James Love
Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(1795-1874) A veteran of the War of 1812, James Love, a lawyer, came to Texas in 1837 with his wife Lucy (Ballinger). He helped found Galveston, and was a political ally of Mirabeau b. Lamar. Love served as a delegate to the 1845 Annexation Convention, judge of the district court, and clerk of the United States District Court. During the Civil War (1861-1865) he enlisted in Terry's Texas Rangers. Afterward he served as the first judge of the Harris and Galveston County Criminal Court. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
A veteran of the War of 1812, lawyer James Love came to Texas in 1837 and helped found the city of Galveston, becoming a political ally of Mirabeau B. Lamar. He served as a delegate to the 1845 convention that approved annexation to the United States and held several judicial posts. Though in his sixties, he enlisted in Terry's Texas Rangers during the Civil War and later became the first judge of the Harris and Galveston County Criminal Court.
Why it matters
Love's long life bridges the War of 1812, the founding of Texas, and the Civil War, tracing the arc by which the young republic became an American state.
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Related people
- · James Love
- · Lucy Ballinger Love
- · Mirabeau B. Lamar
Related events
- · 1845 Annexation Convention
Themes & tags
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