Wiley Street Property

The Home of William B Wiley but probably better know as the home of Harvey H Hannah. It's widely accepted that the Henry H Wiley family and the offspring had more to do with the building of the finer old homes in Oliver Springs.

William B Wiley married Jennie McFarland of Asheville, NC in 1869. They first lived on Main Street in the old Captain E A Reed home and may have lived briefly in the Geraldine Blanton house. But did built this square type Colonial house where they lived until it was sold to Harvey H Hannah in 1916. The Wiley's had a huge fish pond, spacious lawns, and stables for ponies, saddle horses, etc. It was know for it's social events. William Wiley also operated a store at the corner of Sixth Street and Winter's Gap Ave as well as numerous coal interest.

William and Jennie had six children, Thomas E Wiley, Ada Z Wiley, Elizabeth Wiley. (We discussed Thomas and Elizabeth earlier with the Mary Ellen Wiley house), Lucy Ellen Wiley who married Dennis Letory, the son of wealthy Victor Amelius LeTorey and Victoire Pauline DeBlieux of Morgan County., Irene Wiley and Howard Hicks Wiley who married Rachel Richards, the daughter of John Richards and Hannah Davies.

General Harvey H. Hannah was a lieutenant-colonel of the 4th Tennessee Infantry in the Spanish-American War and was military governor of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba He was adjutant-general of Tennessee from 1900 to 1906, and was an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Tennessee. In 1906 he was elected Railroad Commissioner of Tennessee, being chosen as chairman of the Commission in 1922, a position he held until his death in 1936. A great orator and extremely popular man, the state of Tennessee named the highway from Oliver Springs to Harriman in his honor. Gerald Hannah operated coal mines which belonged to his mother. He later became head of the motor carrier department of the Railroad and Public Utilities Department of Tennessee. He was also mayor of Oliver Springs. His daughter, Geraldine (Mrs. Lewis Vaughan Blanton), was well know as being the owner of Colonial Hall. James Taylor Hannah, the only son of General H.H. and Gertrude Hannah lived in the home after his parents death. He married Sarah Kegley and they had four children, Martha, David, Beth, and Rebecca Jane.

The home has been restored by Eddie and Linda Coker.