A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY

OF

TENNESSEE LOVE

A HAMMOND, TEXAS PIONEER

Possibly more than eight generations ago, in the state of Tennessee, one of our ancestors, Tennessee Love, a pioneer of Hammond, Texas, was born to the parentage of John Walter and Edna Love. His siblings were: 1 sister, Anna Dixon of Hammond, Texas, and three brothers, Willie Love of Waxahachie, Texas and Bob Love and Files Love who lived in the Hammond Community.

Tennessee’s Love’s first marriage was to Lou Anna McClarron. This union was blessed with three children; 1 son, John Walter Love and 2 daughters, Ida (Love) Jones and Eunice (Love) Batts.

After the death of his wife Lou Ann, Tennessee married his wife’s sister, Mary Alice McClarron and four children were born to this union; 2 sons, Andrew and Ceroma, and 2 daughters; Sophie and Anna Love. One of Tennessee’s closest friends was Bill Batts, who became the father-in-law of his daughter, Eunice.

We pause to pay tribute to the memory of Tennessee Love, a Hammond, Texas “Pioneer”, not only to learn of our ancestral heritage, but to also recognize the fact that Tennessee was a businessman in times of illegal slavery, who acquired vast acres of land in Hammond, Texas; and, was influential in providing the essentials of life for the community, for generations to come.

Tennessee Love once owned as much as 2500 acres of land. A large part of his land was on the farm known as “Box Quarter” of the Walker Farm, which he acquired through “Squatters Rights”. A lot of this land was sold and deeded to his children. The rest of it was taken away from him by a system of European people, educated in “trickery”, who did not want a black man to own that amount of land. The balance that was left, he graciously shared with other families and relatives, providing houses for homesteading, and acreage for the use of farming and making a livelihood for others. Many of his great grand children, great great grand children, great great great grand children, and other relatives spend some of their holidays at the old homesteads, touring the many acres of land that remain in Hammond, Texas.

The land adjoining his was owned by his brother, Files Loves, and today still remains family property and is owned and cared for by his great grand daughter and her family. It is known as the “Rigsby Farm”, and is one of the most beautiful ranches in Texas and it is the pride of the “Love” Family.

Tennessee Love, a Hammond, Texas Pioneer, who in times of illegal slavery, tenant farming, and days of sharecropping, was an impeccably dressed businessman and property owner, who hired tenant farmers, and was always seeking to purchase more land for his children. The highest tribute that can be paid to any man is, that he was loved by his family and fellowmen. Your descendants pay tribute to your memory today and pause to thank you for the good you did, the things you taught, for your vision and concern for future generations. Even though your soul took its flight long, long across death’s stream, where at this moment, you rest from your labor; the memory of your deeds will live forever in our hearts.