Biography - Thomas M. Love

THOMAS M. LOVE is at present actively engaged in operating a saw-mil], a grist-mill and a cotton-gin in Bossier Parish, three miles northeast of Plain Dealing, on the Shreveport & Camden road. He has resided here, with the exception of ﬁfteen years — from 1861 to 1876 — since 1857, at which time he came from Benton County, Ala. He was born in Shelby County, of that State, July 15, 1835, a son of Fieldon and Cynthia (Langley) Love, who were born in Abbeville District, S. G., and Shelby County, Ala., respectively. Fieldon Love removed to Alabama when young, and in that State made his home until 1868, when he came to Lafayette County, Ark., dying here the same year, at the age of sixty years. His wife died in Alabama during the war, being a little younger than her husband. He was a tiller of the soil until he was elected to the office of sheriff of Calhoun County, Ala., and discharged his duties in such an efficient manner that he continued to be re-elected until he had served eleven years; prior to that time he had served as constable for some time. He was a prominent and popular citizen, and he and his wife were both honored and respected by all who knew them. They were members of the Methodist Church and he was a Master Mason, and in his political views a Democrat. He inherited English blood of his father, Tyra Love, who was born in South Carolina, and died in Alabama, having been a soldier in the War of 1812. Thomas M. Love was the fourth of ten children born to his parents, and was the eldest son in the family. His youth was spent in his native State, and when a young man he commenced working as a mechanic, for which calling he had a natural aptitude, and he soon acquired considerable skill as a blacksmith, wagon-maker and house carpenter. These callings he gave up in May, 1862, to enlist in the Confederate army, becoming a member of Company B, Twenty-eighth Louisiana Infantry, commanded by Col. Gray, with which he served until discharged at Mansﬁeld, this being in May, 1865. He took part in many battles, among which may be mentioned: Milliken’s Bend, Richmond, Simsport, Patterson, Mansﬁeld, Pleasant Hill, and numerous others of minor importance. He was never wounded nor taken prisoner, and at the close of the war turned his attention to farming and the milling business, and in both these capacities has been remarkably successful. In 1880 be erected a mill on his present farm, but was so unfortunate as to be burned out in 1884, but nothing daunted, he immediately rebuilt, and is now conducting affairs on quite an extensive scale. He is the owner of 200 acres of fertile farming land, besides some valuable town property in Bossier Parish, also a good farm in the State of Arkansas. His residence property in Plain Dealing amounts to twelve lots, on three of which are residences and on one a store. He expects to remove to this town in a short time, and will erect a store building on one of his lots. He is the owner of the K. of P. Hall at that place. The ﬁrst house in the town was made of lumber sawed at his mill. He was married in 1855, to Miss Irena Barnett, daughter of Zach and Mary Barnett, of Calhoun County, Ala., but she died in her native State, in 1857, having borne three children, all of whom are deceased: Fieldon, Judson and Irena. In 1858 he was married to Miss Jackey Odelia Cochran, a daughter of Edmon Cochran, who was born in Alabama. To them three children have been born: Hattie (wife of John Davis, of Texas), Fieldon and Henry. Samuel, Henry, Judson and Lucius are deceased. Mrs. Love is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and Mr. Love is a Mason, a K. of P. and has represented both lodges in the Grand Lodge. He is a stanch Democrat in his political views.

Contributed 29 Aug 2020 by Norma Hass, extracted from Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, published in 1890, pages 137-138.