John Lovejoy
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REV. JOHN L. LOVEJOY AND WIFE
The Daily Courier-Gazette, Feb. 3, 1908 First merchant of McKinney. Came to Texas in 1835; lived in Lamar county about ten years, thence moved to Grayson county, living a few months at Wilson’s Old Mill on Sister Grove. In 1846 opened dry goods stock at Old Buckner; April 6, 1848 , moved his family and store to McKinney, buying and settling on the lot now known as the Foote House corner to which he moved his rude store building from Old Buckner; about 1856 he sold the first goods in Denton, later merchandised at Weatherford; with Rev. John W. McKinzey, he helped establish the first Methodist church in North Texas in the year 1838 at Clarksville, Red River county; was chaplain of both Houses of Texas Legislature, serving in that capacity before he was licensed to preach; was not regularly licensed to preach until he was 83 years old; was father of John L. Lovejoy, second county clerk of Collin county, and also of James H. Lovejoy, honored citizen of our city and president of the First National Bank of McKinney; died in Denton in 1885 at the ripe old age of eighty-five. JOHN L. LOVEJOY Research. McKinney Democrat: 10-9-84 p 3, col 6 3-12-85 p. 2, col 3 4-28-31 5-25-20 2-6-08 |
MRS. JOHN L. LOVEJOY
Biography. Faye Hodges tells about Mrs. Lovejoy: Mrs. John L. Lovejoy from whom this school was named was the greatest promoter of education and the greatest benefactor the children of Collin County ever had. Born to wealth, she dedicated her life for many years to making conditions better in the schools. Before Parent Teachers Association (PTA) was heard of, she went all over the county to little schools and organized Mother’s Clubs and helped them get better schools. Until her movement little first graders stayed at school until 4:00 o’clock along with the older ones and perhaps they were only called up for class twice a day. Besides this reform, she worked to get cafeterias so the little ones could have hot lunches. An older woman, from a little community down where Lake Lavon now is, told Mrs. Hodges about the school libraries Mrs. Lovejoy introduced to the schools in remote areas where there was no access to books. She said the children looked forward to the visits. She brought a huge crate filled with books, picked up the books she had previously left and carried them to other schools. This woman said that Mrs. Lovejoy literally opened up a new world for these little children with the books she brought. Not only was she interested in school children but the old microfilmed newspapers of 1914 and 1916 were filled with news of her campaign to plant beautiful trees, especially blooming trees. She worked with schools and any group willing to help make the county more beautiful. When the Great Depression of the 1930s struck, everyone was hit hard and the chances for an education for many children came to an abrupt halt. Mrs. Lovejoy opened her lovely old mansion to little country girls who had no chance of going to High School anywhere. Dozens of girls lived at her home from time to time and attended the McKinney High School. |
