LOVELL, L. D.

LOVELL, GODFREY

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 1/18/2004 at 12:48:53

Biography reproduced from page 361 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

L. D. Lovell, deceased, was a man highly respected and greatly beloved by his friends and associates. He was born in Schoharie, New York, in 1835, and received his early education in the elementary schools of his native state. At an early period in his manhood he removed to Sodus, where he was married and maintained his residence for a number of years. In 1870 he came to Iowa and purchased a farm known as the G. J. Hoff place, on which he resided until the town of Luverne was founded, at which time he sold his farm and engaged in business in Luverne. He later established himself in the grocery business at Eagle Grove and there continued to live for a period of two years, after which he returned to Luverne and was at different times engaged in the grocery and general merchandise business. Subsequently he lived for one year on a farm near Renwick and in 1896-7 he was engaged in farming in Missouri, and then returned to Luverne. Ten years ago he suffered a slight stroke of paralysis from which he never fully recovered and during the immediate few years last past he suffered additional impairment of health from paralysis, which finally totally incapacitated him for business activities during the last two remaining years of his life, which closed January 17, 1912.

On July 3, 1856, Mr. Lovell was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Godfrey and to them four children were born: Elbert A.; Charley, who died in New York, at the age of three years; Clarence, who died in Eagle Grove, at the age of nine years; and Earl D.

Mr. Lovell was a loyal and highly esteemed member of the Presbyterian church and during life was distinguished among his acquaintances for being one of the most helpful and friendly of men, giving his assistance readily and without question to all whom he found in distress and in need of help. He was a loyal and loving husband and father and a man whose death was a severe blow to his immediate family and was also greatly deplored by the people of the community in which he lived. His funeral services were held from the Presbyterian church of Luverne, the officiating clergyman being Rev. Haskell at the church, the Rev. Guernsey performing the last burial rites at the grave. The high esteem in which Mr. Lovell was held by his friends and acquaintances was evidenced by the wreaths and floral offerings taken to the cemetery where his body was laid to rest beneath a profusion of flowers.