Daily Oklahoman, The
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
JMay 23, 1942, page 13
JOHN E. (JACK) LOVE, JR.
(1857-1918)
Born in San Augustine, Texas, June 9, 1857, died June 1,
1918, at Mineral Wells, Texas, where he had gone seeking benefit
of curative and restorative waters of that resort. He was a son
of John E. Love, Sr., and Susan Y. (Wood) Love. John G. Love,
his grandfather, came from Tennessee and settled in east Texas
when it was a part of Mexico. His maternal great-grandfather and
great-grandmother were Julius Horton and Susan (Purnell) Horton.
Thomas Love, who was a compeer of John Sevier in Tennessee, was
of this same family. The conflict between Thomas Love and John
Sevier (Nollichucky Jack) is fascinatingly related in Winston
Churchill's novel "The Crossing," one scene of which
is taken from Haywood's History of Tennessee. His father John E.
Love, Sr., was killed in 1860 at Blount's corner on Columbia St.
San Augustine, Tex., in a conflict with Alex Chumley, who was
also killed at the same time. John G. Love, soon after he came
to Texas, acquired a tract of Land from Edmund Quirk, the deed
being in Spanish, and now among the archives of San Augustine
County, locating upon said tract about the time of its purchase.
He was an Alcalde at San, Augustine under the Mexican Government
and a Primary Judge of that jurisdiction. John E. (Jack) Love,
Jr., had one brother, Reuben D. Love, who was a physician, and
three sisters, Sophia Love, Laura Houston Love and Meddie
Sonobia Love. After the death of his father his mother with her
children removed to Chireno, Nacagdoches County, Texas. The town
of Loving, Texas, is named for members of his family. His
grandmother was a sister of the late Col. Alexander Horton, who
was first aide to Gen. Sam Houston. His mother was married a
second time to a man named Harris, who had by him one son whose
name was J. M. Harris. He became a physician, residing at
Beaumont and San Antonio, Texas. The Love's on the father's side
were Irish and on the Mother's English. His grandfather John G.
Love married Anne Terrell. On his mother's side her father was
Reuben D. Wood who married Susan Horton, their daughter Susan y.
Wood married John E. Love, Sr. Both of said grandparents came
from Tennessee to Texas at an early day, settling near San
Augustine which at that time was a province of Mexico, each
playing an important part in carving the Republic of Texas out
of the Mexican Territory. The grandfather on the Love side held
many important posts, being a prominent alcalde under the
Mexican reign, and serving under Gen. Sam Houston in the
Revolution of Texas. Terrell, Texas, is named for one of his
ancestors.
On account of the Civil War and conditions prevailing for ten
years thereafter John E. (Jack) Love, Jr., in his early youth
had no educational advantages, reaching the age of eighteen
years before he learned to write. At the age of twenty-seven
years having attended the Sam Houston Normal School, at
Huntsville, Texas, and there being awarded a teacher's
certificate permitting him to teach a third grade school, he
settled at Lankford's cove in Hamilton County, Texas, engaging
in school teaching during the periods that schools were in
session, being above five months each year, and during the fall
season operating a cotton gin. He was thus engaged when Oklahoma
Territory was opened for settlement in the spring of 1889, at which time he
made the run and located on a claim then near Oklahoma City, on
which Northwest Park is now located. He afterwards took up his
residence in Oklahoma City, becoming a member of its provisional
council and participating in its early day activities.*
When the Cherokee Strip was opened in September 1893 he was
appointed by Governor Renfrow as Sheriff of Woodward County. At
the expiration of his term of office he had engaged in the
cattle business and so continued until 1907, when he was
nominated by the Democratic party and elected by the people of
the New State of Oklahoma as a member of the Corporation
Commission. At its organization in November, 1907, he was
elected as its chairman. He was re-elected in 1912 as a member
of said Commission and continued as its chairman until his death
on June 1, 1918. He held the office of Sheriff of Woodward
County, from September 1893 to January 1, 1895, not seeking to
succeed himself as sheriff, but accepting the Democratic
nomination for the lower house of the Legislature of Oklahoma
Territory at the November election in 1894, but was defeated by
three votes. He made no personal canvass. His friends placing
his name on the ballot as a nominee, and being out on his ranch
during election day with his hands, no effort was made to get
the hands on the ranch out to vote. Had he done so he would have
been elected. He was a progressive cattleman and citizen. He
discovered the merits of kaffir corn and its especial adaptation
for winter feed for cattle in which was then thought to be an
arid country, he being one of the first cattle men to raise feed
in that western country in large quantities to carry the cattle
through the winter season. In 1898 when the Oklahoma Territorial
government sought to make western Oklahoma a large cattle ranch
or range by granting a lease to Dan Waggoner this was
successfully resisted by Jack Love and other small cattlemen in
that section from Texas and Kansas. At that time Waggoner,
Burnett and the Suggs controlled the Kiowa, Caddo and Comanche
reservations. In this controversy against the large cattle men
the small ranchmen from Texas and Kansas acted in harmony.
After he had qualified as a member of the Corporation
Commission his course in that position harmonized with his prior
life. He sympathizing with the weak, sought to protect the
people as shippers and patrons of railroads and in all matters
over which the Commission had jurisdiction. At his death he
possessed the unbounded confidence of the masses of the state
who believed him to be a brave, fearless and faithful public
servant.
Funeral ceremonies were held at ten o'clock A. M. June 5,
1918, in the Hall of the House of Representatives in the State
Capitol, the body being in an elegant casket covered with
beautiful flowers from his friends. The Rev. Frank Naylor read
appropriate selections from the Bible and offered a prayer. The
hymn "Beulah Land" was sung by a double quartette. The
Hon. R. L. Williams, Governor of the State of Oklahoma,
delivered an address. E. F. McKay read a memorial sketch of his
life. The quartette sang another appropriate hymn. His
associates, Commissioners W. D. Humphrey and Campbell Russell
also delivered addresses. The Hon. S. P. Freeling, Attorney
General of the State, then delivered an address. The ceremonies
were closed by the quartette singing that beautiful hymn
"God will take care of you", after which his body was
taken to its final resting place in the beautiful cemetery
adjacent to Oklahoma City, known as
Fairlawn
Cemetery, to sleep that sleep that can only be broken by the
resurrection. At the cemetery the Rev. Frank Naylor offered a
prayer and gave the benediction. From the time of Col. Love's
death of his burial all arrangements were in charge of the
Governor, in accordance with his wishes expressed prior to his
death. The corporation Commissioners and the employees, each and
all had a part...
Chronicles of Oklahoma
Volume 10, No. 4, December, 1932, pp.604-605
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