Stepping back in time - Lotz House set to reopen Oct. 30 as house museum

By Mindy Tate / Posted by: Williamson Herald 9/4/2008

During the Civil War’s Battle of Franklin, Johann Albert Lotz and his family sought refuge in the cellar of the Carter House, just 110 steps across Columbia Avenue from their wooden plank house. Now a local history buff and certified antiques appraiser plans to open the Lotz House in late October as a Civil War House museum, displaying both the house, but also a collection of antiques and decorative arts which will add to Williamson County’s growing tourism base. “This has been a dream of mine for many years to both preserve this beautiful and historic home while using it as a backdrop to showcase our collection of antiques and decorative arts,” Thompson said. “I look forward to sharing the many colorful and historic stories of the house as well as that of the antiques and fine arts that are on display.”

A native Texan, Thompson has lived in Nashville most of his life. He is a member of the board of directors of the Carter House and serves on Franklin’s Battlefield Task Force. He is certified in Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and trained as a certified personal property appraiser. “When guests leave the Lotz House, it is my hope they will have a better understanding and appreciation for our history — which gives us the lives we lead today,” Thompson said.

In 1855, German immigrant Johann Albert Lotz, purchased five acres of land from Fountain Branch Carter. Three years later, after doing most of the work himself, Lotz completed his home in 1858. By trade, Lotz was a master carpenter and a piano maker. He also repaired guitars and violins. His home, served as his “show house” to demonstrate his carpentry work to potential clients interested in hiring him for his services, Thompson said, adding that much of the work can still be seen today. The three fireplace mantles demonstrated his range from simple to very complex designs, Thompson said. In addition, the home has an impressive solid black walnut wrap around the stair handrail that starts on the ground floor and wraps all the way around and up to the second floor.

“To accomplish this engineering feat in the mid 19th century is truly remarkable,” Thompson said. “What’s more, the newel post at the bottom of the staircase is actually an inverted leg of one Mr. Lotz pianos. The outside of the home indeed is a testament to Mr. Lotz talent. All the hand-carved acorn finials, millwork and cartouches were constructed by Lotz.” When the Lotz family — Johann, wife Margharetha, sons Paul and Augustus and daughter Matilda — emerged after 17 hours from the Carter cellar the morning after the Nov. 30 battle, they were horrified to see the bodies of dead soldiers “so thick that you couldn’t take a step without walking on one of them” between the Carter House and their home, where historians say “some of the most severe hand-to-hand fighting during the four-year long war” took place in their front yard.

The Lotz house served as a hospital for the wounded soldiers on both sides until the following summer. To this day, one can step into the Lotz House and see numerous blood stains in all of the rooms, Thompson said. The house itself suffered severe battle damage, since it was located a few yards behind the center of the Union's entrenched line and the house divided part of Col. Emerson Opdyeke's brigade as it made the famous counter charge that stemmed the Confederate breakthrough along the Columbia Pike, according to historians. But as the structure served as Lotz’s “show house,” he was quick to make repairs, although some of the battle scars do remain. During the battle a solid shot cannon ball crashed through the roof, smashing into the floor of an upstairs bedroom and down to the first floor. The large repaired patch made by Mr. Lotz remains in the second floor, Thompson said, and on the first floor where the cannon ball finally came to rest one can clearly see where the hot lead ball first hit, burning the floor then rolled.

Thompson’s love of things historic started with his parents, the late John L. Thompson and his mother, Sue, who lived for several years at historic Mooreland mansion, now the centerpiece of The Koger Center office complex in Brentwood. From an early age, J.T. Thompson has been a collector, and a saver. “Two things — marbles, which I have all of them still — and toy soldiers, which I have all of them still,” he said when asked what he first collected. “I hope to do a scale diorama of not only the Battle of Franklin, but also every major battle of the Civil War, as we expand.” Some may remember the Lotz House was a museum before, but this is a new operation, Thompson said. We are totally different. We are here to honor soldiers on both sides,” he said. “We are all Americans. We all speak the same language and honor the same God, so we will honor all the soldiers of the war.”

Those visiting the Lotz House will see a collection of antiques described by Wendell Garrett, editor at large of The Magazine Antiques, has called “by far the finest private collection of American Victorian furniture in the Southeast.” Pieces to be seen include examples of furniture from the 1820s to 1860s made by artisans John Henry Belter and Prudent Mallard. Thompson will also display a collection of Old Paris porcelain, including a historic peach and cream-colored formal set of dishes from which three U.S. presidents dined at The Bedford Springs Hotel in Bedford, Penn. But perhaps the most unique items to be displayed at the Lotz House will be Thompson’s collection of a display of stuffed birds under their original glass dome originally captured and mounted by John James Audubon to examine in their more natural state as he painted them. The Lotz House is currently not aware of any other surviving examples of Audubon’s taxidermy work, Thompson said.