Background
In 1890 he married Lavinia Chilton Abercrombie, daughter of lawyer and Texas state senator Leonard Anderson Abercrombie, granddaughter of Justice William Parish Chilton.
In 1890 he married Lavinia Chilton Abercrombie, daughter of lawyer and Texas state senator Leonard Anderson Abercrombie, granddaughter of Justice William Parish Chilton.
Born at San Jacinto, Texas he was admitted to the bar in 1882 and then served as attorney for various railroad interests. Their only child was Robert A. Lovett. From 1904 to 1909 Robert South. Lovett was general counsel, and after 1909 president, of the East. H. Harriman system of railroads—the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific.
In the wake of the Northern Securities Case he was compelled to dissolve the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific merger in 1913.
In 1914 he accepted directorships in the New York Central and Nickel Plate railroads. Consequently, the Lovett family settled into a "Gold Coast" mansion at Locust Valley, New New York
During World War One he filled important positions in the management of railroads, and was chosen president (1919) and chairman of the Board of Directors (1920) of the Union Pacific System. In World World War II, the United States liberty ship Steamship Robert South. Lovett was named in his honor.