Here is a Love Story for all of us today and especially for those of you related to Renee via my father, Willard Dean Love. Today is the 196th anniversary of the wedding of my 3rd great-grandparents, Charles Love and Nancy Rodgers. According to Nancy’s obituary from 1889, Charles and Nancy were married on March 16, 1826 in Western Pennsylvania. The couple moved to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, in 1837 and were instrumental in the founding and raising of Slippery Rock Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Charles was born in Ireland and Nancy in Pennsylvania. Her father, Samuel Rodgers, was also born in Ireland. However, our heritage from both Charles and Nancy is Scot, not Irish. A number of Scottish Presbyterians moved in the 17th and 18th centuries to work on estates in Ireland that were owned by the British. When pressed to join the Church of Ireland, many immigrated to Pennsylvania. It was not uncommon for whole Presbyterian congregations to move together. In addition to seeking religious freedom, they also came for the opportunity to own land. Charles’ direct parentage is a bit of a mystery; I don’t yet know their identity. Hopefully, someday I’ll be able to report progress on breaking down that brick wall!
Charles was a farmer who also did construction. The couple had twelve children, eight of whom were living at the time of Nancy’s death in 1889. In 1863, in their 60’s, they decided to follow children that had moved to Washington County, Iowa. Along with their single daughter, Nancy Catherine Love, they lived near Ainsworth in Oregon Township next to the family of their daughter Margaret “Maggie” (Love) Warnock . Charles passed away in 1874. Nancy lived out her days with their daughter, Nancy Catherine Love, in Washington County. She died in 1889. You can visit Charles and Nancy’s gravesite at the Ainsworth Cemetery in Ainsworth, Iowa.
First posted on Facebook in Related to Renee, 16 March 2022. Photos shared by cousin Madge (Rodgers) Fitak.