The first week in March, I met with iLuv in Western Kentucky where our Loves had spent a century of their lives. Col. Andrew Love left SC and moved there with his family about 1804. Emory Franklin (Jeff) and family left for MO in 1904.
We decided to begin our search at the library in Marion, where we checked out some local cemetery books. We looked through some folders with information found by other researchers. iLuv discovered that Andrew had established a "horse mill." We had to look it up...a horse powered mill...for milling flour perhaps?
iLuv will post about our adventure looking for the Wofford family cemetery. We also visited the Dunn Springs and Love Cemeteries and took the ferry across the Ohio River to Cave in Rock, IL to visit the notorious outlaw hideout.
For those of a certain age, think "Mike Fink and the River Pirates," except that the real outlaws were a nasty bunch who operated within spitting distance of lands owned by both the Loves and Woffords. Today the cave is part of a smallish park with picnic shelters. We have photos of a Wofford family reunion that took place (probably late summer or fall of 1956) in the park. In this photo Grandma (Mary Adams) Love is near the front in a dark print dress:
Grandpa (Tom Ed) Love is second from the left in front row:
The last photo looks like Wofford siblings and cousins:
During the week, while iLuv was working, I visited the three county seats where I knew there would be records of our Loves and Woffords: Smithland in Livingston County, Marion in Crittenden County and Princeton in Caldwell County. When Andrew and family came to KY they settled in what was then Livingston but later became Crittenden. The early Wofford records are in Caldwell County. I was able to find some of the land records in Smithland but will need to make another visit to get more. I did find a tax list of 1810 which shows Andrew was taxed for 27 horses (as well as 3 white adult males and 2 blacks over 16 with a total of 8 blacks) which is evidence of the horse mill, I believe. He has 200 acres on Duck Creek and 500 acres on Piney Creek at that time. I made copies of any marriage records and wills I could locate. I have yet to find a record of Woffords buying land, but did find a couple of transactions selling land.
I discovered that going through old deed/will/marriage books is a tiring business especially when you have to lift the books onto a copy machine trying not to damage the old pages. But it wasn't all work and no play. We ate some fine food and got a taste of the riverfront at Paducah and hiked in the Land Between the Lakes on a lovely spring day.
On the way home, I made a slight detour to Murphysburo, IL to get information on our grandmother (my 3 x great), Elizabeth C. Foster who married James H. Love. After James H. died in 1899 (buried Dunn Springs Cemetery, KY), she lived with several of her children who had moved to IL. She is buried just outside Murphysburo.
All in all, I accomplished a lot of what I had set out to do, but look forward to a return trip to discover more. It was great to share the thrill of the hunt with iLuv and we are anticipating having the opportunity to learn more about Alexander and Col. Andrew when we head to SC in July.
