Belmont Mansion Painting

by Carol Montoya

Title

Belmont Mansion Painting

Artist

Carol Montoya

Medium

Photograph - Digital Painting

Description

Belmont Mansion Painting

Belmont Mansion plays a major role in Nashville Tennessee's history before, during, and beyond the Civil War. Adelicia Hayes Franklin purchases land that becomes central to Belmont. May 8th, 1849, Adelicia marries Joseph Acklen who becomes her second husband and they began the building Belmont right away as their summer home. A note, that before their marriage Adelicia asked Joseph Acklen to sign a marriage contract stating she will retain ownership and control of all her property. Note, President James K Polk and his wife attended their wedding noting in his journal.

The Acklen's own plantations in Louisiana once belonging to Adelicia late husband. Due to Adelicia enormous wealth, the Acklen's did not need a plantation to produce income for the estate. So there was no cotton fields or cash crops grown on Belmont's 177 acres of land. Joseph and Adelicia wanted a home for entertaining with huge porches with cool breezes sitting on top of the high hill gardens. The home was completed in the summer of 1853, including elaborate gardens, greenhouses, a zoo, and an art gallery. Even though Belmont was not a plantation there was still a large number of slaves maintaining the estate.

Joseph Acklin excellent in business matters added to Adelicia plantations and to her enormous wealth of assets in the number of two million dollars. Construction and additions still went on a Belmont.

In February 1962, Fort Donelson fell to Union forces, leaving much of the citizens leaving the city Joshep goes to Louisianna to run the plantation, leaving Adelicia at Belmont.

"By the summer and fall of 1863, the Confederate army was threatening Joseph for not burning his cotton, which by now amounted to 8,500 bales of cotton. The Federal army offered to protect him, but Joseph refused for fear of retaliation by renegade Confederate soldiers in the area. Eventually, against his will, the Federals did provide protection. By August of 1863, Joseph was disillusioned, tired, sick, and apparently so arthritic he was unable to write. In a dictated letter to Adelicia sent on August 20th, he said the south had no chance of winning the war. Slavery was finished and he was glad of it."

Belmont slave population lived for generations on the estate and beyond. Today, Belmont seeks information about enslaved families and slaves.
I recommend reading the account of some of the families at Belmont.
http://www.belmontmansion.com/enslaved-families

The Civil War comes to Belmont:
"Belmont became the headquarters of the 4th Corps of the U.S. Army of the Cumberland. As the Federal Army began to dig in around the southern perimeter of Nashville, Adelicia and her children fled into town and, according to historical sources, stayed with Mrs. James K. Polk. As the widow of a President, Mrs. Polk was unmolested by both armies. Remaining at Belmont was Joseph Acklen’s niece Sally Acklen and the children’s tutor Eloise Census."
Recommended reading about the Battle Of Nashville ar Belmont at
http://www.belmontmansion.com/battle-of-nashville

Today the Belmont Mansion still has much of the same gardens and statues found during its heyday even though many of its outbuildings are gone.

The Belmont Mansion surrounded by Belmont University which is a private Liberal Arts University.

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August 23rd, 2017

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