Individual Details

From Rena Lynn Moore's articles-
"George was only five when his family came to California in 1875. George worked with his brother Lori in the mills and in the woods falling trees while his father was head sawyer at DeHaven. When his family moved to the Fox Creek/Eel River homestead, George took over the freight wagon and team from middle brother Charles, hauling the shakes, fence posts and splits they were producing with Cole over to Round Valley. George was also the blacksmith for the family, doing all the necessary work, horseshoeing and machinery repairs.
In 1891 George laid claim to the 160 acres adjoining his parent's property. During this time the Lovejoys and Lockharts became regular visitors in one another's homes, and the two pretty Lockhart daughters, Annie and Lou, had caught the eye of the Lovejoy brothers. In 1894, two years after Lori married Lou, 24 year old George married 18 year old Annie Lockhart. They, as had Lori and Lou, moved into the family complex at the foot of Fox Creek.
Immediately after they were married, George went to work improving his own homestead adjoining his father's and brother's land. First, the road was extended back to his place, which was about one mile down the South Fork of the Eel. Next, following the usual pattern of early homesteads, a barn was built for the stock and only then was the small two room cabin built.
By the time the cabin was underway, Annie was expecting their first child, but she pitched in to help with laying out the garden and planting fruit tees and flowers. When the baby was due George took Annie to Usal, where Annie's parents had moved. Annie stayed there until after the baby's birth, with Dr. Oscar Sherwood in attendance. The baby, a girl, was named Harriet after George's mother. She would always be known as Hattie. When the baby was six months old, George moved his family into their new home.
Since it was located near the bend in the South Fork commonly referred to as Horseshoe Bend, that was the name by which George and Annie referred to their home and it was by that name it was always known and indicated on the early maps of the area. Young (Cousin) Fred Warren moved from the other Lovejoy home in with Annie and George. He was a great help to George in the work of continuing the building of pens and fences, plowing the big pasture in front of the cabin and planting it to corn and grain. Along with the work of cutting shakes, ties, and stakes, the Lovejoys also trapped and sold furs to the ready market for skins back East.
In 1899 Annie's second child and only son, Bob was born. Shortly after his birth, an accidental meeting with a man named P.J. Tormey caused the decision to build a large house which is today known as The White House, but which the Lovejoys always called "Horseshoe Bend Lodge". Tormey, founding president of the Owl Drug Stores, was on a camping and fishing trip with a friend. An early winter storm forced the men to go for help. At daybreak they came to Horseshoe Bend. The two cold, soaking wet men were welcomed into the warm Lovejoy kitchen and Annie set about cooking one of her huge country breakfasts for them while George entertained them with tall tales. The soft spoken, twinkle-eyed woodsman and the wealthy businessman from the Bay Area apparently struck it off immediately and Tormey asked if he could come back and bring his young son.
That was the beginning of a long friendship and a steady stream of visitors who came to hike, hunt, fish, explore or just camp out along the edge of the river on the Lovejoy property. George put up some small cabins and tents with wooden floors across the river, and many guests brought their own tents or cots to set up out under the stars. Tormey kept telling the Lovejoys they should build a lodge and make a full time career out of taking in guests, so plans began to take shape for Horseshoe Bend Lodge.
During the time his brother Lori lived in the Sherwood area to work at the new mill in Willits, George started driving his buggy or wagon down to the Sherwood Inn to pick up guests coming up from the Bay Area by train to Ukiah, and from there by stage coach. The rail line to Willits would not be completed until 1902 and to Sherwood in 1904. Hattie Lovejoy remembers riding with her father to Sherwood Inn, always an exciting event as the trip took several hours each way and the road went over some particularly precipitous terrain, especially over Strong Mountain. It was uphill on the return trip so the trip home took a full day. The horses used to get so tired pulling the loaded buggy or wagon up Strong Mountain that Hattie says she has seen them just lie down in the road, unable to go any further.
The Inn was run by Edith Lloyd at the time, the lady who would later become Edith Murphy. The Lloyds had a daughter named Margaret, the same age as Hattie, and Hattie remembers their standing in front of the Inn watching the stage as it approached in great clouds of dust, the horses straining to reach the end of the run and food and water. There would be a basin of fresh water set out on a bench on the back porch where the dusty travelers would wash up, using a towel on a roller nailed to the wall. Everyone went to bed early, getting up at daylight for breakfast before starting out on the long trip back to Horseshoe bend.
As business picked up, and more and more guests began coming in from all over the State, Lori Lovejoy decided he was overlooking a good bet himself and gave up his logging job to return to Wilderness Lodge and begin his own building program to prepare for paid guests. One small ad was placed in a family type magazine of the day, the name of which no one now recalls, and that one ad brought such a response that from then on both Lovejoy families had a full house of visitors during the summer months, and a few regulars like the Tormey family who came up during the winter when the pace of life slowed and long hours of companionship could be spent outdoors on the snow, or indoors around the fire and a table laden with good food.
Although the big house at Horseshoe Bend (Hattie says that none of the family ever called it a "Lodge") was not actually completed until the fall of 1905, the housewarming party to celebrate its construction was held in the late summer of 1904. The party was held in the upstairs section of the house, where the five bedrooms had not yet been walled in, but the floor had been laid and the staircase put in. Downstairs there was a big parlor, a dining room and two bedrooms. The original cabin, which was 24 feet long, was left where it was with a connecting wall to the big house so it could be used for the kitchen. At the back door there was a wooden platform surrounding an apple tree and adjoining a one and a half story structure that served as a woodshed and laundry room downstairs, with a storage loft above. On the wooden deck there was a long sink with water piped in from the springs. Steps from the outside went down to the root cellar under the old house, and it was there that the family kept perishables like butter, milk and cheese. In the kitchen there was a long table which could seat 30 people, but on the day of the housewarming, additional tables were set up there and in the dining room."

George was an accomplished blacksmith for the Lovejoys and their neighbors.
Between 1907 and 1911 he was ill with kidney infection.
Sold Horseshoe Bend to Sinclair in 1917. Leased ranch where Hattie worked to run cattle and sheep. Moved to Covelo and worked for Muir Co. store. When his wife Anna died he moved in with Hattie and her husband Bill Clarke. He lived with them until his death in 1962 at the age of 92.

Herman Miller's oral history mentions "They (Lovejoy's) owned places below, down on the river below Branscomb. Larry Lovejoy and his family and George Lovejoy and his family, they lived at a place called Horseshoe Bend. They made their living by taking in tourists in the summertime. They used to haul'em from Sherwood Valley, the train, from there down to their places. With horses and wagon. Well, people from San Francisco they used to -- guys used to come up, go on hunting trips, just like they do now."

Also Mark Walker remembers that "... at Elder Creek they (school teachers) always boarded at Lovejoy's. The teachers over at Elder Creek had to walk a mile an half to home and back every day."

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) Fri, Mar 4, 1904, Page 5
Quite a number from Branscomb and Cummings were here this week proving up on land. Among them were J. P. Lilley, Arthur L. Tracy, Wm. R. Walker, F M. Mitchell, Geo. Lovejoy, L. H. Lovejoy, George E. Lovejoy, Mrs. F. V. McCabe and Mrs. Mary Cummings.

The Fort Bragg Advocate (Fort Bragg, California) Wed, Feb 28, 1906, Page 4
The Lovejoys; George E. Lovejoy, Laureston Lovejoy, and Mrs. Lou Lovejoy, all of Branscomb, California, were named as witnesses to the land claim filed by settler Helen V. Wheeler to prove his continuous residence upon and cultivation of said land, on Feb 3, 1906. William Quinton names as witnesses B. F. Lockhart, George Lovejoy of Branscomb, Calif. etc. for his land claim.

A celebrated bear, old Twotoes, so-called from having lost part of his foot in a trap, was killed by G. E. Lovejoy and E. G. Bigelow, September 30, 1907. He measured six feet in length, and his spread of forelegs was even greater. Such a bear works havoc with stock. Sheep will return to their sleeping place though routed out night after night by bear (Carpenter 101).

Ukiah Daily Journal (Ukiah, California) Fri, Jun 12, 1908, Page 5
George E. Lovejoy, of Jackson Valley, was in town a few days this week while on his way home from San Francisco where he was called as a witness in a land case. Mr. Lovejoy has an ideal summer resort down Eel river from Branscomb and has a large crowd of tourists each season. The fishing and hunting can not be excelled in the county. This office acknowledges a pleasant call.

"...of Branscomb was in Ukiah Tuesday." UT 5:3 30 July 1912

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) Fri, Aug 2, 1912, Page 5
George Lovejoy and W. W. Brown, sterling citizens of the Jackson Valley section, were down from their home this week as witness for G. W. Stearns, who was making final proof on a homestead. Mr. Lovejoy is proprietor of a resort on the south fork of Eel river that is famous among hunters and fishermen as a sure place to get game. He reports plenty of deer in that section this year.

Ukiah Daily Journal (Ukiah, California) Fri, Jul 3, 1914, Page 1
Geo. Lovejoy and son, of Branscomb, are in town this morning enroute home after a trip to San Francisco on business. Mr. Lovejoy is bringing up a new Ford car.

Ukiah Daily Journal (Ukiah, California) Fri, Jul 23, 1915, Page 5
Geo. Lovejoy came down from his place near Jackson valley the first of the week on business at the court house. Mr. Lovejoy conducts a summer resort famed among sportsmen and always has a house full of those who love the wild.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) Fri, Jun 30, 1916, Page 5
George Lovejoy and son were down from Lovejoy's resort near Jackson valley last Tuesday on a short businsess visit. They made the round trip in one day in Mr. Lovejoy's car. Mr. Lovejoy has one of the most popular summer resorts in the northern part of the county.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) Fri, Jan 14, 1919, Page 6
DEEDS --- William J. Kiefer to George E. Lovejoy, dated Dec. 2, 1915. S ½ of SW ¼ of Sec. 27 and E ½ of SE ¼ Sec. 28, T 22 N, R 16 W. M. D.
Mae Kiefer to George E. Lovejoy, dated Dec. 2, 1916. N ½ of NW ¼ and west NE ¼ Sec. 34, T 22 N, R 16 W, M. D. M.
George E. Lovejoy to Annie L. Lovejoy, dated Jan. 6, 1916. N ½ of NW ¼ Sec. 21; S ½ of SW ¼ Sec. 27; E ½ of SE ¼ Sec. 28; N ½ of NW ¼ and W ½ of NE ¼ Sec. 34; all in T 22 N, R. 16 W, M. D. M., containing 400 acres.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) Fri, Sep 7, 1917, Page 5
Geo. E. Lovejoy, who conducts a summer resort near Jackson valley, came down to Ukiah yesterday on business of a legal nature. He was accompanied by R. H. Rathbun, of the U. S. naval service, who has been spending a vacation at the Lovejoy place.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) 1917-09-07
LIST OF NEW CASES FILED THIS WEEK IN LOCAL COURT
Through Robert Duncan Geo. E. Lovejoy has filed a complaint against W. J. Keifer. Lovejoy alleges that the defendant has place a gate across the road into Lovejoy's property, which road has been a public thoroughfare for the past twenty years. A restraining injunction has been issued to prevent Keifer's maintaining the gate until the case has been settled. Lovejoy asks for costs. etc., and $500 damages. Keifer is the individual who recently broke into print quite voluminously on account of alleged refusal of local officials to protect him from the attacks of his neighbors, whom he alleged were trying to murder him. Sheriff Byrnes spent some time investigating the case but could find nothing on which to proceed against Keifer's enemies. Evidently, to judge from the complaint filed by Lovejoy, there are two sides to the row.

The Fort Bragg Advocate (Fort Bragg, California) Wed, Sep 12, 1917, Page 1
CHARGED WITH BLOCKING ROAD
As the outcome of rumored trouble in Northeastern Mendocino County, Geo. E. Lovejoy has filed a complaint against W. J. Keifer. Lovejoy alleges that the defendant has place a gate across the road into Lovejoy's property, which road has been a public thoroughfare for the past 20 years. A restraining injunction has been issued to prevent Keifer's maintaining the gate until the case had been settled. Lovejoy asks for costs, etc., and $500 damages.

The Mendocino Beacon (Mendocino, California) Sat, Sep 15, 1917, Page 8
The Jackson Valley Trouble.
As an aftermath of the Jackson Valley "feud" in which W. J. Keifer sought protection from neighbors whom he accused of plotting to drive him from the community or of doing away with him, a civil action was filed in the Superiour court this week by G. E. Lovejoy against Keifer. Lovejoy conducts a summer resort on the Eel River, which is reached by a seven-mile road leading from the Branscomb-Westport county road. According to the complaint, Keifer has placed a gate across the road, which goes through his property, and has threatened to lock the gate. Lovejoy says that he and his brother built the road almost a quarter of a century ago and says that to blockade it would ruin his business and cause him great financial loss. Judge White has signed a temporary restraining order preventing Keifer from blocking the thoroughfare pending the trial of the case. Aside from a permanent restraining order, Lovejoy asks for $500 damages.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) Fri, Dec 21, 1917 Page 1
The case of Geo. E. Lovejoy vs. W. J. Keiffer came up in the superior court yesterday before Judge White. Keiffer failed to put in an appearance and his attorney asked that the matter be put off for a few days, as his client was ready to yield the point involved. The case arouse over the attempt of Keiffer to prevent Lovejoy and others from using a road through Keiffer's land. Lovejoy and the other settlers maintained that the road was a public highway, having been used for a great many years, and obtained a restraining injunction to force Keiffer to remove the obstruction he had placed across it. The injunction will be made permanent and the road will be open to traffic from now on. Lovejoy and the others have consented to a slight change in the roadway near Keiffer's barn.

The Fort Bragg Advocate (Fort Bragg, California) Wed, Jan 30, 1918, Page 3
G. E. Lovejoy et ux [and wife] to J. A. Sinclair, dated Jan. 16, 1918 - N ½ of NW ¼ of Sec. 21, T. 22 N., R. 16 W., M. D. M., and right of way described in deed recorded Jan. 17, 1918, in Book 118 of Deeds, page 391.
Ruth Q. Marks to Annie L. Lovejoy, dated Oct 30, 1917 - Right of way over lands in SW ¼ of SW ¼ of Sec. 16, T. 22 N., R. 16 W., M. D. M.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat 15 Oct 1920, Fri · Page 2
..... and George Lovejoy, who has recently bought the Deal place will move in there.

Ukiah Republican Press (Ukiah, California) Wed, Mar 22, 1922, Page 8
COVELO TALES OF THE WEEK RELATED
Covelo, March 21 - ............
Clarence O'Farrell moved into the home he recently purchased from Will Clark Saturday. Mr. Clark move into George Lovejoy's home and Mr. Lovejoy moved into Robert Lovejoy's residence.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) Fri, Oct 15, 1926, Page 5
Mr. and Mrs. George E. Lovejoy, prominent residents of Covelo, motored down to Ukiah on business yesterday. Mr. Lovejoy reports Round valley prosperous and progressing steadily. The installation of a new electric light plant and distributing system there and the building of the new road to the Sacramento valley are among the outstanding features of progrss of recent months.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat (Ukiah, California) Fri, Nov 19, 1926, Page 5
Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Lovejoy have been enjoying a visit from Mr. Lovejoy's nephew, Charles Lovejoy, of Baker City, Ore. He started on the return trip Monday, motoring through.

Ukiah Dispatch Democrat, 19 Nov 1927, Sat · Page 7
Mr. and Mrs. George Lovejoy returned Thursday from San Francisco where they had spent several days.

Ukiah Republican Press (Ukiah, California) Wed, Sep 24, 1930, Page 6
Mrs. L. E. Toney made a trip to Lake county lately preparatory to moving into the Lovejoy house, which she recently purchased.

The Mendocino Beacon (Mendocino, California) Sat, Dec. 20, 1930, Page 2
December 2, 1930
DEEDS:
G E Lovejoy to Mrs. L.A. Toney dated November 29, 1930. Property in village of Covelo.
Round Valley Commercial Co to G E Lovejoy dated November 25, 1930. Property in Covelo.

The Mendocino Beacon (Mendocino, California) Sat, Dec. 3, 1932, Page 6
JACKSON VALLEY JOTTINGS
BRANSCOMB, Nov. 26.-- Geo. E. Lovejoy of Covelo, who owns considerable property up Elder Creek, was a visitor to Jackson Valley on the 20th to 22nd, stopping at the Branscomb hotel. Mr. Lovejoy was here in relation to the private fish hatchery which will most probably be located on his land.

Ukiah Republican Press, 05 Oct 1938, Wed · Page 8
Leaving for Point Arena, Geo. Lovejoy will join his old friend, Fred Warren, and the party will hunt muletails in Modoc.

Ukiah Republican Press (Ukiah, California) Wed, Nov 7, 1945, Page 6
Clough has been visiting her parents and brother, the William Clarkes, the past month. Great grandfather George Lovejoy accompanied her for a two weeks' visit at her home and on his return will visit his son and family, the Bob Lovejoys, in Santa Rosa.

Ukiah Republican Press (Ukiah, California) Wed, Mar 2, 1949, Page 14
Mr. George Lovejoy returned from Lakeside hospital with Dr. Barr who made his last trip into the valley, last week. Mr. Lovejoy is much improved in health.

• 

Birth	1 Sep 1870	Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, United States
Marriage	31 Oct 1894	Elder Creek, Mendocino, California, United States - Anna Laurie Lockhart
Census (family)	Jun 1900	Long Valley Township, Mendocino, California, United States - Anna Laurie Lockhart
Voter Registration	1901	Jackson Precinct, Mendocino, California, United States
Property	31 Dec 1904	Mendocino, California, United States
Census (family)	20 Apr 1910	Long Valley Township, Mendocino, California, United States - Anna Laurie Lockhart
Census (family)	14 Feb 1920	Precinct 2, Round Valley Township, Mendocino, California, United States - Anna Laurie Lockhart
Census	8 Apr 1930	Round Valley Indian Reservation, Covelo, Mendocino, California, United States
Census	May 1940	Covelo, Mendocino, California, United States
Census	1950	Round Valley Judicial Township, Mendocino, California, United States
Death	14 Jun 1962	Covelo, Mendocino, California, United States
Burial		Valley View Cemetery, Covelo, Mendocino, California, United States

Spouse	Anna Laurie Lockhart (1875 - 1929)
Child	Harriett "Hattie" May Lovejoy (1895 - 1996)
Child	Robert Tormey "Bob" Lovejoy (1899 - 1976)

Father	Abial Lovejoy (1826 - 1904)
Mother	Harriet Watson Warren (1837 - 1907)
Sibling	William Norton Lovejoy (1859 - 1862)
Sibling	Loriston Hale Lovejoy (1863 - 1958)
Sibling	Charles Warren Lovejoy (1865 - 1929)

Notes