Love descendants of Covington County report their earliest known ancestor to be John Love, who was born circa 1788 in Ireland. During the early years of the nineteenth century, John came to America where he was married circa 1815 in North Carolina to Elizabeth McCarter. Elizabeth was also a native of Ireland where she was born circa 1795. Both of them died during the late 1800s in Whitfield County, Ga.

John and Elizabeth Love reared the following children: William Jasper, b. 1816; John H., b. 1819; Andrew Madison, b. 1822; Robert R., b. 1827; James W., b. 1828; McCarter, b. 1832, d. 1860, m. Mary Elizabeth Phillips; and Sarah E., b. 1834.

This line will be continued through the branch of McCarter and Mary Elizabeth Love whose oldest son settled in Covington County. McCarter has been remembered as being a tanner. Since he died at the young age of 28 years, Mary Elizabeth was left to rear their four young children. She lived until 1911, but it is not known if she remained there in Whitfield County or if she came to this county with her son.

McCarter Love and his wife, Mary Elizabeth (Phillips), daughter of John C. and Elizabeth Phillips, had four children before his death: George Washington, b. 1856, d. 1926, m. (1) 1885 Sarah J. Culver (2) 1887 James “Jimmie” Adeline Bailey; John W., b. 1857; Sarah E., b. 1858; and Jane, b. 1859, d. ca 1865.

The oldest son, George Washington Love, was married second to Jimmie Adeline (Bailey), daughter of Dr. Alexander H. and Lucy Fannie (Brooks) Bailey. She was born in 1865 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and died in 1950 in Andalusia. They were married in 1887 in DeKalb County, Alabama, and later moved to Covington County.

George Washington and Jimmie Love reared the following 11 children: John Lester, b. 1888, d. 1962, m. Rebecca Elizabeth Latham (1894-1964); Mary Alice “Sister,” b. 1891, m. John H. Myers (1871-1943); Charles S., b. 1893, m. Carline B. Elliott; Fannie Beulah “Peggy,” b. 1896, d. 1939, m. 1920 Wilton Faulkner Orton; Dewey Verdi, b. 1898, m. 1926, Ernest Brazelton McCrary (1892-1934); Dolly Dimple, b. 1901, d. 1988, m. 1929 George Henry Marsh; Alabama Jewel, b. 1903, d. 1999, m. 1929 Leonard Agustus Wills (1899-1984); Ruth Estelle, b. 1906, d. 1977, m. Clyde Elmo Covington (1885-1963); Clyde McCarter “McArthur,” b. 1908, d. 1995, m. Roxie Mae Knox; Gladys Sunshine, b. 1911, d. 1995, single; and Benjamin, b. 1913, d. young.

The oldest son, John Lester Love, and his wife, Rebecca E., reared the following children: Samuel George, b. 1916; Mary Katherine, b. 1919, m. 1943 John Archie Weaver (1919-1993); Ida James, b. 1921, m. 1941 Marvin L. Snowden (1907-1992); Lucy Marietta, b. 1922, d. 1991, m. 1944 Russell Fleet (1919-1973); and Ruby Lois, b. 1926, d. 1995, m. 1943 Carlis “Carl” Joshua Blocker (1921-2003).

The oldest daughter, Mary Alice “Sister,” was a registered nurse, but no children have been identified for her.

The next son, Charles S. Love, and wife, Carline, had one son, Ralph Elliott, b. 1921, d. 1998, who was a medical doctor.

Daughter Fannie Beulah Love and husband, Wilton Faulkner Orton, son of Madison and Annie Lee (Faulkner) Orton, reared the following three children: Dorothy Ann, b. 1921, m. 1948 Walter Preston Clark, Jr.; Martha Frances, b. 1927, d. 1934; and Wilton Faulkner “Bill” Jr., b. 1935, m. 1955 Mary Alice Burke.

Daughter Dewey Verdi Love, and her husband, Ernest Brazelton McCrary, had the following two children: Dewey Wilton “Bo,” b. 1927, m. (1) Anne “Nancy” Anderson Newsome (2) 1988 Altha Fisher Damarius; and Mary Ann, b. 1931, d. 1999, m. 1952 Aaron A Lowe (1921-2006).

Daughter Dollie Dimple Love, and her husband, George Henry Marsh, son of William Spencer and Sarah Rosana (Morgan) Marsh, reared the following children: Dolly Love, b. 1930, m. 1958 George Gurrola; Georgia Anna, b. 1931; Sarah Jane, b. 1942; George Henry Jr., b. 1943; and Spencer Jackson “Jack,” b. 1947.

Daughter Alabama Jewel Love, and her husband, Leonard Agustus Wills, reared the following children: James Ralph, b. 1931; Gene David, b. 1934; George Alan, b. 1939; Edna Estelle, b. 1943; and Mary Ruth, b. 1947.

Daughter Ruth Estelle Love, and her husband, Clyde Elmo Covington, had two children, Virginia Suzanne, b. 1943; and Albert Russell, b. 1945.

The next son, Clyde McCarter “McArthur” Love, was an attorney in Covington County and served several years as Intermediate Court Judge. Judge Love was graduated from Andalusia High School in 1927. He attended the Cumberland Law School and was admitted to the Alabama Bar Association in 1934. At that time he began his career with the Veterans Administration in Montgomery where he served as an adjudicator. Judge Love enlisted to serve as a private in the Army during World War II and later received a medical discharge He moved to Florala in 1946 and established a law practice. He later worked part-time with the Florala Municipal Court where he served as Judge. He even taught school for a couple of years at the Valley Grove School.

In 1954, Judge Love won the election to serve the county in the Alabama Legislature. After four years of service, he returned to his legal work. In 1970, he defeated Judge Donald Colquett for the office of Intermediate Court Judge. After a few years, his particular office became that of District Court Judge. He retired about 1980 and left a notable record of legal work in Covington County.

Clyde Love, Sr. and his wife, Roxie Mae (Knox), reared their family in Montgomery, Florala and Andalusia. They reared the following children: Jerry Knox, b. 1933, m. (1) Connie Benson (2) Dorinda Simmons; Glen Paul, b. 1935, m. Betty Sue Hiers; Clyde McCarter Jr., b. 1937, m. Evelyn Selvage; Ray John, b. 1942, m. Terry Vasquez; and Mildred Adeline, b. 1946, m. Phillip Lemuel Hinesley.

Clyde’s sister, Gladys Sunshine Love, remained single. She served in the WAVES during World War II, and later used her GI benefits for furthering her education. She taught school for many years in Eufaula, Alabama. She is well remembered as an impressive Latin teacher at Andalusia High School during the 1970s. Her younger brother, Benjamin, died at a young age.

Appreciation is expressed to Jerry Love of Aiken, South Carolina, who shared his family records for this writing. He credits much of the research on the Love family to his cousin, Wilton F. “Bill” Orton, Jr.

Anyone who has any corrections to the above or additional information on the Love family is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or E-mail: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

HERITAGE BOOKS ON SALE:  The Heritage of Covington County, Alabama, is on sale during the holidays for $45 plus $3.60 tax.

If it has to be shipped, there is an additional $5 charge. Also, some of the adjacent county books are on sale as well. Anyone interested may contact Curtis Thomasson at the above address.