John Leslie Love


1906-1907 Lamar County Directory
John Love
Hostler, Texas and Midland Railroad (A Hostler is an Engineer in the Yard) resides at 1017 Bonham St, Paris, TX

1910 Sebastian County, Arkansas, Ward 1, ED148, Fort Smith, Sh. 19
Van Buren Road
91/96
John Love age 32 marriage 1 for 9 years ARK GA US Car Inspector for Railroad
Ida Love wife age 26, 6 children born 4 living TX MO MO
Leslie Love son age 8 TX ARK TX
Clyde Love son age 5 ARK ARK TX
Thurman Love son age 3 ARK ARK TX

1920 Lamar County, Tx Census Vol 111, ED 88, Sheet 15, Line 56, JP1
Jan 28, 1910
313 S. 20th Street
325/347
John Love age 42 Arkansas Widowed Laborer Railroad
Leslie age 19 TX Single Laborer Railroad
Clyde age 15 TX
Thurman age 13 TX
Mildred age 11 TX

Interment Record for John Love from the Lamar County Texas Death and Cemetery Records
Name: John Love
Born:
Died: 28 Feb 1955
Buried: Evergreen
Location: J-09SE-04
Notes: Death date is the date of interment. *In 1993 this was an unmarked grave.

Was shot to death by Ruffie L. Harvey in front of the American National Bank on the town square in Paris, Texas. Ruff Harvey was arrested and later posted $2000.00 bail.  Leslie Love was having an affair with Ruffies wife, Lucy. Ruffie's brothers bailed him out of jail. He was not convicted for this crime. The Judge threw it out.

Interment Record for J. Leslie Love
Name: J. Leslie Love
Born: 14 Dec 1901
Died: 10 Dec 1927
Buried: Evergreen
Location: SPC-06-06
Notes: No other information is known.

1910 Lamar County, Texas census ED 90 Sh. 253, Vol. 91
Ruffie L. Harvey age 27 Farmer  Tx Tx Tx
Living with Mark V. King as a boarder.

1920 Paris, Lamar County, Tx Census
Vol 112, ED 122, Sheet 11, Line 27
Harvey, Ruffie L. age 38 Farmer Owns Home TX TN MS
Lucy wife age 27 TX
Francis dau. age 10 TX

Interment Record for Ruffie L. Harvey
Name: Ruffie L. Harvey
Born: 4 Sep 1881
Died: 7 Jul 1953
Buried: Milton
Location: SOUTH
Notes: Buried next to John Arthur Harvey. Son of E. J. and Sallie Harvey.

Harvey Family
Elam Johnson Harvey had sons;
Ruffie L.
James Edgar
Thomas Andres
Robert Cleveland
Samuel Osborn
John Arthur
Oron Lee
and daughters;
Maggie
Lela

Elam Johnson Harvey had a brother named Wesley Bailey Harvey who married Sarah L. Babb.

1930 Lamar County, Texas census, Milton area, ED 138-36, JP7, Sheet 6B, 4.15.1930
135/138
Samo O. Harvey age 43 married at 20 owner TX TX TX Farmer (Ruffies brother)
Margaret Harvey wife age 44 married at 21 TX NC TX
Lois Harvey dau age 18 TX TX TX
Mary E. Harvey dau age 11
sheet 7B
156/160
Robert C. Harvey age 44 owner no radio married at 20 TX TX TX farmer (Ruffies brother)
Eva L. harvey wife age 43 married at 19 TX TX OK
Berschell Harvey son age 20
Fay nell harvey dau age 18
Talma Harvey dau age 16
Virginia Harvey dau age 14
Malcolm Harvey son age 12
Clyde Harvey son age 10
sheet 8A
O.L. Harvey age 33 married at 19 TX TX TX farmer (Ruffies brother)
Ethel Harvey wife age 30 married at 17 TX MO TX
J.C. Harvey son age 12
Kenneth Harvey age 10 son

1930 Lamar County, Texas census, Ward 3, Paris Town, ED 139-7, sheet 11B, JP 1
191 16th Street 267/279
Gorlan W. Harvey age 28 Renter $15.00, Married at 19, TX TX TX Laborer Crate Factory
Mrs. Benlah Harvey wife age 25 Married at 15, TX TX TX
Garland Harvey son age 7 TX TX TX
Robbie N. Harvey dau age 5 TX TX TX
John W. Harvey son age 2 TX TX TX
Thelma Harvey dau age 1 month TX TX TX
268/270
Tom Harvey age 52, Renter $14.00, married at 21 TX TN TX Laborer Public Works
Mrs Forrest Harvey wife age 48 married at 17 TX TX MO
Tommie Harvey dau age 17 TX TX TX Crate Maker Crate Factory
Mary E. Harvey dau age 13 TX TX TX
Natty Lu Harvey dau age 9 TX TX TX
Bobby Harvey dau age 8 TX TX TX

1930 Lamar County, Texas census, Paris Town, ED 139-5, Sheet 8B, JP 1
123 Parr Ave
204/228
Robert A. Harvey age 39 married at 20 Owner $5000, Radio TX TN TX Buyer Hardware
Edith L. Harvey wife age 40 married at 21 AK MS MS

1930 Lamar County, Texas census, Ward 2, Paris Town, ED 139-4, Sheet 9A, JP 1
360 Sperry Ave.
188/207
Hugh E. Harvey age 31, Owner $1900, married at 22 TX TX TX, Switchman S.J. Railroad
Alma Harvey wife age 25, married at 16, TX TX TX
Ruby L. Harvey dau age 5 TX TX TX
James L. Harvey son age 3 years 10 months TX TX TX
Mary R. Harvey dau age 2 years 2 months TX TX TX
J.E. Harvey father age 56 widow, TX TX TX Laborer Odd Jobs
next sheet, page 9B
306 Sherman Street
202/221
John Love age 48 married at 35 Owner $2000, GA GA GA Inspector Railway Cars (father of Leslie Love)
Lela Love wife age 32 married at 19, TX TN TN
Mildred Love dau age 21 TX GA TX Operator, Telephone Co.
Virginia Love dau age 13 TX GA TX

1930 Lamar County, Texas census, Paris Town, JP 1, ED 139-6, Sheet 5B
83 N. 20th St.
96/222
Andrew Hamblin age 67, Married at 26, Owner $2500 TX TN TN Farmer
Mollie Hamblin wife age 58 married at 17 TX AL AL
George Love son in law age 25 married at 21, TX TX TX Delivery Man Bakery
Kathryn Love dau age 21 Married at 17 US US US
Jerry Love grand dau age 2 years 1 month, TX US TX
M.L. Hill dau age 25 divorced TX TX TX

1930 Lamar County, Texas census, Paris Town, Ward 3, JP 1, ED 139-8, sheet 11A
29 N. 1st Street
242/261
Clide H. Love age 25 married at 23, Renter $20.00, Radio, AK AK US Bottler, Bottler Works (Leslie Loves brother)
Walta Love wife age 23 married at 21, TX TX VA Operator, Telephone Co.

The Paris News, Dec. 11, 1927
MAN DIES AFTER STREET SHOOTING
Leslie Love Succumbs At Hospital; Ruff Harvey Is Held In Jail
Leslie Love, Paris man, who was shot several times at 6: 30 o'clock Saturday evening near the American National Bank building on the eastside of the plaza, died at 10:30 o'clock at the Sanitarium of Paris.
Ruff Harvey, also of Paris, was arrested shortly after the shots were fired, by Constable Pick Anderson in connection with the affair. The shooting took place amid hundreds of holiday shoppers, who crowded the streets on their way home at supper hour. Love was wounded four times. Two bullets struck him in the head, one lodged in his left arm and another struck in the left armpit, it was understood. He was taken to the Sanitarium of Paris in an Emberson and Brown ambulance. Little hope was held out for his recovery from the first.
Assault with intent to murder charges were filed against Harvey last night prior to Loves death. He is being held in Lamar County jail.
Harvey made no statement to authorities concerning the affair. Harvey is a married man.

The Paris News, Dec. 13, 1927
MAKES BOND ON MURDER CHARGE
Ruff Harvey Waives Examining Trial and Bond is Set at Two Thousand
Ruff Harvey, charged with murder in connection with the killing of Leslie Love last Saturday night, waived examining trial Sunday before Justice of the Peace Charles Parrott. Harvey's bond was set at $2,000.00 and he was released from the Lamar County Jail on furnishing it. Love was fatally wounded Saturday night about 6:30 o'clock near American National Bank. He died at the Sanitarium of Paris several hours later from the effects of four bullet wounds.
Funeral services for Love were held Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the Manton-Fry funeral chapel, conducted by the Rev. W.C. Bennett, pastor of the Immanuel Baptist Church. Interment was at the Evergreen Cemetery.
Love, said to have been about 26 years old, is survived by his father, John L. Love, his step-mother, two brothers, one sister and a step-sister.

Dallas Morning News, Dec. 11, 1927
Shoppers Imperiled By Shooting in Paris
Special to the News
Paris, Texas, Dec. 10- Leslie Love of Paris is in a hospital with gunshot wounds expected to prove fatal and Ruffie Harvey is in the Lamar County jail charged with assault to murder following a shooting in the heart of the business district Saturday night. Love was wounded in the head and chest. The streets were crowded with Christmas shoppers at the time of the shooting. Harvey is married. No motive for the shooting was given and Harvey did not make a statement Saturday night.

Lamar County, Texas Death Certificate No. 41507
Paris, Texas      Sanitarium Of Paris Ward 2
J. Leslie Love
Born Dec. 14, 1901 Texas
Died Dec 10, 1927 Homicidal Gunshot Wounds 10:20 pm
Duration: 4 hours
Dr. L.P. McCuistion M.D.
Burial: Evergreen Cemetery
Manton-Fry Funeral Home
Date of Burial" Dec. 11, 1927
Father: John L. Love born in GA.
Mother: Ida Drake born in TX
Informant: John L. Love
Sex: Male, Race: White
Divorced
Occupation: Asst. Eng. (Assistant Engineer)


Ballad of Leslie Love written by David L. Stover 2001

Take a trip with me to Lamar County
Nineteen twenties, share cropper country
Leslie Love is strolling ol' Paris town
On the dawn of Christmas to shop around

Along comes Ruff with rage in his eye
Gun in hand, whistlen' Love must die
Down went Leslie on the sidewalk that day
Shots fired off going every which way

Two shots in the arm, two shots in the head
Poor young Leslie lay dead
The Holiday spirit and Christmas cheer
Imperiled the shoppers far and near

You must forgive ol' Leslie that lay
He paid for his sins that cold winter day
Too old to know, too young to die
The Paris News doesn't say why

The Harvey boys were quick with Ruffs bail
He was out before the door slammed on the cell
The good ole boy judge said no need for a trial
A mans gotta protect his good name once in a while

Submitted by David L. Stover


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