J. Spencer Love
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July 6, 1896
J. Spencer Love | |
|---|---|
 J. Spencer Love, 1959 | |
| Born | James Spencer Love July 6, 1896 Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | January 20, 1962 (aged 65) Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Cemetery, Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Education | Cambridge Latin School |
| Alma mater | Harvard College (AB) Harvard Business School (MA) |
| Occupation | Industrialist |
| Known for | Founding and leading Burlington Industries |
| Spouses | Sara Elizabeth Love
(m. 1922; div. 1940)Martha Eskridge
(m. 1944) |
| Children | 8 |
James Spencer Love, also known as J. Spencer Love (July 6, 1896 - January 20, 1962), was an American industrialist, textile manufacturer and president of chairman of Burlington Industries, the largest textile company worldwide with assets of nearly $607 million and over 62,000 employees in 1962.[1] The Martha & Spencer Love School of Business at Elon University bears his name.[2]
Love was born July 6, 1896, in Cambridge, Massachusetts to James Lee Love and Julia (née Spencer) Love.[3] His paternal grandfather Robert Galvin Grier Love was originally from Gastonia, North Carolina and was co-owner of the Gastonia Cotton Manufacturing Company founded in 1887.[4] His great grandfather, Andrew Love, was also a wealthy slaveholder.[5]
The family lived in Cambridge because Love's father taught mathematics there.[5] His maternal family had strong ties to the University of North Carolina; his maternal grandfather being Professor James Munroe Spencer and his grandmother was Cornelia Phillips Spencer. Love attended the Cambridge Latin School, received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College in three years and continued to attend Harvard Business School for another year.[6][7]
After completing his degree in 1917, Love served in France during World War I on the headquarters staff of the 78th Division, U.S. Infantry.[8] After the war, he relocated to Gaston County, North Carolina, where his relatives were early textile mill owners.[8]
Career
Love founded Burlington Industries in 1923 with support from the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.[9]
Personal life
Love married Sara Elizabeth Love on January 22, 1922, in Davie, North Carolina. They had four sons;
- James Spencer Love, Jr. (born 1926)[10][11][12] (m.) Meredith Morgan; seven children
- Robert Lee Love[13]
- Richard Love[14]
- Julian Love
They separated in 1939 and were officially divorced in 1940.[15] He remarried to Martha Eskridge on July 23, 1944, in Cleveland, North Carolina. He had four more children together;