Born 21 Apr 1817, and as has been widely debated, it is traditionally believed Pleasant Love is the son of James Love and a second wife Esther Carricker Love. This is James Love who born in1745 married Mary Ingram. However, and thanks to the patient efforts of Helen Tucker Obermier, a recent find raises very real possibility that Pleasant and other siblings are the children of a much younger James Love who married Mary Tucker. Enlisting and heading off to do battle in the War of 1812, the war ended before young James and troops from Cabarrus County reached their destination. Returning home, he raised a family as appears in the 1820 census. Then ca. 1822, near about the same time the elder James Love died, this younger James also died while living at his home on Rocky River. A year later, “Esther Love” married George Tucker. And then as appears in court records found in Cabarrus County, George Tucker was appointed guardian of the children Darling, Pleasant, Hartwell, and Sally N Love. Believing she is the second wife and widow of elder James Love, and the mother of the children in question, descendants have built their history upon that belief. But still, the 1820 census has always been a thorn in the thoughts of those studied on the family.

Mary Tucker Love lived on and as per later records, we know she had one child out of wedlock before marrying second David Brooks in 1828 Montgomery, now Stanly County. A common legal practice of the day, the appointed guardian was seldom the parent in order to protect the child’s interests in such situations where the wife or husband remarried. Instead, the court usually appointed a near best friend who acting as third party was legally accountable for the child’s assets until they arrive at an age of maturity. Esther may or not have been the second wife of elder James Love. She very well may be a daughter or widow of yet another unknown member of the Love family. But her marriage to George Tucker provides an underlying rationale for his appointment as the guardian of Pleasant and his siblings. And since their mother remarried, the children likely lived and knew that George and Esther acted on their behalf as a parent would. It is my personal belief that Esther was their Aunt and not their mother.

The court records of Cabarrus County mark year by year the slow settlement of the estate of James Love. Growing to maturity, Pleasant Love begins to be known legally in his own right. Dated 11 Nov 1837, Pleasant and brother Darling Love sold to James S. Russell 34 acres (13-129, Cabarrus County NC) along Rocky River. Mostly on the east side of Rocky River, and yet crossing over, this land “below the mill in Peter Teeter’s corner” appears to be located near where present day Hwy 24-27 crosses the river. In this deed of trust, and due to unnamed debts, James Russell was allowed to have one-third profits of the mills for twelve months. Dated 14 May 1838, this same deed of trust was filed anew with the addition of the following clause: “I assign my right and title of this deed of trust to John Garman, for values received.” signed: James S. Russell. It appears that Darling and brother operated both a Grist and saw mill. This was land in the area along Rocky River once owned by James Little. In 1804 James sold much of the land at very high dollar to Speculators from Baltimore MD. He then moved into Montgomery, now Stanly County and resided below present day Love’s Grove UMC. We do not know the source for the above land, but note that Darling Love married Serena, the daughter of James Little. Darling Love removed to Pope County Arkansas ca. 1838.

Pleasant’s brother Hartwell owned land on the opposite side of Reed mine near present day Howell Baptist Church. Pleasant Love married ca. 1835 Leah or Lear Motley. Born 7 Jul 1818, she is the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Reed Motley. Elizabeth is the daughter of John and Sarah Kizer Reed who owned Reed’s mine. On 27 Aug 1842, Pleasant Love was ordered to sell livestock and household furniture (14-423, Cabarrus County NC) in order to settle a debt of $150 due to his brother Hartwell S. Love. An entry in the Cabarrus Pleas and Quarters Session also states that 106 acres owned by Pleasant Love were sold for back taxes due for the year 1842. And in Jan 1848, Pleasant Love was then appointed overseer of the road from Anderson’s Creek to Howell’s Branch. Situated on the west side of Rocky River near the lands owned by Hartwell S. Love, this court record indicates Pleasant likely lived in that area.

In 1850, Pleasant Love is enumerated as follows:

Pleasant's children Parker and Sara N. appear to have died young as they do not appear in later census records. The courts continue to mention Pleasant through 1851 when he was listed among those serving jury duty. Removing to Pope County Arkansas in the summer of 1854, he traveled with John A. Love, brother-in-law Dr. William A. Burkhead and others. Note he names a daughter Sarah for his sister who married William Burkhead. And then, in 1860, the family is enumerated in Arkansas as:

Bringing with him a heritage of the old south, and though too old to serve in active duty, Pleasant Love enlisted as private in the Civil War. He served in the home guard and appears was stationed in Clark Township, Pope County. We know Pleasant inherited and owned slaves. Near where he lived, I understand there exists an old cemetery where the slaves and their descendants are buried.

Pleasant Love died 24 Dec. 1897. His obituary reads:

Pleasant Love,

. . . one of the oldest citizens of the county, died at his home near London Saturday, last. Deceased was an exemplary citizen, and while always attentive to business, he waspunctual in the discharge of the duties he believed due to his God and fellowman.

Located on the eastern edge of the town of London, it appears both Interstate I-40 and US Highway 64 pass through the lands where once lived Pleasant Love. He is buried in a fenced in plot at the nearby Craine Family Cemetery. County Road 333 passes south through London before turning east along the northern extent of lands owned by Arkansas Power and Light. To the south of County Road 333 is located the power plant known as Arkansas Nuclear One. And situated a few acres south of where Pleasant once lived, the cemetery is located on a hill just to the north of the road. The stone above marks the grave of Pleasant Love. Note that it is broken with much of the vital information being lost.

The year after their father's death, sons Adam A. and Rufus P. Love petitioned the court for the care and guardianship of their 81 year old mother Leah Love. She later died 8 Apr 1900. As appears below, her marker stands in tact beside her husband at Crain Cemetery.

Though no obituary was written, Leah's loose estate provides valuable information concerning her descendants:

List of Heirs Martha Craine, Louvina Tucker R. P. Love Amanda Price A. A. Love Dora Hargrove, Elizabeth Hargrove, and Pleasant Wheeler, adult children of Jane Wheeler a daughter of Leah Love, but now deceased Lou Howard, Shingley Eggelston, & Edd Eggleston, children of Julia Eggleston dec’d who was daughter of Leah Love dec’d Maude Bowen, a grand daughter of said Julia Eggleston deceased A. A. Love Guard. Of Nellie Clair also a grand daughter of Julia Eggleston dec’d

Land NW quarter of the SW quarter Sec. 21 Twp. 8 North Range 21 West ___________ SE quarter of the NW quarter and SW of NW quarter Sec. 21 Twp. 8 Range 21 North

The children of Pleasant and Leah/Lear Motley Love are:

A. Martha Ann Love
Born in 1836 North Carolina, Martha married 1 Mar 1868 Albert Aston Crain in Pope County. Born 3 Mar 1825 in Louisiana, he married first 23 Mar 1867 Sarah Coffee in Pope County AR. Albert died 27 May 1905 and is buried at Crain Family cemetery. Martha died 14 Apr 1916 and rests beside her husband.

The children of Albert and Martha Love Crain are:

A. Rufus P. Crain Born 23 Nov 1868, Rufus P. Crain was named for his Uncle Rufus Love. He married 20 Oct 1889 Laura Lou Hufstetler. Born 7 Nov 1868, she is the daughter of John Thomas and Nancy Louhaney Price Hufstetler. Rufus died 10 Jun 1936 and is buried at Price Cemetery located west of Dover on US Highway 64. Laura died 1949 and is buried beside her husband. The children of Rufus and Laura Huffstetler Crain are: A.) Cleave Crain; B.) Jesse Crain b. 11 Jul 1896 d. 24 Jul 1898, buried Crain family cemetery; C.) John Crain, and D.) Bess Crain.
B. Albert Aston Crain, Jr. Born 17 Jan 1872, Albert married 31 May 1896 Rhoda B. Countz. Born 1878, she died in 1927 and is laid to rest at Crain family cemetery Albert died in 1938.
C. Pleasant Crain Born 19 Aug 1876, Pleasant Crain married 10 Feb 1901 Martha Crosby McAlister. Pleasant Crain died 7 Feb 1956 and is buried at Crain family cemetery.
D. Walter Crain Born 3 Apr 1874, Walter Crain died 27 Sep 1875 and is buried at Crain family cemetery.

B. Julia E. Love
Born ca. 1837, Julia E. Love married first James F. Clear. Born 20 Feb 1836 in Boone County MO, James is enumerated in 1870 as Sheriff of Pope County AR. He died 11 Jan 1872 and is buried at Eggleston Cemetery. This cemetery is located north of London in a wooded thicket on the west bank of Mill Creek. The children of James F. and Julia E. Love Clear are:

A. Jefferson Davis Clear
B. Luella Clear Born 11 May 1865, Luella married 23 May 1880 Thomas H. Howard. Born 13 Aug 1849, he died 31 Dec 1927 and is buried at the Eggleston cemetery. Luella died 14 Jan 1932 and is buried beside her husband.
C. Frances L. Clear

Following the death of her first husband, Julia married second 23 Dec 1872 Albert Eggleston. She was his second wife. Born in New York, Albert served in US Co. D, 54th Inf. IN. He was a School Teacher. Julia died 18 Jan 1881 and is buried at Eggleston Cemetery. Julia’s obituary reads: Julia E. Eggleston, the wife of Prof. H. Eggleston, died Jan. 18, 1881, at 8 a.m.; interred Jan. 20, 1881. Albert married third 5 Aug 1881 Mary Dickson. He died 5 Mar 1913 and is buried at Eggleston cemetery. The children of Albert and Julia Love Eggleston are:

A. Shrigley G. Eggleston Born 11 Nov 1873, he married 27 Dec 1899 Daisy W. Wood. Born 13 Jul 1882, she is the daughter of D. K. Wood. He died 20 Jan 1953 and Daisey followed on 28 Oct 1966. They are buried at Price Cemetery located west of London on US 64.
B. Edward F. Eggleston Born 1875, Edward died in Jun 1901 in Chicago IL. He is buried at Eggleston cemetery.
C. Lucien Eggleston

C. Lavina Love
Born 25 Feb 1840, Lavina Love strangely never appears in census in the household of Pleasant Love. But removing with her parents from North Carolina, Lavina married first 30 Aug 1857 John Smith. At this point, I am not sure what happened, but dated 21 Jan 1861, John Smith married second Lavina Neely. He served in the Civil War and then again married 4 Par 1867 Tempia E. Coggins. In 1870 they appear in the Pope County census with John enumerated as Sheriff. Knowing both Lavina and John lived to ripe old ages, it appears the two may have divorced. John died 17 Mar 1901 and is buried at East Point Baptist. The son of John and Lavina Love Smith is:

A. Jefferson Davis Smith Born 26 Jun 1861, he married 18 Nov 1880 America Rook. Jeff Davis Smith died 2 Nov 1934 and is buried at East Point Cemetery.

Lavina Love married second to Littleton Crankfield Shinn. Born 19 Mar 1814, L. C. Shinn is the son of Silas Benjamin and Elizabeth Little Shinn. Littleton C. Shinn had married first ca. 1835 Nelly Tucker in Cabarrus County NC. Born 12 Feb 1815, Nelly is the daughter of George and Mary McCloory Tucker. He and Nelly settled first in what is now Russellville on land where Oakland Cemetery is located. Note that Nelly’s brother Lewis’s widow Mary Love Tucker also lived near the cemetery. Nelly died 30 Sep 1864 in Pope County. Littleton C. Shinn married 31 Mar 1867 Lavina Love Smith. They removed up off the valley plain and settled among the hills above Mill Creek. Littleton Crankfied Shinn died 7 Sep 1885. He is buried with family at Ball Hill Cemetery. The children of Littleton C. and Lavina Love Smith Shinn are:

A. Mattie Malissa Shinn Born 9 May 1866, Mattie married the physician John Maddux. Mattie died 23 Nov 1881. The children of John and Mattie Shinn Maddux are:

A. Laura Bell Maddux She married first William DeHart and second a Mr. Strickland.
B. Walter Shinn

B. David Littleton Shinn Born 14 APr 1869, David L. Shinn died 14 Feb 1881.
C. George Darling Shinn Born 2 Dec 1872, he married 13 Dec 1891 Emma Bateman. They had two children:

A. Illa Shinn
B. Mamie Shinn

Following the death of Littleton C. Shinn, it appears Lavina again married. Not yet know exactly who she married, her father’s loose estate papers identify her as Lavina “Tucker.” Note that James M. Tucker, nephew of Littleton C. Shinn’s first wife Nelly Tucker is also buried at Ball Hill Cemetery. Is there a connection?

Lavina died 13 Aug 1914 and her grave lies in Booher Cemetery at the lower end of Mill Creek.

Adam Love died 10 Jan 1918 and is buried at May cemetery. Located on now Lake Dardanelle, the cemetery sits on a point that once formed the west bank of Mill Creek. Traveling east on County Road 333 beyond Crain Cemetery, May Cemetery is located to the south of the nuclear plant off of May Road. Sarah died 26 Jun 1935 as appears in the photograph below, she is buried beside her husband at May cemetery:

In the year 1935, an application for letters of administration were filed by J. E. McAllister, Administrator on behalf of the estate of A. A. Love deceased. In this document probated in Pope County, the heirs are listed as:

Varnel Love of Haggerman, N. M.
Pleasant (Bobby) Love of Russellville Ark.
Mrs. Eliza McAlister of Indianola Okla.
Clabe Love of Minn.
Nettie Knight of Ariz.
Eulaia Love of Fort Smith Ark.
Lola Love of Little Rock Ark.
Lusy Cole. Clyde Malone of Little Rock Ark.

A. Elizabeth Wheeler Born ca. 1875
B. Pleasant L. Wheeler Born ca. 1877
C. Cora Wheeler Born ca. 1879

A. Adam Love Born ca. 1880, Adam tragically drowned in 1891. His obituary reads:

Adam Love, the 12 year old son of Rufus Love living four miles southwest of Russellville, was drowned in the Illinois bayou, near the mouth, last Monday afternoon. Monday morning he left going in the direction of the bayou. Some one passing saw his clothes on the bank and gave the alarm. Search was made and his body found in the stream, cold in death. Esq. Doggett held an inquest Monday afternoon. The jury returned a verdict of accidental drowning. The parents of the unfortunate young man have the sympathy of a large circle of friends.

B. Oscar Love Born 5 Sep 1886, Oscar was born shortly before his mother died. His wife is named Mary. He lived in Pope County where he died in January 1967. Leaving a last will and testament, Oscar mentions: my half brother, Pleasant Love and Dee Love also a half brother.”

Rufus married second 2 Feb 1887 Mary Elizabeth Woods. She was born in 1869. In 1892, Rufus payment was made on 160 acres homesteaded at the mouth of Mill Creek and Illinois Bayou where they empty into the Arkansas River. Today this land is just beyond the shore in the water at Lake Dardanelle State Park. This land was on the opposite side of the bayou from where his father Pleasant lived. Rufus died 6 Oct 1903 and is buried at Crain cemetery. His obituary reads:

October 15, 1903 – R. P. Love,

for a number of years a well known and successful farmer of near Mill Creek, died at his home at that place Tuesday night, Oct. 6, 1903, the result of a complication of diseases the exact character of which was not established. He was ill about four weeks, the last week of which his death was expected at most anytime. He was forty-four years of age and is survived by a wife and four boys – the youngest being six years of age and the elder nineteen. Interment took place Wednesday at the cemetery near London, services being conducted at the grave by Rev. A. M. Sosbee.

As appears above, Rufus P. Love is laid to rest near his parents at Crain cemetery. Settled by nephew S. G. Eggleston, the loose estate papers list the heirs as: Carl Love, Oscar Love, Pleasant Love, D. L. Love all of said Clark Township, Pope County Ark.” Mary Elizabeth, the wife of Rufus P. Love died in 1950 and is also buried at Crain cemetery. The children of Rufus and Mary E. Woods Love are:

A. Lear Love Named for her grandmother, Lear was born 2 Aug 1888 and died 28 Mar 1895. She is buried at Crain cemetery.
B. Pleasant Love Born July 1891, C. Martha Love Born 18 Feb 1894, Martha died 24 Oct 1894. She is buried at Crain cemetery. E. Carl Love Born 23 Sep 1895, Carl died 22 Jan 1982.
D. Dee Love Born ca. 1897.

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