DOB:  December 25?, 1799 DOD:  February 25, 1879 Age at Enlistment: 61 Date of Enlistment:  May 9, 1861 Place of Enlistment:  Shelbyville, TN Rank at Enlistment:  Private Rank at Discharge: 1st Lieutenant Casualty:  A bullet grazed his nose nearly taking out his eyes at Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863. Comments:   Loving was born in Virginia in 1799, making him the only Williamson Gray born before the year 1800.  He moved to Williamson County at a young age and married Elizabeth Williamson on May 29, 1822.  Elizabeth died in 1849 and he remarried to Narcissa North on November 20, 1854.  In all he had nine children, most of whom were older than most men in the Williamson Grays. One son, Thomas served in the Williamson Grays, and his sons Andrew and John served in other regiments.  Loving had a variety of occupations before the war.  He was postmaster, a farmer, a druggist, and even helped with the census.  He was the oldest man in the company when he enlisted in 1861 at the age of 61 years.  He remarkably would serve all four years of the war.  He was detached for service at Millsboro, VA according to the September and October of 1861 roster.  He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on January 1, 1862 and to 1st Lieutenant on April 30, 1862.  He missed the Battle of Perryville because he was recruiting back in Williamson County.  He successively brought in a few recruits for Company D in November of 1862.  He would have commanded the company at the Battle of Murfreesboro since Captain Atkeison probably had not made it back to the company following his wound and capture at Perryville.  Loving is listed again as being on leave on January 24, 1863.  Lieutenant Woldridge carried a six shot Colt revolving rifle.  George Nichols states he used it to bring down five Yankees a the Battle of Chickamauga.  Being 63 years old at the same battle, Nichols also states he helped carry off one of Huggin’s Battery’s pieces to prevent it from being captured.  He commanded the company at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, since Captain Atkeison was wounded at Chickamauga.  Nichols states here a bullet hit his nose and and almost blinded him.  His son Thomas tried to get him to goto the rear, which Loving refused and finished out the fight.  He received a medical furlough in January 1864, most likely to allow his wound to heal.  He followed the company all the way to North Carolina.  Following the consolidation of the 1st Tennessee with several other Tennessee Regiments to form the 1st Tennessee Consolidate Infantry, Loving was left off as a supernumerary officer.  He surrendered in Tallahassee, FL on May 18, 1865.  His parole record describes him as:  Complexion: Dark, Eyes: Gray, Hair: Gray, Height: 5'8". Following the war, Loving went back to farming in District 10 (area southeast of Franklin).  His son Thomas was still living with him in the 1870 Census.  In 1879, he went to visit his daugther in Marshall County, TN and passed away at her house.  He is buried in Section B of Mount Hope Cemetery. 

Top:  Loving’s tombstone at Mount Hope Cemetery. Bottom:  Loving’s house while he lived inside the town of Franklin.  It is located at 217 S. Second Avenue.