John Love was born ca. 1790 in Wilkes County NC. He is the son of John and Martha James Love who married 6 Feb 1787 in Surry County NC. They appear in tax records of Wilkes County by 1789. This fact indicates John Love of this writing was likely born in Wilkes County NC. His 1850 census birth entry and the timing of his parents marriage also points to the probability John was one of the older children born to John and Martha Love.

Dated 24 Sep 1819, John Love married Sally Fletcher in Wilkes County. James Love was bondsman and W. W. Mastin witnessed the marriage documentation. Was James Love a brother or could he have been John’s Grandfather who was alive and living in Cabarrus County NC. Note that in 1820 this same James Love does not appear in the census of Cabarrus County. Sally “Sarah” Fletcher is the oldest child of Enoch and Mary Shumate Fletcher. From the 1850 census in Wilkes County, we know that Sarah was born ca. 1801. But she is not mentioned in Enoch Fletcher’s last will and testament. However, looking through loose estate records at NC Archives in Raleigh NC, the following provides proof that Sarah is indeed the daughter of John and Mary Shumate Fletcher:

Statement shewing the amount advanced by Enoch Fletcher to his children during hi life –as pir these statements Celia Fletcher 1 Bed & Furniture ----- $24.00 Susan Fletcher Received nothing Belinda Fletcher do …do Spencer Fletcher …do …do Joshua Fletcher …do …do Berrymon Fletcher ..do …do Wesley Fletcher ..do …do Fletcher ..do …do John Love & his wife received sundry articles amount $19.87 The above statement was sworn to before me except those that was admitted Jany 17 1843 W. Mastin

Known in records as John Love Junior, in the 1830’s and early 1840’s John Love received two Secretary of State land grants. Both being 20 acres each, the two tracts were situated on Hunting Creek adjacent to lands owned by James Marlow. Chain bearers for the surveyor of the two grants were Nathaniel Lewis, Parris Marlow, Allen Marlow, and Hilly Marlow. Dated 14 Mar 1847, John “J” Love sold 30 acres (7-314, Wilkes County NC) to Noel Johnson. The land was situated on Hunting Creek and adjoined that owned by John Parker. Evan and Archibald Bell witnessed the transaction. Nine days prior, on 5 Mar 1847 Ingram Love placed the same 30 acres of the land in a deed of trust (F2-413, Wilkes County NC) for a debt owed to Noel Johnson also of Wilkes County. Wm. Mastin witnessed the deed. Being less than five years from the death of their father, could these transactions reflect two brothers working to settle a debt within the estate?

As presented below, the 1850 Wilkes County census enumerates the rather large John Love family. In 1860 we can see change. Children Martha and William have married and are no longer living in the home. There is also the addition of the newborn Wesley Love. He is likely a grandson of John and Sally Fletcher Love. Take a look at the record:

1850 Wilkes County 1245, Hunting Creek 60 John Love 50 Sarah 20 Martha 21 Wm. 18 Celia 12 Caroline 13 Rufus 7 Noah

1860 Wilkes County 263, Hunting Creek 69 John Love 60 Sarah 28 Martha 24 Celia 22 Rufus 17 Noel 1 Wesley

On 30 Jan 1899, “tenants at large” petitioned to partition “The Homeplace” (34-368, Wilkes County NC). Being an 80-acre tract and two tracts of 20 acres each, the deed appears to be a dispersal of lots among at least part of the heirs of John Love, deceased. Defined as lying in Brushy Mountain Township in Wilkes County, the tracts were broken up into lots and distributed as follows:

Tract 1 to Noah Love,
Tract 2 to Caroline Moore
Tract 3 to Mary Woods
Tract 4 to Marion Johnson
Tract 5 to W. T. Traman
Tract 6 to Matilda Love
Tract 7 to Wess Love.

The 1870 census lists 30 year old “E. Moore” with children Lettie, Jessie and Solomon. The family is enumerated beside Thomas Johnson and the family of Matilda Love. Dated 15 Jun 1885, Elizabeth Moore applied for a widow’s claim for pension. At age 48 and then residing in Sugar Grove, Watauga County NC, she applied for relief on behalf of her deceased husband Robert Moore. In support of claim, A. M. Johnson made the following oath:

….that he was a member of the same Company and Regt. That said Moore was sent to the Hopital at Richmond Va on or about the 1st day of May 1863 and died on or about the 11th day of May 1863…

In 1900, “Elizabeth C. Moore” is enumerated in Lovelace Twp, Wilkes County NC. Enumerated as being born in Apr 1845, she is listed with daughter Lettie Moore, born Sep 1874. At that time Lettie had a son William M born Jul 1891. The children of Robert and Elizabeth Caroline Love Moore are:

A. Lettie Moore Born ca. 1860.
B. Jessie Moore Born ca. 1862.
C. Solomon Moore Born ca. 1864.

One of the heirs that drew lots in 1900 to receive a share of the estate of John Love is named Matilda Love. That means Matilda had to be a widowed wife of a son, or daughter, or granddaughter of John Love. In 1860 there is a Matilda Love, aged 9, living in the home of Ingram Love. But she is too young to be this Matilda in question. But in 1870, a 35 year old Matilda Love is enumerated beside E. Moore, Rufus’s older sister who had lost her husband in the war. At that time, an 8 year-old son James Love is listed as living with her. Also living in the household is the 60 year-old Betsy Ulos. Could this be the wife of Rufus Love who died in the war? Could they have been married at or during the time of the war? To add further confusion to this line, in 1880 Matilda is listed as 27 years old in Lovelace Twp. Enumerated with her in 1880 are children John H. Love 11, Mary E. Love 8, Callie G. Love 5, Josephine A. Love 3, and newborn son Ulos G. Love 7/12. The 1880 entry does track back making it ossible she is the daughter of Ingram Love. Note that the partition the estate lands of John Love was the results of a suit raised by “Matilda Love et. al.” With great hesitation, I believe Matilda married Rufus Love. Rufus died in the Civil War. From her grave marker, Matilda was born 1846 and died 4 Jan 1920. She is buried at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. The children of Rufus and Matilda Love are:

A. James Love Born 24 Jul 1863, James was enumerated in the 1870 census as being 8 years old. From his tombstone at the Daniel Anderson Family cemetery in Lovelace Twp, James Love died 13 Nov 1877.

Other children born to Matilda Love are:

A. John H. Love Born 1868.
B. Mary E. Love Born 15 Feb 1872, Mary married John Shatley. He was born 15 Oct 1856, the son of Absolum and Elizabeth Love Shatley. John died 25 Feb 1933 and is buried at Mt. Sinai Baptist near Matilda Love. Mary died 5 Nov 1949 and is buried beside her husband.
C. Callie G. Love Born 1875.
D. Josephine A. Love Born 1877.
E. Ulies Grant Love Born 1 Nov 1879, he married Mary E. Johnson. She was born 1879 and died 1945. Ulies died 22 Dec 1951 in Iredell County and is buried at Little Elkin Baptist Church. F. John “Dink” I. Love Born 15 Jan 1885, died 8 Dec 1934. He is buried beside his mother at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. Sarah Love
Born 22 Dec 1839, Sarah Love married Ambrose Marion Johnson ca. 1860 in Wilkes County. In 1860, the newlywed couple is enumerated in Wilkes County as Ambrose M. Johnson 23, and Sarah Johnson 20. Dated 23 Sep 1862 and being 28 years of age, “A.” Marion Johnson enlisted at Camp Holmes in Raleigh NC for service in CSA Co. C, 30th Reg. NC. He was present until reporting absent for two months in the fall of 1863. Returning to duty, he was captured 12 May 1864 near Spotsylvania courthouse VA. Marion Johnson was confined at Point Lookout MD 18 May 1864 and transferred to Elmira NY 10 Aug 1864. He was paroled 11 Oct 1864 and transferred to Venus Point, Savannah River GA where he was received for exchange on 15 Nov 1864. Returning to the hills of North Carolina, A. M. Johnson and family next appear in the 1880 Watauga County census. Dated 19 Jan 1882, A. M. Johnson purchased two small tracts of land (D-579, Watauga County NC) from his wife’s Uncle Thomas Love. A. C. Farthing and G. W. Cable witnessed he transaction. On 20 Jun 1901, A. M. Johnson applied for a Civil War Soldier’s Pension while residing in Watauga County. At that time he was listed as being 67 years of age. He claimed

That while in the Service of the Confederate State at pine run he was ruptured severely by lifting while Building breast works which caused a rupture in the right side.

Ambrose died soon after as Sarah applied for a widow’s pension on behalf of the right of her deceased husband. Sarah Love Johnson died 14 Dec 1925 in Watauga County and is buried at St. John’s Church Cemetery.

T he children of Ambrose Marion and Sarah Love Johnson are:

A. Lettie Johnson Born 1861.
B. Sarah Elizabeth Johnson Born 2 Oct 1862m she married Michael Ward. Sarah died 12 Dec 1925.
C. James H. Johnson Born 1865.
D. Nancy Jane Johnson Born 1868, Nancy J. Johnson married Mr. Wood / Ward. Dated 24 Feb 1891, A. L. and wife Nancy “Wood” sold 75 acres on Elk River to A. M. Johnson. G. W. Duger witnessed the transaction. The land adjoined that owned by John Miller and Brothernton & Caldond Norman. Is this the daughter of A. M. and Sarah Love Johnson? Sarah Love Johnson died 2 Mar 1950.
E. John Andrew Johnson Born 1871.
F. Mary A. Johnson Born 1873
G. Margaret S. Johnson Born 1875.
H. William P. Johnson Born 1878.
I. Martha E. JohnsonBorn 1880.

Noah J. Love
Born 8 Nov 1843, Noah Love was enumerated in the 1850 and 1860 Wilkes County census as living in the extended home of his parents. Noah Love was described as eighteen years of age and farmer at his 4 Oct 1861 enlistment in Wake County NC. Serving as private along side of brother Rufus, Noah Love was accounted for until deserting on 11 May 1863. He returned to duty prior to 28 Feb 1865. Noah was captured 2 Apr 1865 at Petersburg VA and confined at Pt. Lookout MD until being released on 28 Jun 1865. He returned home to Wilkes County where he married Frances ca. 1865. She was born May 1845. In 1880, the family is enumerated in Job Twp., Wilkes County NC. In 1900 Noah’s family is enumerated as: Noah b. Nov 1840, Frances, b. May 1845, Noah R. b. Jan 1874, Sarah F. b. Nov 1878, Thomas b. Jun 1882 and also listed is a Granddaughter Venia b. May 1899.

Frances Love died first. Living in Sourwood, Job’s Cabin, Wilkes County NC, Noah Love died 15 Oct 1930. His death certificate states he was a widower and was buried at Sourwood Cemetery.

The children of Noah and Frances Love are:

A. Rebecca A. Love Born 1865.
B. Hosea Love Born 1874.
C. Noah R. Love Born Jan 1874
D. Sarah F. Love Born Nov 1878
E. Thomas Love Born Jun 1882.

John Wesley Love
In the 1860 census, Wesley Love is enumerated as 1 year old and living in the home of John and Sarah Love. He could not be the son of Sarah as she is enumerated as 60 years of age in the same census. He is likely a son of one of the older sons or daughters. However, note that in 1900 “Wess” draws a lot and appears to be an equal heir in what appears to be a division of the lands of John Love. Could his parents have died early, leaving him to be the only heir to claim the share due that person?

Dated 18 Jan 1880, the 20 year-old John Wesley Love married 20 year-old Nancy Martin in Lovelace Twp., Wilkes County. In the 1890’s a newspaper notice in the Wilkesboro Chronicle accounts an event in which a “John Wesley Love” was wanted for the vicious murder of a young man in Jobs Cabin Township. I have to question this as it seems if found guilty Wesley would have lost his rights to the 1900 division of his father’s land. This needs much more work.

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