John Love applied for a Revolutionary War Pension in Wilkes County NC on 30 Oct 1832. As found in Catawba Frontiers 1775 - 1781 by Mary Elinor Lazenby, the abstract of the pension application documentation indicates John was born in 1762 Brunswick County VA. While quite small, he moved with his father to Charlotte County VA. He lived there for a few years before moving to Wilkes County NC. In place of his father James, John Love enlisted 1780 in Wilkes County and served throughout the western piedmont of North Carolina and into South Carolina. Shortly after the war, he removed to Stokes County where he lived for two or three years. John returned to Wilkes County where he later applied for the pension. Looking in the records of Wilkes County, I believe we can positively identify this John Love as an older son of James Love Junior who eventually settled and died in Cabarrus County NC. Let’s look back to a childhood scenario for John Love.
James Love Junior was indeed living in 1762 Brunswick County VA as indicated by John in his pension request. Though marriage or his wife’s name is not documented until appears in a 1766 deed, James Love Junior witnesses in other transactions as early as 1760. So it is possible James Junior was married ca. 1760-1762. He died in Cabarrus County NC where an obituary identifies his birth year as being 1745. Placed in the paper by a second wife or younger sons, there is the possibility the birth date may be off a few years. So it remains possible that James Love Junior was old enough to have a son John born in 1762.
As stated by John in his pension request, the Love family moved to Charlotte County VA ca. 1769-70. James Love’s brother John and their father James Senior settled on Wallace Creek in southwest Charlotte County. Wallace Creek empties into the Staunton River that serves as boundary line between Charlotte and Halifax counties. James Love Junior seems to avoid detection in Charlotte County, but appears about the same time in next-door Halifax County VA. Just opposite Wallace Creek and rising in Halifax County, a small stream known as Hunting Creek also empties into the Staunton. It is there I believe James Love Junior actually lived for a short while. Dated 17 Oct 1771 and recorded on the same day, James Love “of Brunswick County” purchased 400 acres (7-281, Halifax VA) on a branch of Hunting Creek from John Cardwell. The land was bounded by that owned by James Steward, Clark, and Cole. Dated 10 Aug 1772 and recorded later on 21 Apr 1774, James Love “of Brunswick County Virginia” sold the same above 400 acres of land (9-277, Halifax VA) to “Charles Love of same.” Signed “James Love,” this appears to be James Love Junior, as his father signed with a mark. Also, to seal that thought, Barth. Dameron, Chrty Dameron, and Bartha. Ingram witnessed the transaction. They are all members of James Love Junior’s wife’s family.
The Move to Wilkes County, North Carolina
Though the date in the entry book differs from information on the Secretary of State Land Grant shuck, it is clear from the following that James Love Junior was acquiring land in Wilkes County at the time of his son’s enlistment:
James Love (Grant # 245, Wilkes NC) ent. 31 Mar 1780, sur. 10 Apr 1780, iss. 23 Oct 1782. Being 39 ¾ acres, the land was situated on Hunting Creek at the foot of Lazy Hill. Ruben Stanley and Jacob Stanley served as chain bearers. (James’s land is situated in the southeast corner of Wilkes County near present day Hwy 115)Looking at a modern map, the lands of James Love Junior are situated in southeast Wilkes County along Hunting Creek near Highway 115. The long spine of Little Brushy Mountain parallels the creek to the north. Remnants of “The Old Salisbury Road” parallel the creek bank to the south. In his 1832 Revolutionary War pension request, John Love stated he enlisted in 1780 Wilkes County in place of his father, James Love. Marching with troops from Wilkes County, I can imagine seeing them as they headed off down the Salisbury Road. James Love’s land was situated just north of where Lewis Church Road turns off Highway 115. Curious as to the whereabouts of Lazy Hill, local resident Mr. Brooks smiled as he pointed from his front porch to a red hill crossed by Highway 150. He told me as a child, the old timers always called that place “Lazy Hill.”James Love (Grant # 261, Wilkes NC) ent. 25 Jan 1780, sur. 10 Apr 1780, iss. 23 Oct 1782. Being 198 acres, the land was surveyed on the same day as grant # 245 above. This land was also situated on the banks of Hunting Creek at the foot of Lazy Hill. Again, Ruben and Jacob Stanley served as chainbearers.
James Love (Grant #1815/1998) ent. 15 May 1780, sur. 9 Nov 1802, iss, 23 Nov 1803. Being 100 acres situated on Bear Branch adjoining the lands of William Lewis, this was grant # 1815 that did not mature and was reissued as grant # 1998. Though the land was granted to James Love, the name “John Love” appears on the reverse side of the duplicate warrant. D. Roupan and H. Cullumber served as chain bearers.
Dated 29 Sep 1783 and recorded Jan 1784, James Love of Wilkes County purchased 106 ¼ acres (A1-350, Wilkes NC) from Ambrose Crain. Adjoining the lands belonging to Osborn Killands, this tract was also located on Hunting Creek. Alexdr Morrison, Carlton Keiling, and Daniel Holman witnessed the transaction. On 14 Nov 1786 and recorded Jan 1787, “James Love, Junr. of Surry County” sold the above 106 ¼ acres (A1-540, Wilkes NC) to Reuben Stanley of Wilkes County. As found in the Moravian Administration Records, we know that James Love Junior returned to Surry County in 1786 to assist the family after the death of his brother John. As hinted at in the pension request, James’s son John returned home only to join his father in making the move to Surry County.
John Love married Martha James in Sury County. Dated 6 Feb 1787, “James Love and John Love” payed bond for the marriage of our John Love and Patsy James. Patsy is the daughter of John and Hannah James of Surry County. Witnessed by R. Williams, the document was signed by John (X) Love and James Love. Note that John signed with a mark (X). Note that it can be proved that his sister Elizabeth also married in Surry County about the same time. And yet in Wilkes County NC, on 23 May 1789, a John Love and James Allen pay bond for the marriage of another John Love and Peggy King. Witnessed by G. Wheatly, C. C., the document was signed by John Love and James (X) Allen. While our John Love signed with an “X” this other John Love provided a signature on his marriage bond. Though the life of this other John Love has caused great confusion, the signatures have aided greatly in separating out these two individuals.
Following his marriage to Patsy James, John returned to Wilkes County. Looking at the following 1780’s tax lists for Wilkes County, we see that James Love may not have returned with his son to the lands on Hunting Creek:
1782, Capt. Alexander Gordon’s Dist
acres white poll black poll
James Love 810 4 2
1784, Capt. Alexander Gordon’s Dist
acres polls
James Love 650 3
James Love Jur. 2 ---
1785, Capt. Alexander Gordon’s Dist
acres polls
James Love 100 1
1786, no Loves listed
1787, Capt. Gordon’s Dist
acres polls
John Love 200 2
1789, Capt. Johnson’s Dist
acres polls
John Love --- 1
1790, Capt. Harvil’s Dist
acres polls
John Love --- 2 John (X) Love of Wilkes County
I have not found any deeds in which James Love conveyed land to his son John. For some reason John is taxed for 200 acres in 1787 and then for owning no land beyond. Dated 2 Apr 1789, John Love entered a land grant (1160, Wilkes NC) for 100 acres situated on Hunting Creek. Originally made out to Daniel Holmon, the warrant was assigned to John Love and was issued 4 Jul 1794. Adjoining lands of Holmon and Ambrose Craine, this tract must have also been very close to that earlier acquired by James Love. In the same year that this grant was issued, James Love, farmer, of now Mecklenburg, sold several tracts in one transaction. The deed follows:
Deed (B-351, Wilkes County NC) dated 4 Jan 1792, recorded Feb 1794. James Love of Mecklenburg County, farmer, to Evan Beal of Wilkes. Signed by James Love, the transaction was witnessed by John B. Hoy, John Love and Benj. Crabtree. Being two tracts situated on Hunting Creek as defined below:Tract 1: Being 198 acres at the foot of Lazy Hill as was originally defined grant # 261 andissued to James Love 23 Oct 1782.
Tract 2: Being 39 acres as was defined as Grant # 245 and originally issued to James Love on 23 Oct 1783.
In 1790 James Love Junior does not appear in the census of North Carolina. But keeping in mind that James Love sold land to Evan Bell in the above transaction witnessed by Benjamin Crabtree, as follows, the 1790 Wilkes County census conveniently enumerates John Love between the same Evan and Benjamin:
1790 Census
Wilkes County NCEven Bell 1m16+, 3m16-, 2f, 1 slave
Jno. Love 1m16+, 2m16-, 1f, 2 slaves
Ben. Crabtree1m16+, 0m16-, 3f, 0 slaves
So if John married Patsy James in 1787 Stokes County, it is possible for him to have two sons under the age of 16. Also appearing in the 1790 census is the other John Love. In Company six, he is enumerated near Robert King. Listed as having a wife and daughter under the age of 16, the data for that John Love is consistent with the 1789 marriage to Peggy King. It is also worth noting that this John Love did not own a slave.
Looking for our John Love in obscure records of Wilkes County, I found a civil action paper dated 4 Oct 1790 in which John Love was summoned as witness for the state. Mentioning Evan “Bell,” the paper reads:
Complaint being made to me the subscribing justice on oath by Thomas Fitzpatrick that on Saturday the 2nd day of Octr 1790 that at a certain muster ground where he the said Fitzpatrick was called by his officer to do his duty & c and some time abaught Dark in the Evening a certain James McBride with others did him assalt beat and bruse in a barbarous manner as appear by the marks he carry in his face & c and also one Evan Bell did him assalt on his way home with an intent to abuse and beate him over again if he had not been prevented & c……On the reverse side of the paper, Dan’l Holman and Benjamin Lewis are named as posting security bond on behalf of James Mcbride and John Love and Danl Holman as posting bond for Evan Bell. In two other papers, John Love was ordered to apprehend suspects. One paper reads:
John Love Fail Not
you have a right to summons any parson you pleas to assist you
or as many as you think is necessary
James Love apparently left for Mecklenburg County NC around 1790. But, he does not appear anywhere in the 1790 North Carolina census. Could he have been in process of moving and therefore overlooked? At NC Archives, and as stated previously in this paper, there is one other land grant issued under the name of this James Love. Entered 15 May 1780, Grant # 1998 for 100 acres was not issued until 23 Nov 1803. Wm. B. Lenoir, Clerk of Court for Wilkes County ordered that a duplicate warrant be issued in place of the original entered by James Love in 1780. This time the warrant for the same tract was surveyed on 9 Nov 1802 still under the name “James Love.” The land was situated on Bear Branch and adjoined that owned by William Lewis. D. Roussau and H. Cullumber served as chain bearers. All information for this grant is identifiable to James Love except on the back of the duplicate warrant appears the name “John Love.”
Keep in mind John Love signed with an (X) when he married Patsy James in 1787 Surry County NC. On 7 Sep 1813 and recorded Aug 1814, John (X) Love of Wilkes County sold two tracts (_-506, Wilkes County NC) to Thomas Stanley. James Johnson and Shadrack (x) Stanley witnessed the transaction. The land is described as:
Tract 1: Being 100 acres beginning at Stephen Southers corner and also adjoining lands belonging to Ambrose Crain.
Tract 2: Being 36 acres beginning at the mouth of Crain’s Spring Branch then running with Hunting Creek to the first branch on the south side of said creek, and also adjoining lands of Osburn Kislin and leaving the “Spring and Mill house ground.”
So in this transaction, John Love conveys land that is obviously part of that once entered by James Love. And this John Love signed with an (X).
Back in Stokes County, dated 27 Feb 1813 and probated Jun 1821, John James wrote his last will and testament. Nominating John G. Poindexter, Joseph Jeames and friend Sam Kinneman to be Executors of the estate, Charles Vest and Saml Kinneman witnessed the will. John James mentions wife Hannah and his eight children as follows: William Cary Jeames, John Baily Jeames, Thos. Jeames, Cary Jeames, Joseph Jeames, Martha Love, Mary Merrit, and Sary Poindexter. Looking briefly through the loose estate papers of John James, there is no mention of John or Martha “Patsy” Love. But dated 1 Jan 1820, the following conveyance holds the tie showing John and Patsy Love indeed moved to Wilkes County after their 1787 marriage:
Deed (7-88, Stokes County NC) dated 1 Jan 1820. John Love of Wilkes County sold a Negro girl named Fillis to John G. Poindexter of Surry County NC. Formerly the property of John James Senr., he sold the girl earlier to Thomas Cook. Witnessed by Jacob and Abraham Conrad, John (X) Love Senr. signed the deed with an (X) as should be expected.There are several things to note about this last transaction. First, John is now known as John Love Senior. From records in Wilkes County, we know he had a son John who married in 1819. Also, looking back to John James’s will, we can see that John G. Poindexter married his daughter Sary. So this transaction was between family members. And in the deed book, the transaction appearing before this one is also of possible importance. Dated 21 Oct 1819, William Jean sold a slave to Archibald Campbell. Both people were listed in James Love Senior’s last will and testament. F. C. Munning, M. Daub, and Henry Daub witnessed the transaction. And finally, in a Moravian minister’s diary, the following entry made in 1824 marks the death of John Love’s sister Elizabeth Love Shore:
May18. I kept the funeral of the wife of Mr. Henry Schor who lives eight miles from Bethania on Jacob Conrad’s place on the river. She had been sick for seven months. The sermon, in the English language, was preached at the home; the internment was five miles from there, toward Bethania, at Schor’s former farm. She was buried near the grave of one of her little sons, (he was three years old). The deceased was a Love, from Virginia; her husband is a brother of our Sr. Lehman.Note that Elizabeth had been living on the Jacob Conrad place. It was a Jacob Conrad who witnessed the deed between John Love and his brother-in-law John Poindexter.
There is one last transaction important for telling the story of this John Love. Dated 4 Mar 1822 and recorded Nov 1822, John Love sold 28 acres (K-249, Wilkes County NC) to Thomas Stanley. Witnessed by Arch’d Lovelace and Enoch Fletcher, John signed John (X) Love Senr. Note his son John married Sallie, the daughter of Enoch Fletcher. This land was situated on both sides of Hunting Creek and adjoined lands belonging to Thomas Stanley.
Looking back to the records in Wilkes County, there are actually few left to tell the story of our John Love, son of James. From the marriages of his children and conveyances by them, we can project what we know upon the accomplishments of later generations. Not knowing where John and his wife are buried, I can only imagine they rest on or near the lands where they lived.
The Children of John and Martha James Love are:
Thomas Love
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John Love, Junior
Ingram Love
Martha Love