Springfield-Greene
County LibraryTHOMAS B. LOVE. One of the rising and successful attorneys of Springfield is Thomas B. Love, who is the present efficient and conscientious city attorney. He was born in Webster County, Mo., June 23, 1870, being a son of T. C. Love, who is a retired resident of Springfield, having been a planter during the active years of his life. In 1842 he was also born in Webster County, his father having been Col. T. B. Love, who came to the State in 1842 from West Tennessee, his family having originally been residents of North Carolina. The Loves are of Scotch-Irish descent and Thomas Love, the great grandfather, came to this country during the Revolutionary period and took up his residence in the Old North State. The members of this family have always been great lovers of liberty and have taken an active part in the wars in which this country has been involved at various times, Col. T. B. Love obtaining his title while serving in the late lamentable Civil War. He enlisted as a private at the age of eighteen years of age and was quite severely wounded at the battle of Little Rock and was honorably discharged at Shreveport, La., while serving under Gen. Kirby Smith, After his return home from the war he resumed the peaceful pursuit of farming, which occupation he continued to follow up to 1882, and still continues to conduct the old home farm upon an extensive scale and with the best results imaginable financially. This farm is beautifully located in Webster County and is well known throughout that county as "Lover's Ridge." The maiden name of his wife was Sallie J., daughter of R. W. Rodgers, of Texas County, Mo. This family is also of Scotch-Irish descent and became known in the New World at an early day, and his son, the grandfather of Thomas B. Love, became a resident of Texas County, Mo., long before the opening of the Civil War and became an extensive lumberman and well known to the early pioneers of that section. T. C. Love and wife reside in Springfield, on Walnut Street. To them five children were born: Joseph, a successful young physician of New York City; Thomas B., the subject of this sketch: Robert, who is with Rodgers, Baldwin & Co., of Springfield; Oscar, who died in childhood, and Ralph and Edgar who are at school. Thomas B. Love attended the schools of Webster County, and later took a full course in Drury College, entering in 1884 and graduating in the class of 1891. During the last five years of his college life he took up the study of law, his studies being pursued in the office of Goode & Cravens. He then took a special course in the law school of the University of Virginia, and was admitted to the bar in September, 1891, after which he at once opened an office and entered the field which was occupied by many before him. In a short time he established a reputation as a brilliant young advocate, and his success in court has been exceptionally good and far superior to that of many eminent lawyers at his age. He is a young gentleman of scholarly attainments, energetic, yet dignified, persistent, but modest. When rising to address a jury he commands the attention of each member during his arguments, which are logical and convincing. His popularity was attested in April, 1882, by his election to the position of city attorney, the duties of which he has discharged in a very satisfactory manner. He has served on the County Central Committee for a number of years, and socially he is a member of the K. of P. and the Royal Arcanum. Mr. Love was married to Miss Mattie R. Goode, of Washington, Mo., and their residence is now at 461 South Main Street, Springfield. Mr. Love has taken an active part in the affairs of his section, but controls his own action with individual freedom, dictated by investigation and discrimination, and commands the greatest respect from his fellow citizens.
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