The Ancestry of Elizabeth Lovell

The following proposed ancestry for Elizabeth Lovell is far from proved, but seems to fit well with the available data so far uncovered. Her ancestors appear to have originated in Virginia, made their way to Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and finally Missouri. Tracing her family is made easier because in many cases, entire clans picked up and moved together. The inconsistencies in those travels sheds light on who may be related to whom.

                                               «John»
                    ?                          Lovell
                   / \                         __|__
                  /   \                       /     \
    William + Ruth    Elizabeth + Edmund   George  John   + Susannah
    Dollar    Beasley Beasley   | Lindsey  Lovell  Lovell |
                                |                _________|_____________
                                |               /         |       |     \
                Solomon      Stephen          James W.  Reuben  George  |
                Lynn         Lindsey          Lovell    Lovell  Lovell  B
                 |              |         ______|_______________
                 |              |        /       |      |       \
                Jane         Phoebe  + Samuel  James   Reuben   |
                Lynn         Lindsey   Lovell  Lovell  Lovell   A
                  \_____________ + _____________/


                              «David»
                              John            «Henry»
                      B        |              Sarver
                      |        |                |
                    John   + Catherine        Jacob  + Barbara
                    Lovell | John             Sarver |
       A         __________|_________          ______|_______
       |        /       |     |      \        /      |       \
     William  David  Samuel William Susan + Jacob  Elizabeth Susan
     Lovell   Lovell Lovell Lovell  Lovell  Sarver Sarver    Sarver
        \______|_______________ + _________________/          |
               |                                              |
                \_____________________ + ____________________/
                                       |
                                    Elizabeth
                                    Lovell

The earliest member of the family we can be fairly certain of is John Lovell. We know he married a woman named Susannah. Her surname is not known. I propose that they had four sons: James Walter, John Jr., George and Reuben, and it is primarily through their relationships with the families of William Dollar and Stephen Lindsey that we are able to track their movements.

In an 1822 deposition [1] given in the Revolutionary War pension application for William Dollar, Susannah Lovell, being then in Clermont County, Ohio, stated that William Dollar had lived at her house in Frederick County, Virginia when he enlisted and that her husband "John Loval" had enlisted a few days later. She also stated she saw him again after his discharge.

We know from the pension file that William Dollar enlisted into the service in Frederick County, Virginia on October 10, 1776 and served just over three years in the 2nd Virginia Regiment. From John Lovell's military records [2], we know he served in the 11th Virginia Regiment as a private in Captain Bryan Bruin's company. Capt. Bryan Bruin lived in Frederick County, Virginia as well. There is a George Lovell that also served in this regiment under a different Captain. He was probably the brother of John Lovell.

In a separate deposition [3] for William Dollar, Stephen Lindsey stated, then being 68 years old, that he had on multiple occasions lived with his mother's sister Ruth Beasley and her husband William Dollar, in Berkeley County, Virginia (later West Virginia) from 1782 to 1789, after which William Dollar removed to Carolina. It will be noted that Berkeley County, West Virginia lies adjacent to Frederick County, Virginia.

Stephen Lindsey, the son of Edmund Lindsey and Elizabeth Beasley (Ruth's sister), was born in Virginia about 1775. His daughter Phoebe would marry James Walter Lovell's son, Samuel, making the Lindseys and Lovels in-laws.

To highlight the close kinship between these two families, we need only view the census records for the counties and townships where they lived. In the 1820 federal census for Clermont County, Ohio [4], Susannah Lovell is found living next door to her sons James Walter and John Lovell Jr. Living close by was Stephen Lindsey. In the 1830 federal census for Anderson, Hamilton County, Ohio [5], Stephen Lindsey is found living next door to Samuel Lovell and near his own sons Jonah and Nathan Lindsey; Samuel's brother William Lovell and John Lovell, Jr. are in close proximity. James Walter Lovell is not found. James Walter Lovell moved his family to Fulton County Illinois, about 1835. It is no surprise to find that William Dollar was already living in Fulton County having moved from Indiana in 1828. John Lovell and William Lovell show up in Indiana prior to 1835. In the 1840 federal census for Fulton County, Illinois, James Walter Lovell is found living very close to his sons Nathan and Jonah Lindsey. Stephen Lindsey and Samuel Lovell were not found in the federal census for that year, but they are found in that year's state census living in the same county. In the 1850 census for Vermont, Fulton County, Illinois, Samuel and Phoebe Lovell are shown living next door to James Walter Lovell. Stephen and Jonah Lindsey are living in the same area. Nathan Lindsey is by then living in the next township. When Stephen Lindsey died in Fulton County in 1864, his grandsons James Walter Lovell Jr. and Samuel Lovell are said to have filed papers to administer his estate.

What follows is a more expansive and detailed timeline than the brief summary already presented. It will trace the complex migration patterns of these families through the various states, counties and townships and should leave no doubts as to their close family ties.

As we've already stated, John Lovell Sr. and Susannah are known to have been in Frederick County, Virginia in 1776. It is known that John Lovell Sr. served in the 15th Virginia Regiment [6] which was not created until 1777 and was redesignated in 1779 as the 11th Regiment [7]. In an odd note [8] found dated 1779 it is recorded:

"This to Certify that John Lovel Soldier of the 11th Virginia Regiment is hereby discharged from the Hospittle and recommended to his Col. for a discharge from his Regiment being rendered unfit for Military Services and is a proper object for the Corps of Inviluds."

We can be sure then that he and Susannah remained in Virginia through 1779. Their son James Walter Lovell is said to have been born in Virginia on May 19, 1783. Based on the fact that John and Susannah's granddaughter married Stephen Lindsey's daughter, we can be pretty sure that they and William Dollar were all there together through at least 1789. There are no Lovell's or Lindsey's found on the 1791 tax lists for Frederick County, Virginia. It is not known what happened to John Lovell Sr., but the next time we see Susannah Lovell, she is a widow. In another note found with the previous one and dated October 7th, 1792, it is written:

"I do Certify that John Lowel was Exempted from publick Taxes During his residence of Hampshier County."

The implication is that both of these notes apply to the same person. To confuse matters, in the book, "Hampshire County, Virginia: Volume I - Minute Book Abstracts 1788-1802 [9]", page 176, we find written:

"16 July 1789 - On the petition of John Lovell he is exempted from the payment of county levies and poor tax in the future he being aged and infirm".

The infirm bit I get. Aged - I doubt it. A solider enlisting in 1776 was probably born between 1745 to 1755. In 1789 he would not have been older than his mid-40s. Both of the original notes were found in a file drawer in Alexandria, Campbell County, Kentucky, where John Lovell (presumably Jr.) lived around 1805. On the other hand, there are no records of John and Susannah Lovell until 1820, so perhaps they were living in Hampshire County, West Virginia during that period. Hampshire County also happens to lie adjacent to Frederick County, Virginia.

John Lovell Sr.'s brother George Lovell [10] also served in the 15th and 11th Regiments of the Virginia Continental Line from 1777 to 1779.

On December 11, 1798, Stephen Lindsey married Rachel Reynolds in Campbell County, Kentucky. He was taxed there in 1800. Also in 1800, George and John Lovell Jr. were taxed in Monongalia County [11], West Virginia. Monongalia County lies several counties westward of Hampshire County. Since both George and John Lovell Jr. each are listed with only 1 tithable, it is assumed that this record does not refer to John Lovell Sr. This would make George and John Lovell, Jr. at least 21 years old. John is probably older as he has 2 horses. John Lovell Jr. was probably born in 1778, and George in 1779. We've already seen that James Walter Lovell was born in 1783. Reuben Lovell's tombstone says he was born August 10, 1789. It is not known where Susannah, James and Reuben are in 1800, but it is possible they were living with John Lovell Jr. as head of household, since both boys were under 21 years of age, they would not have been listed as tithables.

James Walter Lovell married Ruth France in Monongalia County about 1803 and had children there until at least 1809. James Walter Lovell is not seen again until 1818 when his son Reuben was born in Ohio. John Lovell Jr. married Catherine John in Monongalia County on February 13, 1806. Her father David John is also found in the 1800 tax list for taxed in Monongalia County [12].

George and John Lovell Jr. must have moved to Campbell County, Kentucky near Stephen Lindsey for a very short period because in 1806 they are both shown as delinquent for paying taxes [13] in Campbell County and are listed as then living in Ohio. This implies they were in Kentucky in 1805. Campbell County, Kentucky is located just across the river from Clermont County, Ohio. On March 3, 1806 [14] George Lovell married Elizabeth Hennis in Campbell County, Kentucky, and Reuben Lovell married Martha Baily there on December 23, 1807 [15]. It is about this time the George and Reuben Lovell separate from their brother's James and John Lovell Jr. It is likely they remained close to the families of their wives. I will pick up the discussion of George and Reuben Lovell after first discussing their brothers.

In 1805, John Lovell (probably Jr.) is listed as a voter in Ohio Township, Clermont County, Ohio [16]. In 1806, Stephen Lindsey was taxed there as well. In 1807, John Lovell Jr.'s son David was born in Ohio, and in 1809 John Lovell (Jr.) and Stephen Lindsey are both taxed in Ohio Township [17]; Stephen Lindsey is taxed there again in 1810 and served as Justice of the Peace there in 1812. It is not known why John Lovell (Jr.) doesn't appear in the tax list for 1810 because in the 1820 federal census for Ohio Township, Clermont County, Ohio [18], John Lovell Jr. is found living near his mother, Susannah, and brother James Walter Lovell. Living close by was Stephen Lindsey and a new character in this drama - Solomon Lynn. Since Susannah Lovell was listed as the head of household, she must have been a widow. The 1822 deposition of Susannah Lovell [19] in Clermont County, Ohio is the last record known for her.

It was around this time or shortly after that James Walter Lovell's oldest son William came of age and moved a few miles westward to Hamilton County, Ohio where he married Elizabeth Sarver on April 27, 1825 [20]. Back in Clermont, John Lovel Jr's son, David Lovell married Susan Sarver on December 11, 1826 [21]. Presumably the Sarver women were sisters. James Walter Lovell Jr. then married Jane Lynn, the daughter of Solomon Lynn, in Clermont on December 17, 1827 [22]. The rest of the family soon followed William to Hamilton County, settling in Anderson Township. Around 1827, John Lovell Jr.'s daughter Susannah (named after her grandmother, no doubt) was married to Jacob Sarver, undoubtedly another Sarver sibling. In the 1830 federal census [23], John Jr., David, William and Samuel Lovell along with Stephen, Jonah and Nathan Lindsey and Jacob Sarver are all found living in Anderson, Hamilton County, Ohio. There is also a aged Henry Sarver, perhaps a grandfather, living nearby. James Walter Lovell Sr. and his son James are not found, nor is Solomon Lynn.

By 1830, William Dollar was already firmly planted in Fulton County, Illinois. James Walter Lovell Jr.'s daughter Elizabeth was born in Ohio in 1834, and then in 1836 William and Samuel Lovell both had children born in Illinois. James Walter Lovell Sr. is found in Fulton County in 1835, so it is assumed that is about when his entire family migrated to Illinois. Solomon Lynn along with Stephen Lindsey and his family soon followed. David Lovell and Jacob Sarver remained behind in Anderson - at least for a while longer.

John Lovell, Jr.'s first wife died between the 1830 census and April 8, 1834 [24], when he remarried in Crawford county, Indiana to Sarah Prather, the widow of William Chandley [25]. His son Wiliam married Diana Chandley, the daughter of William Chandley and Sarah Prather in 1844.

At this point it is necessary to calibrate our understanding of the area in Illinois where the Lovells and Lindseys migrated. They moved to an array of townships located at the intersection of three counties: Fulton, McDonough and Schuyler. There are nine-plus townships overlapping this conjunction of counties with no more than 10 miles separating any of them. It is into these townships that the families migrated. When we see the locations of family members taken from census records it helps to understand that they were all living very close to one another even when living in different counties. Township names sometimes changed and shifted, so I will be using the modern names in the continuing description.

In 1840, we find James Walter Lovell, Sr. now living in Vermont Township (renamed from Lafayette) in Fulton County, Illinois. Living near him were his son Samuel and daughter Rachel, she being the second wife of Elias Swango. Stephen Lindsey and his son James Lindsey were close by. James Walter Lovell's oldest son William was living in Oakland Township (renamed from Ashland), in Schuyler County, Illinois. James Walter Lovell Jr. was living in Pleasant, Fulton County, Illinois near Jonah and Nathan Lindsey. William and James Walter Lovell Jr. would remain on these farms the rest of their lives. Another one of the Lindsey boys, Jacob is also living in Fulton County, probably in Pleasant. James Walter Lovell Sr.'s son Reuben is not found, but was still young enough to have been living with his parents or siblings - possibly William. Solomon Lynn was in Astoria, Fulton County, Illinois.

John Lovell Jr.'s son David Lovell was still living in Anderson, Hamilton County, Ohio [26] in 1840. Jacob Sarver was not found there in the census, but was living there as late as 1845. John Lovell Jr. died, November 30, 1845 [27], while he and his son Lemuel were visting Jacob and Susannah (Lovell) Sarver, in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. He died instantly in a fit at a boarding house. By 1850, Jacob and Susannah Sarver were living back in Clermont County, Ohio, and David Lovell had migrated to Vermont, Fulton County, Illinois [28]. David's daughter Elizabeth Lovell had married Hugh Humphrey on May 30, 1843 [29] in Cincinnati and are found still living in Anderson [30] in 1850.

By 1850, the only family members to have moved since 1840 are Jonah Lindsey who sidestepped from Pleasant to Vermont. His brother Hezekiah joined him there. James Walter Lovell Sr.'s son Reuben Lovell was now living in Oakland, Schuyler County, Illinois near his brother William. James Walter Lovell Jr.'s daughter Elizabeth, aged 16, is living with her grandfather, Solomon Lynn. Rachel and Elias Swango are found with 3 Lovell children in their household. If these were nephews and nieces, which seems likely, the only one of her brothers they could have belonged to would be Reuben who is found widowed living with only 1 son. In 1860, however, the children are not found in his household, or any of the oterhs for that matter.

By 1855, Samuel Lovell had moved to Woodland, Fulton County, Illinois with his sons Stephen and William. William Lovell's sons Levi, William, and John appear near him on Oakland, Schuyler County, Illinois. This is first and last time Levi Lovell is seen. Levi is not included in other genealogies, but since his is living near William, and no other families are in the same township and he is the correct age to be his oldest, it is assumed he was William's son. James Walter Lovell Jr.'s son Solomon Lovell appears near him in Pleasant, Fulton County, Illinois. Rachel (Lovell) and Elias Swango had moved to New Salem, McDonough County, Illinois, and David Lovell's son Henry was in Astoria, Fulton County, Illinois. Solomon Lynn is no longer found there and had probably died.

By 1860, the county lines had shifted, because we find Ruth and James Walter Lovell Sr., still in the Vermont Post Office, but now located in Eldorado, McDonough, Illinois. They are living with their son Reuben Lovell. Reuben's son George is living nearby. The redrawing of the county lines also caused David Lovell to now be located in Industry, Eldorado, McDonough County, Illinois [31]. William Lovell's sons, John, Henry and George had all come of age and moved to Astoria, Fulton County, Illinois near David's son Henry Lovell. Hugh and Elizabth (Lovell) Humphrey were also living in Astoria, Fulton County, Illinois [32] in 1860. Samuel's son Stephen had moved to Mound, McDonough County, Illinois. Stephen Lindsey along with his brother Jonah and Jonah's eldest son Nathan had all moved a few townships north to Prairie City, McDonough County, Illinois.

Stephen Lindsey had died in 1863, and James Walter Lovell, Sr. followed him a year later. By 1865, John Lovell Jr.'s son Henry and David's daughter Elizabeth Humphrey had moved to Eldorado, McDonough County, Illinois [33], near David Lovell. James Walter Lovell Sr.'s son Reuben Lovell, and William R. Lovell, the son of William Lovell moved to Astoria, Fulton County, Illinois near his uncle John Lovell.

By 1870, the first generation of settlers were gone and the families had grown and spread out considerably. Samuel Lovell is found in Nevada, Centre, Vernon County, Missouri where he would spend the remainder of his days. He died there on July 7, 1894 and is buried in Deepwood cemetery. His son Stephen and grandson Jonah are buried in the Lovell Cemetery in Nevada, Vernon County, Missouri. Also in 1870, David Lovell was in Nevada, Vernon, Harrison County, Missouri [34]. This is the last record for David. His daughter Elizabeth Humphrey was in Big Creek, Cass County, Missouri [35], and Reuben Lovell was close by her in Pleasant Hill, Cass County, Missouri. By 1880, Reuben had also moved to Vernon, Harrison County, Missouri, near where David Lovell had been prior. In 1900, Reuben was living with his son John D. in Henry, Payne County, Oklahoma. Reuben died on May 2, 1905 and is buried next to his wife at the Fairlawn Cemetery in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma. Rachel and Elias Swango stayed in Illinois but relocated to Woodland, Fulton County.

In 1874, Hugh and Elizabeth (Lovell) Humphrey returned to Illinois, spending their remaining days near Jonah Lindsey in Prairie City, McDonough County [36] where they are found in 1880. Their son David Humphrey moved to Knox county, Illinois and married Phoebe Jane Compton there in 1878. They are found living in Maquon [37] in 1880 and in Galesburg [38] in 1900.

Returning to the brothers of James Walter and John Lovell Jr., In 1806/07, George [39] and Reuben [40] Lovell were in Campbell County, Kentucky. George Lovell is found in Stoner, Bourbon County, Kentucky in 1810, Elizaville, Fleming County, Kentucky in 1820, and Pendleton County, Kentucky in 1830. There is no further record of George Lovell.

Rueben Lovell was born in Virginia on August 10, 1789. Reuben's oldest known child was born in Henderson County, Kentucky in 1809. Reuben is found in Cynthiana, Harrison County, Kentucky in 1810, which is not far from George Lovell in Stoner. His first wife died sometime after, and he married second Elizabeth Bradbury on April 23, 1814. Reuben's second known child was born in Crawford county, Indiana in 1815. In the census records for 1820 and 1830, Reuben Lovell was still in Crawford County, Indiana. There are also found a Mary, Nancy and Lodicia (Dicey) Lovell who married in Crawford County in 1822, 1830 and 1832 respectfully. Dicey was born in Tennesse so is probably not releated.. Rueben moved to Edgar County, Illinois in 1836, and is found there in the 1840, 1850 and 1860 census in Simms township. In 1870, he moved to Sugar Creek, Harrison County, Missouri. Reuben Lovell died on July 2, 1873 and is buried at the Springer Chapel Cemetery in Gilman City, Harrison, County, Missouri. He was the last of the 4 sons of John and Susanna Lovell to pass away.

The affiliations I've made in this reconstruction of families are based almost entirely on census records. The assumptions I've made resulting in the placement of these families is based on the approximate birth dates and stated birth locations in those census records and the locations of the heads of households relative to one another. It may be possible that other reconstructions are possible.

I have concluded that John Lovell Jr. is a son of Susannah and John Lovell Sr. based on:
1. Susannah Lovell stated that she was the wife of John Lovell Sr.
2. John Lovell Jr. and James Walter Lovell were living nearby by the much older widow Susannah Lovell in the 1820 census

I have further concluded that David Lovell is the son of John Lovell Jr. for the following reasons:
1. David Lovell was born in Ohio in about 1807, James Lovell was still in West Virginia, because his son James Jr. was born there in 1809.
2. John Lovell voted in Clermont County, Ohio in 1805, and was also the only Lovell taxed there in 1809, so it is known he was in Ohio when David was born.
3. David Lovell is living next door to John Lovell in Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio in 1830.

This then leads to the conclusion that Elizabeth (Lovell) Humphrey is the daughter of David Lovell because:
1. David Lovell stayed behind in Ohio with Elizabeth Humphrey after John Lovell Jr. had moved to Indiana around 1835.
2. David Lovell and Elizabeth Humphrey are living next door to each other in 1865.

Additional census and other records can be found under the "Lovell Family Support Documents" listed below.