Love

The Love family appears to have come to Pennsylvania as part of the Scotch-Irish migrations from around the 1730s. Tradition indicates that there were three brothers, Alexander, James and Robert, who all migrated down from Pennsylvania to South Carolina. Albert Cook Myers, in his book
Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania states concerning Alexander Love and his wife Margaret Cook: “After living some years in York County they removed to near the present town of Yorkville, South Carolina, where Alexander became a prominent citizen, serving as a member of the Provincial Congress of S. C.”1 Alexander died in 1784 and was buried at Bethesda Presbyterian Church in York County.2 James Love, who styled himself as a Weaver of Craven County, South Carolina in his will, died in 1760.3 Robert, from whom we descend, appeared in South Carolina before 1762 when he was granted 163 acres in what was described as Anson County, North Carolina, but states that the land was “on Both Sides of Hanging Rock Creek Including his own Improvements,” which would be current day Lancaster County, South Carolina.4

Robert Love

In a deed dated the 11th year of the reign of George III (1771), Robert Love of Craven County, South Carolina, and his wife Violet, sold some land to Samuel Barnet of Tyrone County, North Carolina. The deed was registered in Lincoln County, North Carolina, but describes land on Bullocks Creek and Broad River which would be current day York County, South Carolina.5 In addition to the 163 acres he obtained in 1762, Robert received numerous acres of land laid out to him between 1768 and 1774. There are plats for most of these available at the South Carolina State Archives (see article Analysis of Love Land and Property for a list of these). Much of the land is in and around present day Hanging Rock, which is also where the original 1762 grant was.

Plat For 300 Acres On Hanging Rock Creek for Robert Love6

Most of what is known of Robert’s family is supplied by the Revolutionary War Pension Records of his sons Hezekiah, William and Samuel. Hezekiah’s pension application file includes a family bible which appears to list Robert and Violet’s family. It includes in the marriage section that “Robert Love was Married to Vilet Wilson in Chester County at the forks of brandy wine in pensulvania about 1738.” This serves to provide evidence that he may have been connected to Alexander Love who also had been in Pennsylvania earlier in the 1700s as previously stated. The first section of births listed in the bible includes Hezekiah and appears to be the children of Robert and Violet. The children were: James, Margaret, Robert, “Vilet,” John, Mary, Hezekiah (b. 1751), William, Joel, and Samuel.7

The pension record indicates that Hezekiah Love lived in Chester County, South Carolina at the time he enlisted in the Revolutionary War. It also states he was born in Chester in 1752. Oddly, the Bible states he was born in 1751 and he stated in his pension record he had no record of his age. This likely indicates the year 1751 was a later addition to the Bible record. He stated in Oct 1832 that he moved to Tennessee sometime after the war, then to Alabama, then back to Tennessee “February last.” Hezekiah lived in Roane County, Tennessee and died 11 Jun 1833.

Rachel Love of Smith County, Tennessee, widow of William Love, testified in 1839 and following years about her husband’s service in the Revolution.8 Her husband had “enlisted as a regular soldier at the hanging Rock in South Carolina his residence was near Camden in that State.” She additionally stated “She did not know who were officers in the regular Army of South Carolina. Her own Brother was out at different times and Hezikiah Love a Brother to William Love, was out also the first a Captain of a Militia Company and the latter a Lieutenant under him but these were not in the Continental line but were called upon by General Sumpter.” This proves this William is the son of Robert and Violet because of the reference to Hezekiah as a brother. Rachel stated that she married William in Dec 1787 and that he died 18 Feb 1821. Arthur Brandon of Smith County testified that “he was acquainted with William Love husband of Mrs Rachel Love formerly Rachel McCool.” John Brandon testified that William and Rachel were married in Union County or district, South Carolina on the banks of the broad River, and that they lived in Chester County.

James Love, the eldest son and heir of Robert, is known as James Love of Grannies Quarters, a location in Kershaw County. He is identified primarily by a deed from 1786 in which he is referred to as “James Love heir at Law son of Robert Love deceased.” It describes the land as “three hundred acres more or less the land offby grant to Robert Love bearing date April the tenth one thousand seven hundred and seventy five.” In a second deed from 1787 he sold more of the granted land stating that it was granted “to Robert Love Father of the said James Love and the said James Love being heir at Law to the Estate of the said Robert Love Decd.” These deeds indicate that Robert had died before late 1786. James’s wife Margaret is listed on the deeds with him.9 In 1790, James was living in Chester County when he gave two acres of land in Lancaster County to what would become known as the Hanging Rock Presbyterian Church. The deed states: “unto the Decenting Presbyterian Society of the Hanging Rock to the trustees to be hereafter appointed who have associated themselves together with others by the name of Decenting Presbyterian Society for Religious purposes and having divine service performed (at a place on the waters of Hanging Rock Creek in late Lancaster County and State of South Carolina aforesaid known by the name of James Love old place whereon stands a Meeting house)…hath freely & voluntarily by these presents bound himself to make good and sufficient titles in law to two acres of land which shall include the land or lots whereon the present meeting now stands as also including the spring to the Westward of said house…that it be to and for the use of the said Decenting Presbyterian Society to be applied to the use and support of a Meeting house of Public Worship and for no other use intents or purpose whatsoever.” John Love, presumably his brother, witnessed the deed. Many of the Scots-Irish were Presbyterians. It appears the Loves were no exception. Given that this was the only Presbyterian Church in that area of Lancaster County, it’s likely many of the Love family who stayed in Lancaster County were buried there, although very few graves remain marked to this day. Kershaw County Equity Bills of Partition from 1823 state that James Love “departed this life intestate sometime in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and … leaving considerable real estate situated on the waters of Granneys Quarter Creek…leaving Margaret Love his widow – Robert Love, and James Love together with your orator and oratrixes aforesaid his children & his heirs at law.” The orators included John and Margaret McKain, William Love, Nathan and Mary Campbell and John Love.10

Samuel Love

Samuel Love, son of Robert and Violet, was listed in Lancaster County in the census records from 1790 through 1830. Wilson Love, presumably his son S. W. Love, was listed next door in 1830.11 They are listed nearby some Ingram, Horton and Cauthen families, surnames that are associated with the Hanging Rock area.

Samuel, like several of his brothers, fought in the Revolutionary War. In 1832, he testified in open court of his service in the war for his pension, a record which yields a number of interesting details of his life.12 He stated that he was born in Lancaster County, but did not recollect the year of his birth and did not have a record of his age. However, he did state that he was 73 or 74 years old, which would place his birth around 1759. His brother Hezekiah was born in 1752 in Chester County according to his own testimony. If both of these are correct, it would likely indicate that the parents Robert and Violet Wilson moved from Chester County to Lancaster between 1752 and 1759. These locations are retroactive references as these counties did not come into existence until 1785.

Samuel was living on Beaver Creek in Kershaw County in fall or winter 1777 when he entered service in the Revolution. He additionally stated his location of residence as Camden and stated that he joined as a substitute for James Russell in Capt. Thomas Creighton’s company under Col. Kershaw. His first service lasted three months. He also served for three months in 1778 under Capt. Creighton, two months in 1779 under Capt. John McCool, seven or eight months including summer of 1779 under Capt. James Read, three months in the summer of 1780 under Capt. Dowell, and eight or nine months in the winter of 1780 under Capt. Jones. He engaged in the battles of Hanging Rock, Camden Ferry and McDonald’s Ferry. During his time under James Read who was under Gen. Thomas Sumter, he engaged in the Battle of Hanging Rock which took place near where his family lived on 6 Aug 1780.

In 1790, Samuel was listed in Lancaster County on the census with only one woman in the household besides himself, presumably his wife. One of his daughters was born in 1797 and it appears the rest of his children were born late 1790s or early 1800s. Samuel’s wife was named Margaret according to several deeds, including one from 1817 in which they sold one hundred acres “lying on the head Branches of Lynches Creek.”13 She appears as Marjory on the 1840 census after Samuel’s death.14

A great-grandson Willie Crimminger (1864 – 1946) was interviewed by one of his daughters and recorded a number of interesting items he related pertaining to the Love family. According to her notes, “Great-great-grand-father Love had at least three children. One of them followed the others across a foot log when he was very tiny, about a year and a half old, fell in and was drowned. The others, coming back, found him in the creek.”

Hanging Rock is located about two miles south of current day Heath Springs. Before Heath Springs was formed, that entire areas was known as Hanging Rock and the springs were known as the Hanging Rock Mineral Springs. The Love family lived somewhere in the Heath Springs to Hanging Rock area and owned large amounts of land there. The springs were quite popular and there was an Inn that existed for a time for visitors to stay. Tradition indicates that there was a race track that ran around a field by the Inn.15

The information from Willie Crimminger indicates that the Love house was burned and rebuilt and eventually was lived in by Oscar and Mary Reeves for a time.16 It states: “When the Love home was burned the first time a new house was built above it. This one was the one Mary and Oscar Reeves lived in and which was burned by children playing in the fire. The chimney was built in 1885 for another house.” Willie gave some further details about the Love house and property: “The Love farm had apple orchard and peach orchard. There were about three acres in fruit trees. There were many apples. They used to make cider. When Grandpa took over the Love farm, he planted the orchard in cane and the trees died. There were also plum trees.” (Grandpa is a reference to Willie’s father Robert Crimminger). He further described the chain of custody of the property, stating: “Sam Emmons for some reason owned the Love farm and Grandpa bought it from him.” Willie also described the Love home (either the original or rebuilt one) as follows: “Their house had two rooms, one upstairs and ono downstairs. Curtains were hung about to divide it into rooms. The kitchen was a separate building and was reached by a boardwalk, possibly with a shelter.” Additionally, he stated: “There was a spring on the Love place. Stables were this side of the first Love home. When it burned, the new home was built 300 or so yards nearer the stables. Grandpa used the same stables. Once they were torn down and rebuilt, the rotten logs being replaced.”

The above comments from Grandpa Crimminger appear to indicate that the Love home was burned twice. Other records fill out more details on the first fire. In his 1832 testimony for his pension for service in the Revolutionary War, Samuel stated “when he left the service he received a discharge signed by Col. Kershaw, but the same was destroyed some five or six years passed when his house and all his possessions burned.” This would indicate the house burned around 1826 or 1827. More exact details come from a petition to the General Assembly dated 22 Nov 1826 asking for restitution for a slave who was executed for “house burning.” The petition states that “on the 27 day of March 1826 a certain negro man slave the property of your petioner (sic) named Moses was tried by a court of magistrates & freeholders in the District aforesaid for house burning that the said Court found said slave guilty of the charge & passed sentance (sic) of deth (sic) upon him which sentence was been executed…the said court & freeholders appraised & valued the said negro man Moses at one Hundred and twenty two Dollars – your petioner (sic) therefore humbly prays that your honourable body may direct that the above sum of money be paid over to him.”17

This was not the end of Samuel’s trouble with slaves. According to family tradition, he was killed in 1835 or 1836 by a disgruntled slave. A more exact date is supplied from his Revolutionary War Pension Record. Across one of the cover pages is written: “Died Apr 16 1835.” The record also contains a letter written to the Commissioner of Pensions from the Planters & Mechanics Bank of South Carolina in Charleston, dated 11 Dec 1835, which states that Samuel Love “died pr certificate 16 April 1835.”

Samuel Love had accumulated a rather large amount of land before he died. (See article Analysis of Love Land and Property for further details) Margaret Love was left a widow with a rather large amount of land. Some of the deeds help identify the heirs of Samuel Love and show that Margaret was left with some financial difficulties. Samuel apparently left a will, but this doesn’t appear to be extant due to the loss of most Lancaster County probate records during the Civil War. In 1835, Samuel W. Love transferred “my distributive share of my Father Samuel Love estate agreeably to his last Will and Testament” to “Frederic” Criminger.18 In 1839, Frederick Crimminger sold his “distribution share of Samuel Loves estate agreeably to his last Will and Testament” to David H. Reddin.19 Later in a mortgage concerning four slaves in which Frederick Crimminger and Margaret Love were mortgagers, Frederick specifies he was mortgaging “all the right title or interest I may have in or be entitled to under the will of my wife’s father Saml Love decd as well as by purchase from Saml W Love.” What appears to be a complete list of the heirs of Samuel and Margaret is provided in an 1845 deed after her death, in which S. W., Sarah, Joel, and Abigail Love, Frederick and Mary Crimminger, and Mary Jane Catoe sold some land to Evan Rollings. The deed was for 75 acres “refering to a resurvey for a particular discription resurveyed by Wm McDonald 11 day of May 1830.”20 An earlier 1833 deed reveals that Samuel W. Love’s wife was named Sarah.21 There was also a declaration from a private examination of Abigail Love giving her consent for the 1845 deed which was recorded later in the same deed book which states she was the wife of Joel Love.22 In fact, an abstract of various early Camden newspapers cites an announcement from 10 May 1828 from the Camden Journal which reported on the marriage of Joel Love to Miss Abigail “Healton” (Hilton), both of Lancaster District, on 23 April.23

Southern Patriot, 3 Jan 1843

Margaret Love declared bankruptcy in late 1842 according to a news item in the Southern Patriot. A hearing was to be held on 16 Jan 1843 in Charleston. Deed records indicate probable financial troubles in previous years leading up to this. Joel Love appears to have had some troubles in 1839. There was a court case of some sort that resulted in Sheriff Leroy Secrest putting all the “goods & chattels, lands & tenements of Joel Love” up for public sale to the highest bidder. Hagans, Tuttle, & Samuel B. Emmons were the highest bidder and so bought the land. The deed states it was at least 100 acres on which Joel Love lived, as well as his interest in 500 acres “whereon Mrs. Love lives.”24 In 1842, Frederick Crimminger and Margaret Love began jointly mortgaging various parts of her estate, including four slaves and 1000 acres which is specified by Margaret as “the plantation whereon I now live.”25,26,27 The land was mortgaged to Sheriff John Adams and it appears they lost this land. In 1846, Sheriff John Adams sold to Samuel B. Emmons the 1000 acre tract “whereon Margaret Love decd lately resided.”28 When Margaret had mortgaged the land in 1842, it mentions land adjoining this property was owned by William Ingram, Widow Horton, Evan Rollins, John & James Reeves and Susanna Caston. The 1846 deed from Sheriff Adams to Samuel B. Emmons is dated 17 Jan 1846 and mentions neighbors Jeff Horton, Evan Rollins, (blank) Reaves, and “others.” There are three deeds from Samuel B. Emmons, two of which are dated 7 Feb 1846, and one undated although probably made at the same time, which may involve much of this Love land. The first is for 179 acres on both side of Little Lynches Creek to William Bowers, bordering Robert Criminger, estate lands of Samuel Caston, and James Reeves. Robert A. Criminger and Evan Rollins witnessed the deed.29 The second deed is to Evan Rollins for an unspecified amount of land on Little Lynches Creek bordering William Bowers, James Reaves, Evan Rollins, and Robert Bowers. Robert A. Criminger and William Bowers witnessed this deed.30 The final one is to Robert A. Criminger in which he bought 268 acres on the north side of Little Lynches Creek, bordered by Lucy Ingram and estate lands of Samuel Caston.31 Although it does not state the source of this land, it would appear that this is how Robert Criminger came to own the original Love home and part of the property, as his son Willie indicated was the case in the interview previously cited. While most of the land described in deeds as belonging to Robert, John, and James Love was on Hanging Rock Creek which is just south of modern day Heath Springs, most of the Love property belonging to Samuel and Margaret appears to be on and around Little Lynches Creek. Robert’s portion is specified as on the north side of Little Lynches Creek, which would appear to be north-east of current day Heath Springs.

Children of Samuel Love

As already mentioned, the heirs of Samuel and Margaret Love as specified in an 1845 deed were S(amuel) W., Sarah, Joel, and Abigail Love, Frederick and Mary Crimminger, and Mary Jane Catoe. Based on deeds and other records, we know that Sarah was Samuel W.’s wife and Abigail was Joel’s wife. According to some notes by Grandpa Willie Crimminger’s daughter Sarah Ola Crimminger Nettles, she reports “my father said his mother, Mary Jane, and father, Robert Adam were first cousins.”32 Robert was a son of Frederick Crimminger and Mary Love as already inferred from the above discussion. And Mary Jane is the Mary Jane Cato who was one of the apparent heirs as appears in the 1845 deed just mentioned. This would indicate that Mary Jane Cato’s mother was indeed a Love, a daughter of Samuel and Margaret, as Grandpa Crimminger indicated.

Mary Love Crimminger/Krimminger

Mary Love, daughter of Samuel and Margaret, was born 8 Apr 1797 according to her headstone. Not much is known of her life. An item in the Camden Gazette announced her marriage to Frederick “Criminger” in 1816.

Camden Gazette, 29 Aug 1816

The Crimminger family generally spelled the name with a “C” in South Carolina, while many of the records appearing in North Carolina use the “K” spelling. Her husband Frederick owned a store on the outskirts of current day Heath Springs. Due to crop failure, he had to close the store and they moved to Cabarrus County, North Carolina, probably about 1845. When they moved they left their son Robert Adam Crimminger behind to take care of the aging grandmother Margaret Love. According to the deeds, she was deceased by early 1846, so he likely was managing her affairs for only a short period. Mary died on 29 Jan 1855 and her husband Frederick in 1861. They are buried in a family graveyard in Cabarrus County, where her headstone refers to her as “Mary Wife of Fredk. Krimminger.”33

Mother Love

In the mid-1900s, Buena Crimminger Feeney, a daughter of Grandpa Willie Crimminger, wrote a story entitled “Mother Love” telling the story of the Krimminger/Crimminger and Love families, along with the mysterious Mr. Cato, the father of Mary Jane Cato. The book is historical fiction and makes fascinating reading. While it includes a number of changes to names or other details, and includes many episodes which were probably entirely made up, it does incorporate most of the stories and details provided by Willie Crimminger and other records about the family. The story begins around the 1790s and ends in 1846 when Robert Crimminger and Mary Jane Cato were married, subsequent to “Mother Love’s” (Margaret’s) passing. Although never published, the original type-written version has been scanned and converted to text and is available here.

  1. Myers, Albert Cook. (1902) Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, p349 ↩︎
  2. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13831408/alexander-love: accessed January 25, 2025), memorial page for Alexander Love (15 Jan 1718–3 Mar 1784), Find a Grave Memorial ID 13831408, citing Bethesda Presbyterian Church Cemetery, York, York County, South Carolina, USA; Maintained by Hope (contributor 46790939). ↩︎
  3. Charleston County, South Carolina Will Book 8, p479, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-J819-T) ↩︎
  4. Charleston County, South Carolina Deed Book R3, p460 ↩︎
  5. Lincoln County, North Carolina Real Estate Conveyance Records Book 1, p100, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-998W-7WZ1) ↩︎
  6. SC Archives ID: Series: S213184 Volume: 0016 Page: 00417 Item: 02 ↩︎
  7. Revolutionary War Pension Record, Hezekiah Love, South Carolina, W. 12148 ↩︎
  8. Revolutionary War Pension Record, William Love, South Carolina, W. 956 ↩︎
  9. Lancaster County, South Carolina Deed Book A, pp. 188, 189 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS73-JGY9) ↩︎
  10. Kershaw County, South Carolina Equity Court Roll 202, Jno McKain & wife et al vs James Love et al – Bill for Partition ↩︎
  11. “United States, Census, 1830”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGY-7J4 : Sat Mar 09 14:41:20 UTC 2024), Entry for Saml Love, 1830. ↩︎
  12. Revolutionary War Pension Record, Samuel Love, South Carolina, S. 9376 ↩︎
  13. Lancaster County, South Carolina Deed Book I, p44, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLV-59L5) ↩︎
  14. “United States, Census, 1840”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYL-CBW : Thu Mar 07 11:33:41 UTC 2024), Entry for Marjory Love, 1840. ↩︎
  15. Floyd, Viola Caston. (1956). Lancaster County Tours, pp. 101-107 ↩︎
  16. Interview of Willie Crimminger by daughter Buena Crimminger Feeney with additional notes ↩︎
  17. SC Archives ID: Series: S165015 Year: 1826 Item: 00073 ignore: 000 ↩︎
  18. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book N, p205, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NSXF-L?cat=472451&i=117) ↩︎
  19. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book O, p183, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS61-V?cat=472451&i=344) ↩︎
  20. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book P, p94, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS6L-9?cat=472451&i=566) ↩︎
  21. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book N, p168, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NSXJ-1?cat=472451&i=98) ↩︎
  22. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book P, p117, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS62-5) ↩︎
  23. Marriages and death notices abstracted from newspapers published in Camden, South Carolina, 1822-1842, p18, FamilySearch ↩︎
  24. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book N, p452, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NSX4-H?cat=472451&i=189) ↩︎
  25. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book O, p194, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS61-S?cat=472451&i=350) ↩︎
  26. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book O, p195, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS61-S?cat=472451&i=350) ↩︎
  27. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book O, p196, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS6Y-1?cat=472451&i=351) ↩︎
  28. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book P, p162, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS6J-W?cat=472451&i=602) ↩︎
  29. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book P, p149, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS6L-C?cat=472451&i=595) ↩︎
  30. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book P, p150, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS6N-W?cat=472451&i=596) ↩︎
  31. Lancaster County, SC Deed Book P, p150 FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR8-NS6N-W?cat=472451&i=596) ↩︎
  32. Crimminger Family Tree written by Sarah Ola Crimminger Nettles with help from Earle Reeves ↩︎
  33. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23053454/mary-krimminger: accessed February 17, 2025), memorial page for Mary Love Krimminger (8 Apr 1797–29 Jan 1855), Find a Grave Memorial ID 23053454, citing Krimminger Family Graveyard, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Terenda Curtis Wyant (contributor 47333875). ↩︎