Lovejoy will be making appearances all weekend

The Lovejoy Homestead Board of Directors and the Bureau County Homestead Festival is pleased to announce that Reverend Owen B. Lovejoy, the great-great grandson of Owen Lovejoy, will be attending this year’s Homestead Festival, September 10th-13th.

On Thursday evening, September 10th , Reverend Lovejoy will appear at the Homestead Festival Lawn Event where he will be giving a presentation at 6:30 PM.

On Saturday, he will be riding in the Homestead Festival Parade located on Main Street beginning at 1:30 PM. Additionally, Reverend Lovejoy will deliver the sermon at 10:30 AM on Sunday morning at the Hampshire Colony Congregational Church located at 604 S. Church St.

Reverend Owen B. Lovejoy was born in Illinois, but much of his childhood was spent in Indiana. After a dramatic conversion, he attended Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and Erksine Theological Seminary in Due West, South Carolina. He has pastored churches in Kentucky and North Carolina. Owen and his wife, Anita, have been married for fifty years. Black Mountain, North Carolina has been their home for most of their married life. Owen recently retired from mission work in Honduras. Anita retired from teaching ESL in public elementary
schools. They love hiking, growing flowers and spending time with their thirteen
grandchildren.

Since his retirement, Owen has written a book about his great-great-grandfather. In the book, ‘A Cause Sprinkled in Blood: The Life of Owen Lovejoy; Abolitionist, Pastor and Congressman,’ Owen desired to paint an honest and accurate picture of his great-great-grandfather, the Honorable Owen Lovejoy; who he was, what he stood for, and what he believed. Ultimately, the author wanted to honor his namesake. A book signing will take place on Friday, September 11 th at True Leaves Bookshop, 15 Park Avenue W., from 2:00-3:30 PM. All are welcome to attend.