MAGUIRE CEMETERY, COLUMBIA, MAURY COUNTY TENNESSEE

Patrick Maguire memorial. (Broken by long ago vandals, the beast of our human race)

MAGUIRE, Patrick, Born in Inniskillen, Ireland, 11 May 1775 - 18 Nov 1850. 
Tombstone not found in 1986, but was found on the second visit 24 Mar 2009. I saw partially buried tops and sides that could contain the inscriptions but the plunder was was so badly mingled, mangled and half buried parts that it was not possible to sort all of it out in the short period of time I was there.

MAGUIRE, PATRICK, a son of old Ireland, was one of the first settlers in the area that became Columbia. When the city was laid out, and the first lots sold, he was one of the original purchasers. It is said that he later acquired a large estate which included most of what is today the western side of Columbia. He built the Bel-Air mansion, which today serves as one of the units of Bel-Air Nursing Home (now the Hope Clinic). His investments were widespread, including banking. He was one of the founders of The Columbia Bank, in 1819 and the unsuccessful Steamboat Company in 1820. He operated a dry goods store in Columbia for many years. He married Martha Kavanagh on 8 Jan 1813 and they became parents of ten children. Evidently the three Maguire sons died without heirs since John W. Frierson, grandson of Patrick and Martha Maguire, wrote in the family Bible, "This is the last of the Maguires -- the name is extinct from Patrick Maguire -- a number of other descendants through his daughters are living." Patrick died on 18 Nov 1850.
Later the vast holding of lands by Patrick was given to his daughter Maria Williams. She later moved to New Orleans with her husband John and family where he was a commission merchant. The land was sold to Dr. William J. Polk a cousin of U.S. President James K. Polk. Maria and her husband and others of the family were brought back here to be interred in this graveyard.

This building was at one time the Patrick Maguire Home, one of Columbia first and most wealthy Irishman who died in 1850. It is one of the buildings of what in recent times has been a nursing home facility, but now I think a part of Hope Clinic, a drug rehab unit. Not certain of that today considering the vehicles parked there, as one looks like the bloodmobile. The front of the home on our left then faced Santa Fe Pike. The Nursing Home Company occupied here for many years were probably the folks that converted this side to a front of sorts so that it then fronted James Campbell Blvd by-pass.

The front view shows the twin chimneys on each side of the old Maguire Home and some very elaborate wood work on the original portico.
Information added by W. Austin from various sources, 20 Feb 2009. Revised from photos 24 Mar 2009.