Founders' Memorials

SARAH FOSTER KELLEY -- a seventh-generation descendant of James and Charlotte Robertson through their youngest daughter, Lavinia Beck Craighead -- was born May 25, 1939, the fourth of five children born to Jesse Paul and Lavinia Hill Foster of West Nashville. She attended West Nashville schools and earned a B.S. degree from Nashville's George Peabody College for Teachers. Beginning in the late 1960s, she devoted half her life to recording the history and genealogy of the James Robertson family, as well as to the preservation, then replication, of the pioneer double-log Robertson house in West Nashville.

Sarah was the widow of the late Ernest Starnes Kelley; mother of one son, Ernest Starnes Kelley, Jr. (wife: Karen), of College Grove, TN.; and grandmother of Dylan Starnes and Nolan Blake Kelley. Three brothers survive her: Dan and Sam Foster of Stewart, Tennessee, and Alvan S. Foster of DesMoines, Iowa.

Her genealogical research served as the foundation for Sarah's interest in preserving the history of James Robertson's life and times. She chartered the General James Robertson Descendants and Kin Association with the State of Tennessee on June 1, 1971, and served as the first chairman of the board of directors. The Association under Sarah's leadership served as host of the Robertson Family Reunion in Nashville in June, 1972. (Sarah also was the instigator and hostess of the June, 2001, Robertson Family Convention held in Nashville.)

Sarah's interest in preserving the 1779 James Robertson double-log home on Richland Creek led to her alliance with Nashville's Gladys Hamilton, founder and president of Historic Landmarks Association, in 1970 to have the restored Robertson house as a component of H.L.A.'s proposed Tennessee Towne (see WNFM History for early history of that preservation movement).

Sarah Kelley (center) joined Betty Gower (left) and Gladys Hamilton (right) on the board of directors of Historic Landmarks Association in 1970. They were photographed in December, 1971, while preparing for H.L.A.'s "Typically Tennessee Christmas" celebration slated for December 5-6 in Nashville's historic McGavock Mansion, "Two Rivers."

Although Tennessee Towne had failed to become a reality at the time of the death of H.L.A. President Gladys Hamilton in 1985, Sarah held fast to her vision of reconstruction of the Robertson double-log house. She organized the West Nashville Founders' Museum, Inc., in 1986 to revive the movement (click here to see a listing of Log_Donors ~ Honorees ), and in 1996 the replica was constructed in Metro Nashville's H. G. Hill Park on Charlotte Avenue. The James Robertson Log House was formally dedicated on May 11, 1997.

Sarah Kelley's many civic activities included her serving as co-chairman of West Nashville's observance of "Tennessee Homecoming '86" and of the 1987 West Nashville Centennial Exposition. While serving as secretary of the West Nashville Community Council, she and Ilene J. Cornwell organized the first Richland Creek Cleanup Campaign in 1989. From 1987 to 1992, she served as editor of the West Nashville Digest, a community newspaper published by community leader and former-councilman Ralph M. Cohen. Other memberships included the Tennessee Historical Society, the Tennessee State Museum Foundation, Ladies Hermitage Association, Belmont Mansion Association, Friends of Nashville City Cemetery, James Robertson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Kate Litton Chapter 597 of the Daughters of the American Confederacy, Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society, National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Library of Congress Associates, Clan Donnachaidh of Scotland, George Peabody College for Teachers of Vanderbilt Alumni Association, and Cohn High School Alumni Association. Sarah was the author of numerous genealogies and eight books: Scotch-Irish Origins of General James Robertson, West Nashville: Its People and Environs, Children of Nashville: Lineages of James Robertson, General James Robertson:The Founder of Nashville, The Family Tree of General James Robertson, The Family of Captain James Bosley--Nashville Pioneer and Trader, The Family of Ellen Mordant Davis--Wife of Dr. Peyton Robertson, Nashville Physician, and The Family of Ann Robertson Johnson Cockrill--Nashville's First School Teacher.

After an eight-year battle with cancer, Sarah Foster Kelley died on July 16, 2002. Graveside services were held July 19 in Nashville's Woodlawn Memorial Garden. Sarah's son, Starnes Kelley, has requested that any memorial gifts be made to the West Nashville Founders' Museum for perpetual care of the James Robertson Home.

Ralph M. Cohen

(1928--2005)

RALPH M. COHEN, who died of a sudden heart attack on January 11, 2005, was honored by Nashville Vice Mayor Howard Gentry at the opening of the Metro Council meeting of January 18 when he called upon the assembly to observe a moment of silence in memory of the former West Nashville councilman and civic leader.

Elected to represent Nashville's District 24 in the Metro Council in 1980, Cohen served until 1987 and was responsible for the majority of community development and commercial renewal in West Nashville. In 1986, he proposed and helped develop the old Cohn High School building on Park Avenue into the Cohn Adult Education and Senior Renaissance Center; he served on the advisory board until his death. Also in 1986, he joined with Sarah Foster Kelley to organize the West Nashville Founders' Museum Association, successor to Historic Landmarks Association, for the citizen effort to construct a replica of Nashville founding pioneer James Robertson's double-log house. The Robertson Log House was constructed in 1996 in Metro's H. G. Hill Park, 6730 Charlotte Pike (click on WNFM History for more on Ralph Cohen). During 1987-1994, he founded and served as publisher of the community newspaper, West Nashville Digest. In 1987, he also served as co-chair with Sarah Foster Kelley of the centennial celebration of historic New Town, now West Nashville.

Among the other civic groups in which Ralph Cohen was active were West Nashville Kiwanis Club, West Nashville Community Development Association, White Bridge Neighborhood Association, Friends of Richland Creek, American Red Cross Youth Services, Big Brothers of Nashville, Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, West Nashville Civitan Club, Nashville Chapter of B'nai B'rith, and Cohn Area Community Council.

Born December 17, 1928, in Nashville, Ralph Max Cohen was the son of Abe H. and Jennie Zager Cohen. He obtained his education from local primary schools, West End High School, and George Peabody College for Teachers. He served two years in the U. S. Army during the Korean War. After his 1950-52 military service, Cohen returned to work in his parents' furniture store, Park View Furniture Mart, established in 1944. The business became A. H. Cohen and Son in 1960 and relocated to 4304 Charlotte Pike. During 1964-1985, Cohen conducted business in several locations near the family store's original location, then in 1986 he built the "first new retail building in West Nashville in 30 years" on the site of his parents' store, spearheading a revitalization of the Richland Park Business District along the 46th to 51st blocks of Charlotte Pike. At the time of his death, Cohen was semi-retired but since 2002 had continued operating Cohen's Do-It-Yourself Plumbing and Electric as a consulting service at 4908 Charlotte Pike, the original site of his family's business.

Graveside services were held January 12, 2005, at the Sherith Israel Cemetery in north Nashville. Survivors include his sister, Dorothy C. Kohnstamm; four children: Mark E. Cohen, Lee A. Cohen, Jay S. Cohen, and Lisa A. Cohen; and three grandchildren.

Website graphics and content copyright © 2002-2005 by West Nashville Founders' Museum, Inc., H. G. Hill Park, 6730 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37209. World rights reserved. Revised: January 31, 2005.

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Ralph M. Cohen