Letter from Col. Robert Gustavus Adolphus Love to Col. Robert Love, of Carter County, Tennessee. – (my Father-F.D. Love)
Col. R. Love; – Waynesville, N.C. July 13th, 1870
Dear Sir: – I have just been shown your letter of 6th, instant, addressed to Bro. Samuel and L.M. Welch and others, in which you ask them to examine Grandfather’s diary and see if some record can not be found that Gen. T. Love only had an interest in the contract which Grandfather had for sale of the Blount land, etc, and that he, Gen. Love, had no interest in the lands themselves.
As soon as I see Robert V. Welch and L.M. Welch, who are absent at Asheville on Railroad matters, I will have the diary of Grandfather examined. Those papers were never in my Father’s possession, and are therefore, not in mine. They went into the possession of uncle Wm. Welch as administrator, and when Grandfather’s will was established, uncle Welch qualified as executor with others, and was allowed to keep the papers, as no special value was attached to them. So when the boys return from Asheville, I will have them hunt up the papers and make the examination you desire. I can not see, however, how such a record can be necessary for this reason; when Grandfather and Gen. Thos. Love entered into the general agreement, of course the agreement had reference to the contract then existing between Grandfather and John Gray Blount for the sale of the land. That Agreement is on file. The date show when it was made. Grandfather was to sell for a certain per cent. He also had to survey the lands sold when paid form and as Agent for Blount, make deeds. After this General Agreement between Grandfather and his brother, Gen. Thos. Love, Grandfather acted under this agency and continued to act under it until he got wounded by a kick of a horse, which disabled him for life. He was never afterwards able to walk a step, as you know, without the use of a crutch. After he received this kick, he held on and did not resign his agency, until he was satisfied he would never be able to discharge the duties of it again, when he resigned. Sometime after his resignation as agent, my Father, as member of the N.C. Legislature, met one of John Gray Blount’s executors, who in the mean time had died himself in the City of Raleigh, and this executor proposed to sell the entire tract to my Father, and my Father agreed on the matter, and he gave my Father a certain time to make up his mind in. Father wished to see Grandfather and know of him whether to take it or not. He also wished to get Grandfather, as he often told me, to go in with him, and if he failed to pay for the lands out of lands themselves, he knew Grandfather would not let him sink. When he told Grandfather the terms proposed by Blount’s executors, Grandfather advised Father to take the contract, saying it was a good one, etc. He hesitated, and for days kept hesitating, and at last said he would take the trade, provided, Grandfather would go in with him, jointly, wand would only take the trade in that way. In order to get Father to make the trade, he at last consented to go in with him jointly. Father then went on and made the trade, and took Grandfather in with him, jointly. Now this was some years after this contract or General Agreement between Grandfather and his bro. Gen. Thos. Love. It signed his agency. Examine the dates of the papers and they will sustain what I say.
Gen. Thos. Love was here several times after my Father and Grandfather bought the said lands. I never heard his claiming any interest in them.
Yours etc.
R.G.A. Love.