Lovett, David

David Lovett (ca.1764  -  ca. January 1849) was a landowner and one of the founders of Lovettsville, Virginia, which was named after him.  His parents, Daniel and Sarah, were among the earliest Quakers in Loudoun County, settling in Union (renamed Unison). David Lovett owned property near Lovettsville and Short Hill, purchasing a portion of land from the Fairfax Shannondale Grant as well as purchasing some of the acreage owned by the Fairfax family that was sold at auction.  He built on the tracts left to him by his father, and bought, sold, and leased land to and from some of the preeminent Loudoun families, as well as others seeking land to farm.  The Mason family also had financial dealings with Lovett, securing a debt to him by offering fifteen enslaved people as collateral in 1825.

Lovett was a respected member of the community. He served as the executor of wills, was assigned as guardian of multiple children and served as an overseer of the poor for several terms. He had two brothers who were also active in Loudoun County, Daniel and Edmond.

Lovett apparently never married, but was survived by four, possibly five children: Amanda, Tazwell, Landon and Mortimer. In his will he named these fours as his legatees, describing them as being the youngest children of his late, longtime housekeeper, Susannah Lowe. However, in a codicil to his will, Lovett referred to these legatees as his children. All four had the surname Lovett, except for Howe, the fifth possible child. Lovett was also listed as the father of a male child, born to Deborah Chase out of wedlock, in 1805.

By Kristin Jacobsen