Early Life and Education

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James Madison Love was born on March 4, 1820, in Fairfax County, Virginia. He was the son of John S. and Mary Vermillion Love. His early education took place in Virginia until the age of thirteen, after which he moved with his mother and siblings to Ohio. There, Love engaged in civil engineering for four years before entering the law office of Judge Richard Stillwell in Zanesville, Ohio, to study law. He completed his legal studies and was admitted to the bar in 1840.

 

Military Service

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In 1846, Love raised a company for the Mexican War and served

as the captain of the 3rd Ohio Regiment under Colonel Samuel R. Curtis. His two-year service in the Mexican-American War was significant not only for his leadership but also because he contracted a disease during this time that would affect his health for the rest of his life.

 

Legal and Judicial Career

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After his military service, Love resumed his legal practice in Coshocton County, Ohio. In 1850, he moved to Keokuk, Iowa, seeking broader opportunities. His arrival marked the beginning of a significant impact on the community through his legal practice and later his judicial service. In 1853, he was elected to the Iowa State Senate, where he served until 1856. That year, he was appointed by President Franklin Pierce as a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Iowa, a position he held until 1882 when the district was divided, and he was reassigned to the Southern District of Iowa.

 

Throughout his over thirty-five years on the bench, Love was noted for his judicial competence; only two of his decisions were ever reversed by a higher court. He also held the position of professor and later chancellor of the law department at Iowa State University, contributing significantly to legal education in the state.

 

Contributions to Literature and Science

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Judge Love was not only a legal figure but also a respected Shakespearean scholar. His contributions to literature and science extended to writing for high-class current magazines, establishing him as an intellectual authority beyond the courtroom.

 

Personal Life and Legacy

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Judge Love was married twice. His first wife, Mary Thomasson, bore him four children: William, George, Mary, and Henry. After her death in 1861, he married Mary Milburn, with whom he had three more children: Elizabeth, Sidney, and James. He passed away on July 2, 1891, at his residence in Keokuk, Iowa, from complications of liver and stomach issues.

 

In his death, the community of Keokuk and the nation mourned the loss of a "kind and loving husband and father," a conscientious, straightforward, and honorable man, and a just judge whose life and work left a lasting imprint on his city and the legal profession.

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Sources

- Federal Judicial Center Biography: [Judge James M. Love](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384041)

- Daily Gate City Article, "JUDGE LOVE DEAD." July 3, 1891

- Wikipedia Article on James Madison Love