Love received a
recess appointment from President
Franklin Pierce on October 5, 1855, to a seat on the
United States District Court for the District of Iowa vacated by Judge
John James Dyer. He was nominated to the same position by President Pierce on February 7, 1856. He was confirmed by the
United States Senate on February 25, 1856, and received his commission on December 21, 1856. Love was reassigned by
operation of law to the
United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on July 20, 1882, to a new seat authorized by 22 Stat. 172. His service terminated on July 2, 1891, due to his death in Keokuk. He was the longest serving federal judge to be appointed by President Pierce.
Other service Concurrent with his federal judicial service, Love was a Professor of
commercial law for the State University of Iowa (now the
University of Iowa starting in 1875. He was Chancellor of the
University of Iowa College of Law from 1887 to 1890, serving between the tenures of
Lewis Williams Ross and
Emlin McClain. == Personal life ==