The Love Story of Potter Creek: Part 2

George Love, oldest son of Robert and Anna, was living at home in 1900, but soon married Abadora Lyons (daughter of David and Mary Lyons) in 1901. In October of 1907, tragedy struck, for an article in the Bedford Gazette reported a large barn on the Peter S. Duncan property about two miles southeast of Bakers Summit and occupied by George Love was burned to the ground. Lost in the fire were two horses, a cow and the summer’s harvest; a sleigh, buggy and a wagon. By 1910, George and Abadora were still living in Bloomfield township with their children Mary, 8, John, 7, Helen, 2, and nine-month-old Harry. A school photo from the Cowan School in 1912 shows four of their children: George, John, Helen and Belle, with Mabel Stayer, teacher.

Tragedy again struck their young family when Abadora died in June of 1912. Sadly, her husband George died just two years later in October of 1914 at age 44. On his death certificate he was listed as residing at that time at the Bedford County Alms house. His parents’ names were unknown, but said to be born in Virginia. Dr. Enfield of Bedford pronounced the cause of death as Pulmonary Tuberculosis. The ledger for the Alms house shows George Love of Bloomfield township was admitted July 19, 1914, along with his ten-year-old son George Jr.; both committed there by D.F. Bassler. The ledger states he was buried nearby in the Alms House cemetery, but his death certificate states he was buried in the Keagy cemetery near Woodbury. It is unknown what became of their five orphaned children – especially young George, who needed to be placed in the Alms House with his father.

By 1902, Robert and Anna had moved to a home two miles west of Woodbury, where he died in 1920. Funeral services were conducted by the Lutheran pastor C.F. Gephart in the Church of the Brethren south of Woodbury, with interment in the Keagy cemetery. His obituary described him as “…a man highly esteemed by his white friends and neighbors, and all spoke well of him. His reminiscences of the South were very interesting. He was very religious, being a member of the Bethel church.”

Death certificates and obituaries state that Robert R. Love, his son George and wife Abadora and son James Robert are buried in the Keagy cemetery. However, no stones for any family members could be found there, or any cemetery records with the name Love. One Lyons gravestone in the Keagy cemetery was discovered: that of Mary Jane (Mosely) Lyons, the first wife of David Lyons, and brother of Anna who married Robert Love. At the left side of the Keagy cemetery, behind the small white shed, are stacks of around 65 abandoned gravestones or foot stones, so their headstones may have been located there at one time.

Anna Love later moved to Altoona to reside with her son, Harry, where she died on April 26, 1930 at age 76. Services were held in the Bethel AME church, with burial in the Grandview cemetery in Altoona.

From the time that Robert Love was freed from the bondage of slavery to being his own “master,” he must have surely felt the pride of ownership of his own land and the blessings of being surrounded by family and friends; freedoms that we too easily take for granted.