Berry Farms is a planned community with deep historical roots in Franklin, TN. The property of Berry Farms is rooted in the history of the Berry family. Avalyn Berry and Tyler Berry are direct descendants of Colonel “Buck” Martin who first settled on the property in the early 1800′s. The original homestead was built sometime between 1806 and 1812, prior to Colonel Martin’s departure to fight in the War of 1812. After serving on Andrew Jackson’s staff in New Orleans, he returned to his middle Tennessee home, lovingly referred to as “Rural Plains”, and convinced his sister Sally Martin Hughes and her husband, John, to leave Virginia for a visit. Being struck by the beauty of the area, John and Sally Hughes decided to make it their home as well and proceeded to build a new, larger brick home on the property around 1830. The dining room was built overlooking Five Mile Creek where geese congregated and swam and wild roses grew at random, painting the perfect picture of pastoral serenity and beauty. That Rural Plains home still stands on the northwest track of Berry Farms and will remain an integral part of Berry Farms throughout its development.
The 600 acres that comprise Berry Farms are rich not only in the Berry family history but the history of Franklin and our country. Much of the surrounding land bore witness to the Civil War firsthand. In fact, at least three Civil War skirmishes were fought on the property, the most significant of which occurred on April 19, 1863, when part of the Third Tennessee Cavalry, led by Colonel James W. Stames with Freeman’s Battery bringing up the rear, passed along the Lewisburg Turnpike. The Fourth U.S. Cavalry attacked the Battery, killing Captain Samuel Freeman and several others in the process.
The Rural Plains home stands today as one of Williamson County’s great historic homes, having been beautifully restored by Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Berry. The family legacy will continue to be preserved on the Berry property for generations to come, ensuring the integrity and character of the land’s history are maintained.