LOVE-L Archives

From: "David J. Walker" <>
Subject: Family LOVE letters
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 1997 09:16:54 -0600

This correspondance was found in family papers. It was compiled by Frederick Zollicoffer
BROWNE. If you know of the individuals mentioned please contact me. Thanks Gloria
[I hope it is not to long for the list]

A COPY OF CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING THE LOVE FAMILY

The following interesting items appeared in a letter received from
Mr. James T. Buck, Crosbyton, Texas, of date Feb. 24, 1929: "I have
before me a brief sketch of the Love family by Mrs. E.L. Connally,
which appeared in the Atlanta Constitution of May 4, 1902. She refers
to the family as living in Augusta County, Va. and mentions Ephriam
Love as county militia captain in 1756; and says he was probably the
father of Samuel and Joseph Love who lived near Tinkling Spring
church, which was built in 1740. She gives a list of the descendants
of Joseph Love for several generations, but says very little about the
descendants of Samuel Love, and nowhere mentions the name David Love
nor the Ingles family. In speaking of Samuel Love's descendants she
says "Thomas Love, son of Robert Love and Mary Ann Dillard (oldest
child) married Miss Taylor of Washington county, Tenn., a sister of
Hon. Nathaniel Taylor, father of Robert Love Taylor, three times
Governor of Tennessee. Alf Taylor who was swept into the Governor's
chair of Tennessee in the Harding landslide was also a son of Hon.
Nathaniel Taylor and a brother of Gov. "Bob" Taylor. This Miss Taylor
who became the wife of Thomas Love was closely related to Hon. Landon
C. Haynes, U.S. Senator from Tennessee."
"Reverting back to the Love family history, I have recently found
that David Love drew a pension as a Revolutionary soldier from Augusta
County, Va., but have no further evidence to show that he was our
ancestor of that name. I do not see David Love listed in the Virginia
census of 1790, but the census of that state is incomplete, the
official list being destroyed in the burning of Washington City by the
British during the war of 1812.
As every individual in the Love family connection should be
interested in its preservation, I am including in these somewhat
random sketches a letter written to Mr. James T. Buck by his uncle,
and my great uncle, Captain Joseph Love:
Cullecka, Tenn.
April 20, 1912
James T. Buck, Chillicathe, Texas
My Dear Nephew: I know you have despaired of getting an answer to your letter. All
of this winter I have been a great sufferer from rheumatism. Otherwise
quite well for one of my age, having reached the ripe age of 77 years.
Several years since I left the old homestead and came to this place,
some six miles south, for the purpose of getting the benefit of fine
schools. Now to the purpose of your letter. My grandfather, David
Love, moved from Wythe country, Va., in 1804. For two years he lived
in Somner county, Tenn. In 1806 came with his family to Maury county,
Tenn., some six miles south of Columbia; his family consisting of two
daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, and son , my father, John Draper Love.
Elizabeth married John Whitaker, Mary married Larkin Pruett. She
became a widow, then married Samuel Tagsdale, both of whom lived at
Aberdeen, Miss. John Draper Love was born in Wythe County, Va.,
August 17, 1788. His mother's maiden name was Mary Draper. The
grandmother was also named Mary Draper [ed. Elizabeth Robertson Draper
wife of John Draper], of whom it was said that she was captured by the
Indians in company with a Mrs. Ingles [ed. Mary Draper Ingles wife of
William Ingles]. John Draper Love married Susanna Caruthers on the 12th
of March 1812. She was born in Burke County, N.C., Oct. 10, 1793,
daughter of Robert Caruthers who came to Tenn. about the same time that
my grandfather David Love did, and settled near by. As a boy he joined
the Continental force under Shelby and Sevier and participated in the
battle of King's Mountain. He had previously been captured, wounded,
and was then under parole, and for that reason his name never appeared
on record. Mother had several sisters and three brothers, only one of
whom married, Robert to Miss Porter.
Now the more immediate family: Elizabeth on Jan. 5,1830, married
Frederick Zollicoffer (brother of Gen. Felix Kirk Zollicoffer); Mary
Draper to S.W. Fitzpatrick, Aug. 16, 1832; Robert Caruthers Love, born
Oct. 16, 1816, married to Jane Cheatham (no date to marriage); David
Love, born March 21, 1819, married Miss Emily Buchanan, after her
death married Ann Nash. John Love, born April 16, 1821, never
married. Samuel Love, born March 9, 1823, married Margaret Nash.
Susanna Mills Love, born Feb. 4, 1825, married John B. Pruett. Jane
Crockett Love, born Dec. 18, 1828, married Emma Nash. Sarah Ann Love,
born June 5, 1831, married S.J. Foster. Thomas Jefferson Love, born
April 14, 1833, died in infancy. Joseph Love, born Feb.14, 1835
married Sallie Daniel Wilkes, May 11, 1870. Amanda Virginia Love, born
Oct. 4, 1837, married James H. Conner. This list is very imperfect, as
the records in my old Bible were badly kept.
Your grandfather, Robert Caruthers Love, died at the home of his
wife's father, almost in sight of my present home, on Dec.6, 1872. Two
of my sisters lived in Texas, Mrs. Foster at Groesbeck. She and her
husband both died there several years since. Mrs. Conner lives at
Cleburne, Texas. These two sisters have large families; some at Teague
and some at Dallas. I and Mrs. Conner are only left of this large
family.
My father had no brother. The nearest of the Love kin was John
Dillard Love, who married a sister of my mother. He came from North
Carolina.
Several years since I had a long correspondence with Franklin C.
Love of Georgetown, Texas, in regard to family origin, and after much
research we became satisfied that one of three brothers came from
Scotland and landed at Jamestown at an early date, made purchase of
land and returned to Scotland on the same vessel with William Penn.
Evidently the brothers and families soon came to America, settling
near Jamestown. Several years after this date members of this family
moved to North Carolina and became quite prominent. Suppose you write
to Franklin C. Love, Georgetown. He has quite a history of the Love
family.
Now write me again and tell me of yourself and family. We had
three children, one daughter and two sons; daughter died several years
since; oldest son in Chattaneoga, the other in Columbia, Tenn.
I write very seldom now, and know this is badly connected. Any
other information you may want, write me again. Five brothers were in
the Confederate army. Brothers Robert, David, William, and myself held
commissions as Captains, but I have said so much this time, will have
to close."
Your uncle,
Jo. Love
P.S. Mail me a sample of your paper. I find that I failed to state at
the right place that my grandmother (mother's side) was Elizabeth
Petillo of Burke County, North Carolina. Brother William lost his leg
on the 20th of July, in front of Atlanta. His family lives near Altus,
Okla., brother Sam. at Itta Rena, Miss. I received two slight wounds.
Think now I am suffering from one, just above the ankle. I commanded
the 48th Tenn. Infantry in last battles at Kingston and Bentenville,
North Carolina. Brother John was a Mexican War soldier; died in Attala
County, Miss., having never fully recovered from the effects of that
campaign. J. Love
With reference to the passage across the Atlantic of one of the
Love brothers on the same ship with William Penn, there is a tradition
in the Love family that Love and William Penn were close friends. Love
is said to have made his first trip to America as a gentleman
adventurer-- in the expectation of finding gold in the beds of the
creeks. Disappointed in this, he was offered much land by Penn. When
he refused the land, Penn said to have said: "Take it for the benefit
of posterity". Love is said to have replied: "Let posterity take care
of themselves"!
In a letter to Mr. James T. Buck, Crosbyton, Texas, Mrs. W.F.
Love, Corsicanna, Texas states that the same traditions as to the
association of our Love ancestor with William Penn had been handed
down in their branch of the family. She has information that the Loves
settled at an early date in Chester, Lancaster and York counties,
Pennsylvania, and that from there they migrated to Virginia, Tennessee
and elsewhere. The secretary of the Pennsylvania Historical Society
has written that the Loves in Pennsylvania were generally Scotch-
Irish, and Presbyterians.
Some years ago, I was told by David F. Love of Springdale
Plantation, Attala County, Miss., a son of David Love, Confederate
Captain, and grandson of John Draper Love, that among his father's
books had once been a copy of "Recollections (or Memories) of Fifth
Years", by William S. Sparks, whose mother was a Love. This book had
long since been lost. When in St. Louis some years after I found the
book in the public library and read it with a great deal of interest.
Sparks had a very distinguished career as a Congressman and, I
believe, Senator, from Georgia, in the period leading up to, and
following, the War Between the States. He makes some interesting
references to his Love ancestry in the opening pages of his book. One
of his immediate Love Forebears was a Scotch sea captain. Another was
a captain of patriot cavalry in South Carolina during the American
Revolution whose exploits rivalled those of Marion and Sumpter, with
whom he was, no doubt, associated. Members of the family able to
secure and read this book, now out of print, have a rich treat in
store.
It was not my privilege to know intimately but one of my Love
great-uncles. This was Captain David Love, C.S.A. He it was who raised
three companies of soldiers for service in Forrest's cavalry in Attala
County, Miss. Forrest saved his gallant captain's life once in the
midst of a hot encounter with the Federals. It is said that Love soon
reciprocated by saving the life of the Wizard of the Saddle as, while
heavily engaged in front, he was about to be cut down by another enemy
coming up from the rear. Love intercepted the attacker and routed him.
My great aunt, Mrs. David Love, she who was Ann Nash, a sweet and
gentle, and yet masterful, southern queen of the home and mistress of
slaves was, with her sisters, aunt Margaret and aunt Emma, typical of
all that was best in the old southern plantation life. Aunt Ann once
told me of the interesting manner in which, before the fall of
Vicksburg to Grant's legions on that day took the zest out of it, the
Old South of Tennessee and Mississippi celebrated the Fourth of July.
Patriotic speeches were delivered with frequent references to Patrick
Henry's "Give me liberty or give me death" speech, and to the
Declaration of Independence. In every possible fashion the American
eagle was made to scream by the impassioned orators, and the tail of
the British lion twisted. Throughout the proceeding whiskey was served
in barrels, with convenient dippers near by. As the concluding feature
of the program toasts were drunk, first, of course, to Gen.
Washington, and then, usually, to Gen.Lafayette, and then on and on
through a long list of Revolutionary notables. The list was long for
patriotic reasons and also for reasons of conviviality. After each
toast a cannon was fired. Such celebrations continued until the
patriotism, or Dutch courage of the moment, with the supply of
whiskey, was exhausted, and the ground covered with fallen warriors of
the rank and file.
In the period between the Mexican and Civil Wars the military
spirit ran high in the South. The energies of the wealthy and cultured
slave holding class found expression in the organization of local
militia companies. The Love brothers were prominent in the
organization and frequent meetings and drills of these companies. I
have heard my grandmother Mrs. John Anderson Jackson, nee Susan
Zollicoffer, speak of the fine appearance at these reunions of one of
her uncles, Robert Caruthers Love, I think, on his fine horse, with
his wide brimmed hat decorated with nodding plumes. This was the
period or age of southern chivalry for excellence when, according to
Mark Twain the men of the slave-holding South were still tilting with
Ivanhoe in the lists at Ashby "in the land in which they were
dreaming".

--
David & Gloria Walker
P.O.Box 890874
Houston, TX 77289-0874

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• Family LOVE letters by "David J. Walker" <>