie Murphey F 19 Tennessee
Boarder Betty Sharp F 27 Tennessee
- [S34] In the Shadow of the Smokies, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, (1993), 417.
Birth 23 October 1807
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name: William C. Murphy
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Age:
Spouse's Name: Lucy Rawlings
Spouse's Birth Date:
Spouse's Birthplace:
Spouse's Age:
Event Date: 28 Sep 1873
Event Place: , Sevier, Tennessee
Father's Name:
Mother's Name:
Spouse's Father's Name:
Spouse's Mother's Name:
Race:
Marital Status:
Previous Wife's Name:
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Marital Status:
Spouse's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M51968-1
System Origin: Tennessee-VR
GS Film number: 969965
Reference ID: 2:DQCN9C
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