More than Headstones Now

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Thomas A. and Quincy A. Shirley Lovelace

Joan, the distant cousin I met in Bells, TN recently connected me with another family member, Diane, who had some great family photos. In addition to many photos of Lovelace relatives that I will post later, she had photos of my third great grandparents. Until recently, they were just Thomas A. and Q. A. Lovelace and they were just two headstones I tripped over occasionally in the Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Haywood County, TN.

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Headstones of Thomas A. and Quincy A. Shirley Lovelace in
Zion Baptist Church Cemetery, Haywood County, TN

I had already done a little research a few months ago after figuring out they were my fourth great grandparents so I knew a little about them but being able to actually get some photos of them was way more than I expected and very much appreciated.

Thomas A. Lovelace was born in Iredell County, NC on October 1, 1812. Then at some point he moved to Haywood County TN and met and married Quincy Angeline Shirley. She was the daughter of Uriah and Unity Shirley who had lived in Haywood County for many years. According to the 1860 Federal Census Slave Schedule, T.A. Lovelace owned two slaves: a 14 year-old female and a 13 year-old male. In the census of 1860, Thomas was 47, his wife Quincy was 33 and they had two sons at home, Lynn who was five and Charles who was three. Charles Buchanan Lovelace would grow up to be the grandfather of my grandfather, Guy Lovelace. I can remember Charles being referred to by my grandfather as "Cha-lee B."

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l to r: Thomas A. Lovelace, Charles Buchanan Lovelace,
James Luther Lovelace and Guy Clinton Lovelace

Also living with the Thomas Lovelace family in 1860 was Williams C. Byrd who was 53. Thomas was a farmer and listed the value of his real estate as $3,400 and the value of his personal estate as $3,820. 

Quincy and Thomas lost three children in quick succession in the late 1860s. John Alford died at less than a year old in 1866, William Wilbert died in 1867 at around two months old and then an infant child died in 1868.

In the census of 1870, Thomas listed the value of his real estate and personal estate at $2,000 each. The Civil War had ended so any Thomas' slaves would have been freed and since he had a small number of children, he would have become dependent on sharecroppers to work a large farm.

Lynn was then 15, Charles 13 and they had added a brother, Thomas A. who was eight in 1870 so you can assume they spent their lives working on the farm.

Thomas A. Lovelace died at age 64 on October 22, 1876.

In the census of 1880, the "head of household" was Quincy who was 50. Her oldest son Lynn was 25 and still single as was Thomas who was then 18. Charles who was 23 in 1870 appears to have moved next door with his wife Nancy Jane Yelverton who was 19 and they had a daughter Addie who was one and a daughter whom they had not yet named. Her name would be Dora.

Quincy died on October 13, 1897 and was burried next to her husband and other family members in the Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Haywood County, TN.

Mrs. Quincy A. Lovelace Obituary

"The sad messenger, death, with its silent tread, has again invaded our community and taken from our midst a beloved sister, mother in Israel, in the person of Mrs. Quincy A. Lovelace, nee Shirley, who departed this life, February 8, 1898. Her funeral was preached by her pastor, Rev. C.J. Mauldin, to a large company of relatives and friends, on the morning of the 9th, and her remains were interred in the Old Zion Cemetery to await the resurrection morn.

Sister Lovelace was born and reared in Haywood County, Tennessee, which has been her home through life. In young womanhood, she was happily married to Thomas A. Lovelace, who with several children preceded her to the Glory Land. She believed in and enjoyed the old time religion. Though rather a timid woman, she rarely ever failed to stand up and declare herself a witness for Jesus, when an opportunity was offered.

On the 13th of October, 1897, she passed her sixty-ninth birthday. She leaves three sons with their family, two brothers and hosts of friends to mourn her loss, but we sorrow not as those who have no hope. Her tears of joy and frequent shouts of victory, together with her true Christian character lure us onward towards the home of the true and faithful."

For more about this family, visit The Lovelace page on HaywoodCountyLine.com.