Extracted from the 1895 Genealogy of the Loveland Family, Vol. II, pages 13-15
July 2019
"Our family with two others, Smith and Kimberly, came from England. Loveland died on the passage. Kimberly, Smith and the Widow Loveland and her three sons came to America. They together bought a tract of land of an Indian chief, the tribe assenting. When the land was surveyed some lay in what is now called Glastonbury, and some in Wethersfield, Connecticut. The Widow Loveland's land lay on each side of the Connecticut River. One of Mrs. Loveland's sons settled in Wethersfield, the other in Glastonbury. The third son was drowned in the Connecticut River when passing from one side to the other. He died unmarried. Sowheag was the name of the great Sachem whose dominion extended over all the Indians of Middletown, Chatham, and over the Pyquag or Wethersfield Indians, whose Sachem's name was Sequin. Tradition further says, that the land bought by the Widow Loveland, Smith and Kimberly, was bought of Sequin, that the deed was not recorded, that Loveland paid Smith and Kimberly's passage from England for their services on the passage and for a stated time thereafter, that Loveland was supercargo, that our ancestors on the Loveland side are of English extraction, but on the mother's side Scotch or Welsh, that Elisha is a family name, that it was the name of the one who died on the passage and the name of the one drowned in the Connecticut River." -- L. H. LOVELAND
The above are the essential parts of the traditions of the origin of the Lovelands in this country as given us by L. H. Loveland in his lifetime. He died at the age of 93. He was a man of remarkable memory which he inherited from his father who was born in Glastonbury. These two men undoubtedly have often heard the above traditions repeated by Lovelands in Connecticut who knew Thomas Loveland, our great ancestor, and who were familiar with his whole history. We think the traditions reliable. Indeed, the greater part of them are corroborated by history and public recors. The first purchases of the Indians by the town was made about 1636. The Indians gave no deed for this purchase, nor for the individual grants. The titles were confirmed by Court in 1665.
We have other traditions bearing on the above. Mr. Paxton, of Loveland, Ohio, whose wife is a descendant of the same branch as L. H. L., says: "The original stock in this country came from Scotland, three brothers coming at the same time." [This undoubtedly refers to the mother's side. -- J. B. L.]
I. A. Loveland, of Gilsum, N. H., same branch, says: "The descendants of Israel 4 Loveland, who married his Cousin, Dinah 4 Loveland, have the tradition that the father of Israel was one of the three brothers who emigrated to Connecticut, two of whom were soon after accidentally drowned." [This tradition does not go back so far as L. H. L's.]
W. B. Loveland, descendant of Benjamin 3, same branch: "It has always been told me that we descend from one of two brothers who came to this country many years ago from England, and shortly after landing they separated and never saw each other afterward." [This would seem to indicate that one followed the sea and points strongly to Robert Loveland, who died in New London in 1668. -- J. B. L.]
Timothy V. Loveland, of the second branch, a descendant of Lot 3: "There were three brothers came to this county, and one of them died unmarried. My grandfather was one of them. He settled in Glastonbury." [The sequel shows that this does not go back so far as L. H. L.] Another descendant of Lot 3: "Elijah and his brother removed from Connecticut to Chatham, Mass."
S. H. Loveland, another descendant of Benjamin 3: "In 1872, while visiting in the New England States, I met Russell Loveland who made out that he was second cousin to my father. He was a man 93 years old. He told me the Lovelands originated from three brothers who came from England at an early day. One died a bachelor. The others, David 4 and Waite 4, had families." [Russell is a descendant of the first branch. He does not go back far enough.]
T. B. Loveland, a descendant of John 3: "My recollection is that my father told me that our great ancestor, Joseph Loveland, came to America about 1664 as supercargo, and I think he said was of Scotch descent." [Not far enough, but points strongly to Robert of New London.]
George Loveland, brother of above: "You see, my brother has the name Joseph instead of Robert. The fact that our branch held that we descended from the supercargo is the material fact. Scotch-Irish descent is my recollection, and it is consistent with the idea that the Lovelands were from Norfolk, England. At one time in English history there was quite an emigration from England to the north of Ireland under a promise of land to settlers. I have a theory in regard to the origin of the Loveland family in England, their Saxon origin and their settlement in England prior to the Norman conquest."
John 5 Loveland, uncle of the above: "I recollect hearing my father say that our great ancestor came over supercargo from England and had three sons, one of whom was drowned shortly after coming over. I think he said we were Scotch at that time on the mother's side." [This John Loveland died in 1890, aged 92 years, and the writer, his son, has frequently heard him give the above tradition. He never gave the name of the supercargo or the names of his sons. -- J. B. L.]
F. Q. Loveland, Grand Isle, Vermont: "My father says that he has heard his father say that Ziba and Hannibal Loveland, two brothers, came across the great waters from England to Connecticut." [Not far enough.]
The above are the most important of the traditions bearing on the origin of the Loveland family in this country. -- J. B. L.