The John Wesley Love Family

By William T. Pinkard

On December 28, 1881, John Wesley Love and Texanna Pickens, daughter of Robert Meek Pickens and Rachael Elmira Pickens were married. They made their home about one mile east of Jacksonville, a short distance from the Love home presently standing [1972], which is now the home of Mrs. Carter A. Childs. Twelve children were born to them: Claudia, married Berl M. Pinkard; Everett, married Nell Hayes; Lawrence, died a bachelor; Ruby, died in her teens; John Robert, died a bachelor; Oscar Edward, died at 1 1/2 years; Ninnie Sue, married B. D. O'Neal; Isaac Alexander, died a bachelor; Henry Hubert, married Xulla Cooper; James Samuel, died in his teens; Mary Anna, married W. R. Smith; and Gladys, married Col. Paul Berkey.

John Wesley Love's parents, James Samuel Love and Margaret Ann Fowler Love, moved to the Jacksonville vacinity, settled northeast of Jacksonville and lived in a log cabin, where Wesley was born February 23, 1858. As a boy, he did the usual chores about the farm, since his father had lost a leg in the Civil War.

As he grew into manhood, he rode horseback over the country selling nursery stock. He planted an orchard of his own and was fortunate enough to be able to continue adding acreage, until he had orchards in several places, the larger one was from Love's Lookout south for almost three miles and approximately 600 total acres. Packing sheds were built on the Cotton Belt Railway for him. A record season found him shipping over 100 cars of his own peaches to market. All over the country he was referred to as "The Peach King".

Everything went well for him in agriculture. He entered the onion-raising business with his son, Everett, at Laredo. Everett had gone to that part of Texas, along with others from this vicinity and had phenomenal success. He became known as "The Onion King."

He had other interests in banking and real estate, was one of the founders of The First National Bank and a vice-president at the time of his death. He was instrumental in enlarging the tomoato-growing industry and helped others to get started by financing and marketing. He was a silent partner in other local enterprises.

Everett, Lawrence, Hubert and Robert were the only sons who reached manhood, and engaged in fruit and vegetable pursuits similar to their father's interest.

Wesley Love was deeply interested in the betterment of schools, roads and churches. He would always contribute to any worthy cause, and he helped numerous young people to get their start in life. Circuses, baseball, movies or any public event always found him with a group of young people. After school, he could always seem to come along in his car in time to pick up every child going his direction. He often drove miles out of his way in bad weather to deliver one home.

Wesley Love had trouble in the transition of driving horses or mules to automobiles. He lived within a few hundred feet of a railroad crossing on the I. & G. N., and was accustomed to seeing "Old Number 2" pass each afternoon. However, he was crossing one Sunday afternoon in his 1914 Cadillac and could only yell "Whoa!!, Whoa!!," and was struck by a train. Fortunately, he was not hurt, nor was his passenger, Uncle Frank Manuel.

It is recalled about a transient airplane, with an open cockpit and seating two persons comfortably, coming to town and taking passengers up for a ride. Welsey Love could not rest until he had gathered up ten youngsters of high school age, friends of his daughter, Gladys, and sent them up for their first ride.

His favorite seat was on the steps of the First National Bank (old building, now location of the Austin Building). During bad weather, a domino game in the basement was his pastime.

Mrs. Texanna Love donated to the State of Texas, in 1932, the tract of land known as Love's Lookout, in memory of Wesley Love who had died in 1925. He had always been fond of the beautiful view, and had preserved its site during his lifetime.

Anyone familiar with the mythical cartoon figure "Old Man Texas" will note the resemblance of Wesley Love with his tall, slender physique, droopy mustache and white hair, to the artist's conception.

Wesley Love

Some of the children of Wesley Love: (L to R) Robert, Lawrence, Ruby, Claudie. (Center) Everett and Ninnie (with hammer).

The Wesley Love home, about 1903. Mr. Love at left, along with family members. Now home of Mrs. Carter Childs.

Wreckage of Wesley Love's 1914 Cadillac, after it had failed to respond to his "Whoa" and was struck by a train.