Samuel Love

War with Spain in 1898 was officially declared in April, an armistice was announced in August, and a peace treaty was signed in December. The role Samuel Love and other service members played was even shorter.

He received veterans’ benefits for active service from July 22-October 22. However, he had been a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard for some time before that, perhaps several years. He was just 15 months younger than his brother, James, who was the first to join the Guard in 1884, and he probably followed him shortly afterward. Documentation for Samuel’s service wasn’t as detailed as it was for James.

Although they were close, they also had two other brothers and two sisters. Their parents taught them the value of hard work, with the father a good role model for his sons in making a living by working with his hands. He was a carpenter and brickmaker most of his life, and those were Samuel’s occupations as well. The family lived mainly in the Mill Creek section of West Philadelphia.

Samuel was living at home when his father died in February, 1888. Six months later his wedding to Annie O’Hara took place in Camden, New Jersey, officiated by “the marrying parson,” Rev. William H. Burrell. He earned that title because, at that time, couples could get married in New Jersey without having to have a license, so thousands crossed the river to have him perform their ceremony. (Rev. Burrell was also buried at Mount Moriah, and his “Notable” life story can be found here.)

Samuel held various jobs in the 1890s while fulfilling his duties in the Guard. During exercises in 1897 1st Sergeant James Love and Commissary Sergeant Samuel Love won marksmanship awards. He later became Quartermaster Sergeant, overseeing both the provisions and the equipment, tool, uniforms, and ordnance.

After declaring war, President William McKinley called for 125,000 volunteers, which was the largest call to arms since 1861. Four days later, Pennsylvania Governor Daniel Hastings mobilized the National Guard but, because the conflict was outside the state’s borders, he could only ask for volunteers. The state’s quota was to assemble 10,800 men for war service, and between May 6 and July 22, 1898, 12,000 men were mustered into federal service. 

The Love brothers were both in the 3rd Regiment; James was in Company A and Samuel in Company I. Their unit, like most of the others, spent their time in routine training for about a month, either in Virginia or Georgia. After the Armistice in August there was little to do until they were sent home in October. Two other regiments were sent to Puerto Rico and one actually saw combat on a 16-month tour in the Philippines.

How long Samuel remained with the Guard after his uneventful war service is unknown, but his brother continued to reenlist until 1915. Samuel was a laborer for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1900 and later was a shipyard laborer and brickmaker before dying of heart disease. The couple had no children, and Annie’s heart gave out five years after her husband. She was laid to rest beside him with no additional marker.