Joseph Allen Lovejoy

LOVEJOY, PALMER, MUNNS, ROSE, CLARK, PRATT

Posted By: Marlene Skalberg (email)
Date: 2/26/2012 at 18:07:32

NONAGENARIAN DEAD
Rev. Joseph Allen Lovejoy passes to His Reward Friday, May 9th
Rev. Joseph Allen Lovejoy died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James Munns in Corning, Friday, May 9, 1913, at the advanced age of 94 years, 1 months, and 11 days. The funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the M. E. Church, conducted by Rev. A. A. Walburn, assisted by Rev. C. G. Marshall, and interment was made in the Quincy Cemetery. The large auditorium of the church was crowded. Llewellyn Post, G.A.R. attended in a body to show their respect to one who had for years been an officer in the organization.
Father Lovejoy, as he was affectionately called in this community, was known to almost every person in Adams County. He had lived here for so many years, and was so active among our people as long as his health permitted, that he had a host of friends in very truth. No finer character ever graced our little community. His work was well done, his mission fulfilled, and he has gone to his reward after a life full of usefulness to his fellow creatures. The story of his life is given in the following obituary notice, which was read at the funeral.
Rev. J. A. Lovejoy was a descendant of John Lovejoy, one of three Lovejoy brothers, who came from England and settled at Andover, Massachusetts in 1644. He was born March 26, 1819, at Chatham, New York, The early part of his life was spent in the city of New York, but when he was 11 years of age, his father returned to Hudson, New York, where Joseph lived until he was about 20 years old, when he went to Parma, New York, and it was while there that he met Eliza Ann Palmer, to whom he was married August 2, 1840. They in 1842 moved to Greece, New York, where their first child, Frances Marion (Mrs. James Munns) was born. A year later he and his father took their families to Penfield, Lorain County, Ohio, where his father died the next year. It was while living in Penfield that Joseph was converted. About 1845 the family returned to New York City, where their young son, who was born in Ohio, died and where their daughter, now Mrs. J. B. Rose of Villisca, Iowa was born. Joseph had given his attention to the manufacture of hats and finally was placed in full charge of the hat manufacturer's located in Danbury, Connecticut and New York City, and about 1850 was taken in as one of the partners. In 1851 his third daughter, who was the late, Mrs. F. A. Clark, was born. He sold out his interest in April 1862 and moved his family to Wellington, Ohio. While living here, the civil war broke out, and Joseph enlisted as First Lieutenant of Co. H. of the 186th Ohio Volunteers, the company later becoming Co. C. from Ohio. The company was ordered to report at Nashville and the regiment was appointed military police and Lieutenant Lovejoy was detailed to act as assistant to the chief of military police and later was appointed Captain of Co C. 176th Ohio. He remained in service until they were mustered out in June 1865.
Upon the return from the war, he moved his family to Fayette, Iowa, where he lived for several years, but went to Belvedere, Illinois, to study for the ministry. His first appointment was Roscoe, Illinois, later he moved to Quincy, Iowa and while there, his wife died. He then sold his house in Quincy and lived there with his daughter, Mrs. James Munns, on what is known as the old "Munns Place." In 1871 he went to College Springs to preach and while there he met Martha Pratt, to whom he was married October 4, 1871. He moved to Hawleyville, Iowa and later was called to Brooks to preach, where he remained two years. He then moved to his farm near Quincy, Iowa, where he remained for three years. The presiding elder then sent him to Mormontown, Iowa, where he stayed a year and then preached on what was then called a "circuit," at Essex, Quincy, and Carbon, but finally remained at Quincy filling that appointment only. After living a year or so, he moved to Corning, where his second wife died and he has since made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Munns.
Rev. Lovejoy was the second pastor of the Corning M. E. church and since then he has always been a faithful attendant of that one church as after leaving the ministry he settled permanently in Corning. He also served his county as county recorder.
Adams County Free Press, May 14, 1913, page 2