James Hankins first arrived on land purchased in Section 11, Wheatland Township in 1840, according to Fayette County Land records with his wife Rebecca (Fulton) Hankins. (3)

Shortly after James Hankins arrived on the land, his infant daughter Sarah Hankins died, and was buried in Row 8 #3 in September of 1841, on land adjoining his property in section 14 that would become known at a later date as the Lovett Cemetery. James Hankins died in 1846 and was buried in the family grave yard Row 8 #2 in April 1846. (4)

In 1835 or 1836, Henry moved his wife Elizabeth and their family from Allegany County, Maryland to Noble County, Ohio where Henry's brother, Jonas, had also moved. In 1850, at the time that he joined his brothers and sisters in selling their inherited Maryland land, Henry lived in Marion County, Ohio, not far from Noble. In the same year or close to it, he moved to Fayette County, Illinois where he purchased 320 acres of land in Sections 13 and 14 of Wheatland Township, perhaps with money in part or in whole that he had received from the sale of his inheritance. Henry purchased one hundred and sixty acres of this land from William Supp, who had received the land in return for his service in Captain Well's Company of the Infantry, probably during the Mexican War.

This deed for the land in Sections 13 & 14 reads:
Know ye: That in pursuance of an Act of Congress, entitled "An Act to raise for a limited time an additional military force, and for other purposes," approved February 11th, 1847, William Supp late a private in Captain Wells' Company twelfth Regiment United States Infantry having deposition in the General Land Office a Warrant in his favor, numbered 38428. There is therefore granted by the United States onto Henry J. Lovett assignee of said William Supp and to his heirs, the North half of the North West quarter and the West half of the North East quarter of Section fourteen in Township Six North of Range three East in the District of Lands subject to (?) At Vandalia Illinois containing one hundred and sixty acres according to the Official Plat of the Survey of said Land returned to the General Land Office, by the Surveyor General, which said tracts have been location in satisfaction of the above mentioned Warrant, in pursuance of the act of Congress above mentioned, approved February 11th, 1847. To Have and To Hold the said tracts of land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Henry J. Lovett and to his heirs and assigns forever. In Testimony Whereof, I, Millard Fillmore President of the United States of America, have caused these Letters to be made Patent and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand at the City of Washington, the first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty one and of the Independence of the United States the seventy-fifth. By the President: Millard Fillmore Alex. W. Cormick, Jr., Sec'y by E. J. (?)" Recorder of the General Land Office. (2)


The land for this cemetery was donated by Henry Jacobs Lovett, probably in 1856, when two of his children died. It is located in Section 14, Wheatland Township, Fayette County, Illinois. To reach the cemetery from Interstate 70, take the turn off for Saint Elmo and go south around 4 miles. When you come to a cross roads with a church on the west side and a sign for the Saint James Free Methodist Church on the east side, turn left and go to the village of Saint James. Go three-fourths of a mile east of Saint James to a cross road and turn left (north). Go approximately one mile to the first cross road, turn left, go ¼ mile off the main road and make a jog into the cemetery. This last road just leads to the cemetery (cemetery information and instructions copied from the Fayette County Facts last updated April 1978). Henry Jacobs Lovett and his wife, Elizabeth (Ayers) Lovett are both buried in the Lovett Cemetery along with members of their family. (1)

Rebecca (Fulton) Hankins who died in 1877 was buried in the cemetery next to her husband and daughter. The Fulton family continues to use the cemetery, with serval generations of Fulton's buried there. (4) (5)

Other families in the cemetery are the Fulton, Underwood, Miles, Cooper, Lash, Porter, Idleman, Fisher, Greider, Ragel, McEndollar, Rufty, Rush, Loveless, Lowry, Hankins, Walter, Oliver, Dunbar, McGraw, Welker, Godsey, Calvert, McDonald, Lock, Kepner, Mouser, Ernest, Smith and other families.

The cemetery was maintained by the County up to a few years ago. It has since been taken care of by members of the local Lovett ancestors, pending confirmation from the county to oversee it once again.
David Eugene Lovett
February 2, 2017
Edited March 13, 2017 sel
Sources
(1) Fayette County Facts
(2) Copy of the original land document.
(3) Land maps provided by Justin Pippin
(4) Family & cemetery records provided by Justin Pippin
(5) Lovett Cemetery records.