George Love (abt. 1748 - 1824)

Born about 1748 in Ardstraw, County Tyrone, Ireland

Descendants

Died 23 Apr 1824 at about age 76 in Wheeling Township, Belmont County, Ohio, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Robert Wood [send private message] and Jesse Haverfield [send private message]

Biography

George Love's grave marker (attached) says: "In Memory of George Love who departed this life April 23, 1824 aged 76 years." This would place his birth in about 1748 instead of 1745.

The "Love" family's origin has been traced back to Scotland where due to religious persecution the family moved into northern Ireland in the last half of the Seventeenth Century.

They were Calvinists and Presbyterians almost to a man and suffered much for their faith.

We pickup there journey in 1791 when George Love and his wife Mary Isabella Smith set sail for America. After a rough voyage they arrive in the port of New York where they remain for a short time. Accompanying them on their migration is George's sister Nancy and her husband Benjamin Anderson along with each couples respective children.

George and Mary had eight children, all born in Ireland. Seven children traveled to America : John,George, Thomas, William, Mary, Catherine and Jane. It's assumed that the remaining daughter died in Ireland.

Nancy and Benjamin and six children: William, Benjamin, Jane (each married in Ireland), Thomas, George and the sixth child, who died during the passage to America.

From New York they traveled to Washington Co. Pa. Benjamin and Nancy bought a farm of two different tracts near Washington, Pa. totalling 100 acres on Brush Run at the Southwest corner of Hopewell Township for 75 pounds cash on January 8, 1791. The land was procured from the Government by Edward Anderson, possible a cousin.

Records show there were Loves and Andersons in Washington, Pa. prior to 1790. Perhaps this had something to do our ancestors settlement there.

Our immigrant ancestors came to America at a time when roads were either bridle paths or a passage scarcely sufficient for a wagon. Large portions of land were covered in forest. There were few grist mills and saw mills. The spinning wheel and hand loom fashioned there clothing. Log cabins built of unhewed logs with a big chimney made of clay provided shelter.

In 1800 George and Isabella moved to Belmont Co. Oh. where they bought a farm of 160 acres, two miles south of Shepherdstown, Oh.

George possessed a mild temperament but was determined when necessary. He was oftened called the peace-maker among his own kind. A Presbyterian and successful farmer his wife was a Seceder of a very strict religious belief.

Sources

• Find A Grave: Memorial #71367606
• "The History and Genealogy of the Love Family," Neva H Davis

• Research Notes:

As noted above by Neva Henderson in her book, " The History and Genealogy of the Love Family", persecution of Calvinists and Presbyterians occurred in Scotland causing our Love line to flee the country and settle in Northern Ireland. They ended up in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland but when? We know they were again on the move in 1790 as they sailed to America and settled in Washington, Pennsylvania.

In an effort to isolate when in the historic past our line left Scotland I googled the notion of persecution of our relatives in Scotland. The link below provides some insight and helps narrow down the window of time;

https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/ulster-and-the-scottish-killing-time

February 1638 seems to be the genesis for the labeling and persecution of Calvinists and Presbyterians. If so, then sometime later our Scottish relatives fled the country and put down roots in Northern Ireland. More research may provide a very specific date and so that is now the goal. Plus, the question, did the surname change at any time during this relocation.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Jesse Haverfield for creating WikiTree profile Love-1733 through the import of Haverfield Family Tree.ged on Aug 17, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Jesse and others.