Rivermont - Circa 1904 to Present
3801 Maloney Road – Knoxville, TN in the Lakemoor Hills Area
by Chris Kerr
1904 — in the beginning...
Built by Colonel Charles Henry Harvey ~1904.
Charles Harvey was born in Anamosa, Iowa October 10, 1861. he went to Beloit College in Wisconsin for two years and in his junior year he enrolled in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor where he graduated with the A.B. degree in 1885. He came to Knoxville in October of 1885 and in in February of 1886 went to Wyoming, locating on a cattle ranch. He returned to Knoxville in the fall of 1886 when he accepted a position as private secretary of the of the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad (later to be called Southern Railway) He went on to become Chief Clerk and General Manager. He was active in this capacity until the fall of 1895 when he became Secretary and Treasurer of the Knoxville Light & Power Company.
Known as Colonel Harvey, he married Ida Grace Locke in April 19, 1892. He had two daughters, Edith C. Harvey, born April 3, 1894 and Helen W. Harvey, born September 25, 1895. Unfortunately Ida Grace died on November 14, 1899 and Colonel Harvey raised his daughters as a widower. He lived with his two daughters at Rivermont.
The KL&P Company was acquired by the Knoxville Traction Company. In 1902 he became general manager of both companies which were consolidated in 1905 under the name of the Knoxville Railway & Light Company. It was around this time, 1904, that Rivermont became the family home.
by Chris Kerr
1904 — in the beginning...
Built by Colonel Charles Henry Harvey ~1904.
Charles Harvey was born in Anamosa, Iowa October 10, 1861. he went to Beloit College in Wisconsin for two years and in his junior year he enrolled in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor where he graduated with the A.B. degree in 1885. He came to Knoxville in October of 1885 and in in February of 1886 went to Wyoming, locating on a cattle ranch. He returned to Knoxville in the fall of 1886 when he accepted a position as private secretary of the of the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad (later to be called Southern Railway) He went on to become Chief Clerk and General Manager. He was active in this capacity until the fall of 1895 when he became Secretary and Treasurer of the Knoxville Light & Power Company.
Known as Colonel Harvey, he married Ida Grace Locke in April 19, 1892. He had two daughters, Edith C. Harvey, born April 3, 1894 and Helen W. Harvey, born September 25, 1895. Unfortunately Ida Grace died on November 14, 1899 and Colonel Harvey raised his daughters as a widower. He lived with his two daughters at Rivermont.
The KL&P Company was acquired by the Knoxville Traction Company. In 1902 he became general manager of both companies which were consolidated in 1905 under the name of the Knoxville Railway & Light Company. It was around this time, 1904, that Rivermont became the family home.
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Colonel Harvey is said to have been a friend of Gatlinburg Guide Wiley Oakley and is said to have been responsible for Gatlinburg’s first electricity at the turn of the century. He died in Oct 6, 1935 and is buried next to Ida Grace Locke-Harvey in the Old Gray Cemetery on Central Avenue in Knoxville.
1936 — the Second Owner...
$12,000 ~ it included property on the River and the Church Property
The home was sold to Claude Pennybacker (formerly of Somerset Kentucky) and Katherine Pettway-Pennybacker in 1936. Katherine’s Brother, Joseph Pennybacker had gone from there home in Kentucky to Medical School in Edinburgh Scotland and became a renowned surgeon in England. He sent the family money which they used to move from their rental home on 17th Street which ran to Circle Park on UT’s current campus. Frank says they were sure happy to get out of town!
Frank Pettway was the grandson of Katherine and the nephew of Jane Pennybacker. Jane Pennybaker was a late in life daughter of Claude and Katherine who was only 15 months older than Frank. The all lived in the house at the same time.
Jane Pennybacker married Robert Mosbacher, Sr. around 1948. Frank left Rivermont for good in 1949 to enter the Military Service. He is seen in the photos at the fireplace and the fish pond with Jane.
Frank Pettway, Jane Pennybacker and Katherine Pettway-Pennybacker.
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Jane by the “horse hitch.” Margaret Goodman and Mary Sullivan (currently in the Dr. Hertel home) say they rode their horses over to Rivermont and hitched to the post in the front yard.
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Jane Pennybacker married Robert Mosbacher, Sr. around 1948.
Frank left Rivermont for good in 1949 to enter the Military Service.
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Jane and Bob Mosbacher. They were a beautiful couple and had a wonderful life together until Jane died in Aug 6, 1970 of Leukemia in Houston, Texas.
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They had 5 beautiful children in Houston, Tx.
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Bob Mosbacher, Sr. was Secretary of Commerce under George Herbert Walker Bush in 1990
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1957 — the Third Owners...
$27,500 ~ The 15 acres where Lake Hills Church is were not included
Were Jim and Nancy Wilkie-Kerr who purchased Rivermont from Ms. Katherine Pennybacker. The Pennybackers moved to Timberlake. They had a wonderful life at Rivermont to say the least. It was the peaceful 50’s!
Nancy Wilkie after declaring to Jim in wartime England that she would never marry an American, later declared that she would have 4 boys! Her prophecy came true. The 4 “Kerr Boys” are Terrell, David, Chris & John.
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In the summer of 2010 Jim will be inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame for Golf!
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In 1978 Nancy became the first Hospice Nurse in Tennessee History.
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Nancy Wilkie Kerr, RN with Patricia Neal
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The 4 Kerr Boys turned out ok! All are members of the Sertoma Club and baby John will be the International President of Sertoma in 2012 the 100 year anniversary of Sertoma Club – which means Service to mankind.
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Looking from Rivermont to the Dr. Kenneth Hertel Home behind the Lake Hills Church. The Church was built in ~1961
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Looking from Rivermont towards the river and the William Moore Property which now has the Charlie Coffee, Jack and Silvia Lacey, Steve and Janice Fillmore homes, among others.
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