Samuel Love, of Pennsylvania, married Dorcas Bell, of August County, Virginia, July 3rd in the year 1759. They lived near Tinkling Spring Church, in which later place, their eldest son, Robert, was baptized by the blind Preacher, Waddell(?), a near relative of Dorcas Bell. Mr. Waddell had charge and care of Robert and Thomas Love after the death of their Mother(?). The other children, towit: William, James, Sarah, Mary, Dorcas, and Winifred remained with the Bell family. The Bells opposed the marriage of Samuel Love and Dorcas Bell.
Robert Love married, Mary Ann Dilliard, daughter of Genl. Thomas Dilliard, or Pittsylvania County, Virginia, afterwards of Tennessee. Before the Revolutionary War, Genl. Dilliard married a Miss Webb, sister of John Webb, who married Miss Stacy Young. The Webbs, Dilliards and Bells were English, and settled near Washington, D.C.
Robert Love m. Mary Ann Dilliard, and by her had six sons and seven daughters.
Col. Robert Love was b. in Augusta County, Virginia on Saturday the 23rd , day of August 1760. He died in Waynesville, N.C. on the 17th, of July 1845 at 7 o’clock A.M. His wife, Mary Ann Dilliard, was b. on the 21st, day of September 1767, and died on the 25th day of March 1842. Both are buried in “Green Hill Cemetery” Waynesville, N.C., where a beautiful double marble shaft marks their last remaining place. This Cemetery was given to the town of Waynesville by Robert Love. This site for every public building, including the old and new court house sites, the railroad stations, churches, etc, have all been given by the Love family.
Robert Love founded Waynesville, N.C., and named it for Genl. Anthony Wayne, of Pennsylvania, for whom as a solider, he had unbounded admiration.
Extract from “Wheeler’s Reminiscences of N.C.”
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“Robert Love was one of the earliest pioneers in the settlement of Western North Carolina, and prominent in the early history of this section. He figured in the rise and fall of the State of Franklin, which Gov. Sevier attempted to establish.
Robert Love is the progenitor of a large and influential family of that name, which pervades this and other sections of the West, who have occupied positions of prominence in every walk of life”.
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Robert Love’s name appears on the list of members from Buncombe County, N.C. to the General Assembly of that State in 1793-1795 as senator. His brother, Thomas Love, a member of the House of Commons in that State from 1797-1808 (See Wheeler History of N.C. pages 53-54)
Haywood County was formed in 1808 from Buncombe County N.C., and named for Judge John Haywood, State Treasurer, 1787-1827. Thomas Love continued in the House of Commons as a representative from Haywood County until 1813, and again from 1814-1815. For four consecutive years 1817-18-19-20. He was succeeded by his nephew, James Robert Love -1821-1830. Thomas Love elected to the Senate 1823-1829.
I judge from the above record that Robert Love moved from Tennessee to N.C. prior to 1793; that he was living at Waynesville then, a part of Buncombe County, when elected to the State Senate-Maria Love Stringfield
