Sources |
- [S78] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume I, 1930-1954, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 20 Dec 1945.
Andrew Hamilton Love obituary
- [S101] 1880 Census, Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee, 149D.
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Preston B. LOVE Self M Male W 40 TN Printer NC TN
Mary M. LOVE Wife M Female W 36 TN Keeping House TN TN
Andrew LOVE Son Male W 15 TN Printer TN TN
Mary LOVE Dau S Female W 10 TN TN TN
Ida M. LOVE Dau S Female W 8 TN TN TN
Saml. P. LOVE Son S Male W 5 TN TN TN
Tennessee LOVE Dau S Female W 3 TN TN TN
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 12 Nov 2012.
Upland Chronicles: Sevier County men fought, died in battle of Vicksburg
by BEULAH CARR
On a cold New Year’s eve in 1862, a long series of crowded box cars left the railroad station at Dalton, Ga. headed to Vicksburg, Miss. On board was a company of men from Sevier County who earlier that year had enlisted in the 31st Tennessee Mounted Infantry, a regiment devoted to the Confederate cause.
James W. Chambers, a Boyd’s Creek farmer, had been commissioned Captain, and had recruited from his neighborhood enough men to comprise a company, of which he was given command. Napoleon Goforth, a Boyd’s Creek pastor, was appointed as their chaplain.
These men had enlisted in the Confederate Army, either by choice, or by passage of the Conscription Act. The Conscription Act passed by the Confederate Army on April 16, 1862 required every white man between the ages of 18 and 35, be drafted into the Confederate Army. This act came about by virtue of the state of Tennessee now being under Confederate control after the start of the war.
Most Sevier County men would revolt, and pledge their loyalty to the Union. These men, however, had become Company A of the 31st Tennessee Mounted Infantry. The regiment itself was commanded by William Bradford, a Jefferson County man. Up until now, they had done duty at various locations in East Tennessee, including Cumberland Gap.
Arriving in Warrenton, about six miles below Vicksburg, the men settled into camp. Here they remained doing picket duty along the Mississippi River, and building fortifications.
About the first of May, they were ordered to Fort Gibson 40 miles away, where General Grant and his Union army had effected a landing the day before. The regiment was in the Battle of Bakers Creek, and on May 17th, they fell back to Vicksburg. General Grant and his forces converged on Vicksburg, investing the city, and entrapping the Confederate forces in the trenches.
The Federals cut off all supplies going into Vicksburg, and by the 10th day the Confederates were reduced to half rations. Eventually the rations were cut down to one biscuit and a small bit of bacon per day.
Living in narrow trenches, without shelter, the men were exposed to the broiling sun and drenching rain. They engaged from dawn till dark, and often during the night, in one ceaseless conflict with the enemy. They would spend 47 long days and nights in the trenches.
During these times of extreme hardship, Goforth ministered to his men, with daily prayer and words of encouragement. Three known Sevier County men were killed during the siege. They were Pvt. Henderson Shields, a 24-year-old farmer of Sevierville; and Robert Hill, a 31-year-old farmer of Henry’s Cross Roads. Also Radford Douglas of Henry’s Cross Roads died at Vicksburg. Douglas had served in the 43rd Mounted Infantry, which served alongside the 31st Mounted Infantry.
On July 3, the Confederate commander sent a note to General Grant proposing an armistice. Grant replied his only terms were unconditional surrender.
In the trenches when Vicksburg fell were the following men of Sevier County:
Captain James Chambers, and his brother Andrew Chambers; John Ellis, Chaplain Napolean Goforth and his brother, George Washington Goforth; Ezekiel Haggard; John Henry; Abraham Hicks; Blount Preston Love; Spencer McCroskey; Archibald Ogle; Bradford Ogle; Caswell Ogle; Gilbert Ogle; John Romines; Laten Romines; George W. Smith; Jehu Stinnett; George W. Stephens; Calvin Thomas; and Albert Ward.
These men, except for Chaplain Goforth would sign an oath of allegiance, end their service, and head for home in Sevier County. Of these men, John Romines and Laten Romines would later enlist in the Third Tennessee Cavalry, be captured by General Nathan Bedford Forrest at the battle of Sulphur Trestle, Alabama and both were onboard the steamship Sultana when it exploded on the Mississippi River while transporting newly-released prisoners of war.
Blount Preston Love returned to Sevier County, where he established the first newspaper, the Sevier County Vindicator.
Chaplain Goforth was one of the few who would remain with the regiment, feeling compelled to continue his ministry to the men until the end of the war. Goforth later served 10 years as president of Mossy Creek Baptist College, in Jefferson County.
— Beulah Maples Carr grew up in Sevier County and currently resides in Southfield, Mich. This is part of the Upland Chronicles series, celebrating the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column, or have comments, contact McMahan at 453-6411 or e-mail to cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or e-mail to ron@ronraderproperties.com.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 22 Sep 2013.
Upland Chronicles: Preston Love established first newspaper in Sevier County
CARROLL MCMAHAN
The only known picture of Preston B. Love, who was the editor of Sevier County’s first newspaper. In the background is a copy of the Sevierville Enterprise, which was first printed on June 1, 1882.
The first newspaper published in Sevierville was named Sevierville Enterprise. The first copy rolled off the press on June 1, 1882.The publication of a newspaper was a momentous occasion since Sevier County had always relied on days-old Knoxville papers to receive news.
Preston Blount Love established the weekly newspaper and served as the first editor. Written in the eloquent style of the times, Love wrote the following column in the first edition titled “Salutory.”
“Today we present in this, the initial number of the Sevierville Enterprise. The first newspaper ever printed in Sevier County, and in view of the fact that it is a new enterprise and that hardships often attend the efforts to build up such a business, more especially in a community when there has never been a newspaper published, we appeal to our personal friends and to the generous public to give us their hearty cooperation that we may be fully equipped for the conflict and thus enabled to present to the world a paper that will do credit to the good old county of Sevier and to the enterprising citizens who may have already given it their patronage.
We wish it clearly understood that we have no ax to grind, that we are no adventurer, no carpetbagger, no tramp, but have returned to the land of our nativity, to the place where we were born and raised – home — and where we shall be found laboring to build up every interest circulated to benefit the public and bring about general prosperity.
We will be plain in regard to local matters. It is not presumed that an editor can be all over the county at the same time, during the same week. Hence, we shall expect the patrons of the Enterprise to bring us, or send us, all matters of local intelligence – such as marriages, removals, arrivals, improvements, the prospects of growing crops, deaths, ect. – in fact – we want the people to make our paper their paper!
As personal bickering is unworthy of the profession and somewhat degrading, our editorial interchanges shall be dignified and gross or offensive personality avoided. No communication of the personal nature, circulated to stir up strife, shall find a place in these columns. We assume all responsibilities in the publication of the Enterprise.”
Although he moved to Sevier County from Blount County, Preston B. Love had deep roots in Sevier County and he was familiar to many Sevier County citizens. Born January 28, 1840, he was a son of Mordecai Lewis Love and Mary M. ‘Polly” Rambo Love. His paternal grandmother was a daughter of Mordecai Lewis, a Revolutionary War veteran and one of the first settlers of Sevier County.
His grandfather Isaac Love served on the board of Nancy Academy, was postmaster, and built the forge on the west prong of the Little Pigeon River from which Pigeon Forge took its name.
Soon after the birth of Preston Love, his parents moved to Missouri where their daughters, Margaret and Tennessee, were born. After Mordecai Love and his 9-month-old daughter died within two months of each other in 1845, his father-in-law, Peter Rambo, traveled from Sevier County to Missouri by wagon to bring Polly and the other two children back home.
Preston Love attended Middle Creek Academy before his mother married James Rowan of Blount County and the family moved to Maryville. At the age of 16, Love began to serve an apprenticeship with the East Tennessean, a weekly newspaper published in Maryville.
He married Mary Melissa Howell on December 1, 1859, in Blount County. They were the parents of twelve children: Andrew, Mollie, Ida, Samuel, Tennessee, John, Maude, Josie and four who died in infancy.
Love enlisted in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. In the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi, a minnie ball hit his gun and split it, causing a part of the gun to hit the top of his head with such force that the skin and flesh were opened to the bone. The other part of the gun struck his left shoulder and arm, resulting in a permanent impairment of circulation.
He was captured in the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, surrendered, and was paroled to return home to recover from his wounds. In letters he wrote in his Civil War pension application Love stated, “I arrived at home bareheaded, barefooted, and hungry. The Yankees stopped me, ransacked my clothing for letters and finding none turned me loose and picked me up later while venturing to see my wife who was destitute.
I was taken before a Provost Marshall and sentenced to Camp Chase. Rebel friends, Andrew McClain and Preacher Vest and others interfered in my behalf, in fact, going on my bond to save me from that hell on earth. The only way I could reach the Confederate Army would be through the Smoky Mountains then infested with bushwhackers from both sides.
C.T. Cate’s grandfather, William Kidd, is the man who furnished me with a horse to carry a dispatch to Longstreet when Sherman’s Army invaded Maryville. If the old man could speak from his tomb he could establish every word I have written.”
After the Civil War, Preston Love began his career as a newspaperman. In 1878, he published a paper named The Blount County Democrat. It was printed on Wednesdays and Saturdays by Preston Love and several editors. In 1882 he returned to Sevier County to prepare for the publication of the Sevierville Enterprise.
In 1884, he sold the Enterprise to the Republican Publishing Company. Love had also been the editor of the Republican, owned by the Knoxville Republican. Both papers continued to be printed after the sale of the Sevierville Enterprise, and he continued to work for both.
Preston Love and his family lived in the Catlettsburg Community. His health began to fail in 1905. Later, though partially disabled, he celebrated his 70th birthday working at the Montgomery Vindicator in 1910.
He died May 27, 1913, at age 73 and is buried in the Alder Branch Cemetery. As far as is known, only the first copy of the Sevierville Enterprise exists. It was republished by W.R. ‘Bill “Montgomery, editor of the Montgomery Vindicator in 1915. However, Preston B. Love holds an elite place in the annals of Sevier County history as the editor of the first newspaper published in the county.
Carroll McMahan is the Special Projects Facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and serves as Sevier County Historian.
The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments; please contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or email to cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or email to ron@ronraderproperties.com
- [S136] Millitary Record.
name: Preston B Love
event: Military Service
year:
age:
military unit (film note): Thirty-ninth Mounted Infantry (Col WM Bradford's Regiment, AND Volunteers, Thirty-first Infantry)
nara publication title: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee
nara publication number: M268
nara roll number: 277
- [S112] Census, 1870.
name: Preston B Love
estimated birth year: 1840
gender: Male
age in 1870: 30y
color (white, black, mulatto, chinese, indian): White
birthplace: Tennessee
home in 1870: Tennessee, United States
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Preston B Love M 30y Tennessee
Mary M Love F 26y Tennessee
Andrew H Love M 5y Tennessee
Mary M Love F 5m Tennessee
- [S112] Census, 1910.
name: Preston B Love
birthplace: Tennessee
relationship to head of household: Self
residence: Civil District 7, Sevier, Tennessee
marital status: Married
race : White
gender: Male
immigration year:
father's birthplace: Tennessee
mother's birthplace: Tennessee
family number: 120
page number: 7
Household Gender Age Birthplace
self Preston B Love M 70y Tennessee
wife Mary Love F 66y Tennessee
Mai Love F 11y Tennessee
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
ame: M M Howal (Unknown)
also known as:
suffix:
event: Marriage
event date: 01 Dec 1859
event place: Blount, Tennessee, United States
gender: Female
spouse: Preston B Love
spouse's also known as:
spouse's prefix:
spouse's suffix:
page: 112
|