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Architecture
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Thomas
Lovell
"Servant to prominent citizen"
1852 - 1911
Text and Vintage
Photos
Courtesy Jim McCreadie and the Lovell Family |
Thomas
(Tom) Lovell was born May 5, 1852 at West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Tom was mentioned in the 1861 census as the 8-year old son of Edward
and Bridget (McFadzean) Lovell. In the 1871 census, Tom is recorded
as an 18-year old "Servant" at Millstonford Farm, West Kilbride.
On January 7, 1877, he married Theresa Begley in County Armagh, Ireland
where they lived for at least four years. A son, Edward (Ed) was born
in Ireland in November 1877, followed by a second son, Thomas (Tom
Junior) in 1879.
Tom and his small family returned to Scotland c. 1881 and they had
a daughter (Mary) born there in September of that year. In Dallas,
she married Patrick Joseph Lenahan who was a contractor for the construction
of Dallas' famed Magnolia
Building. Mary taught at Bryan High School from 1906 to 1921 and
was also the dean of discipline at the University of Colorado, in
Boulder. |
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The
Magnolia Building before Pegasus arrived in 1934
TE Postcard Archives |
Tom
Lovell and family immigrated to USA in late 1881. The first located
record of the Lovells in Texas was with
the birth of Sarah ("Sadie") Frances who was born November of 1884
at Brownwood, Texas.
In January 1887, Anne Lovell was born (probably in Brownwood).
She later married Dr William Worthington Samuell who was considered
one of the country's foremost surgeons. The "Dallas Morning News"
of January 13, 1938 reported a park was to be "named for Dr. W.
W. Samuell as a fitting memorial to commemorate the gift of several
hundred thousand dollars worth of property to the city."
Tom built a home for his family at 1306 Cottage Street, Brownwood,
Texas about 1889 and about three years later daughter (Teresa)
was born. |
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Tom
Lovell became a U.S. citizen in 1891. When his wife Teresa died in
Denton
in 1895, Tom waited a year before marrying Mrs. Seddie N. Thurmond.
Mrs. Thurmond was born in Sedalia, Missouri and was named for that
town, although she was known as "Seddie" to family and friends.
Seddie had four children from a previous marriage; Prairie, Tom W.,
Fred and Mamie. Family lore states that Mamie married a Creek Indian
named Bunch (sic) Miller* who owned a
large ranch in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.
Children from Tom and Seddie's marriage were: John Jackson and Ellen.
|
| "John Jackson
and Ellen Lovell circa 1904. Figure at right is probably half-brother
Fred Thurmond. As Director, Public Relations, National Tuberculosis
Association, Ellen Lovell was presented to President Harry S Truman
on at least two occasions; Tuesday, November 15, 1949 at 3:30PM and
Thursday, November 16, 1950 at 12:15PM" -
Jim McCreadie |
After a lingering
illness of three months with a form of paralysis, Thomas passed away
on Friday, September 8, 1911 at his home on West Oak Street, Denton.
His obituary in the September 14, 1911 edition of the "Dallas Morning
News" described him as "one of Denton's prominent citizens,
being well known all over the state of Texas
as head of the firm Tom Lovell & Sons, Contractors and Builders."
Tom & Teresa Lovell are buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery of Denton,
Texas. |
Works of Thomas
Lovell:
(as compiled from
newspaper sources) |
County
Courthouses:
Denton
Hardeman
Brazoria
Hill
Runnels
Brown
Childress
Hamilton
Coryell
McLennan
Brewster
Post Offices:
Leadville, Colorado
Enid, Oklahoma,
San Antonio, Utah
Ogden, Utah and
Provo, Utah
Federal Buildings:
Lander, Wyoming and
Port Arthur,
Texas
County Jails:
Williamson
County
Hill County
Morris County and
Glasscock County
State Capitol
Phoenix, Arizona
Also St John's Episcopal Church and the family home at 1306 Cottage
Street, Brownwood |
Forum
*The ”Bunch” (sic) Miller noted in this
story is Bluford West Miller. He was the son of Bluford Miller, a
Cherokee rancher in the Creek Nation, and Lizzie Anderson, a Creek
(Muskogee) tribal member. His ranch, the IX, was founded by his grandfather
Rider Fields after the removal of the 5 Civilized Tribes to Indian
Territory, and is located south of Tulsa,
in present-day Okmulgee County, OK. It is still active today and run
by his descendents... - Regards, Steven Miller, Austin, April 12,
2008 |
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