LYTLE, Rev. James

LYTLE, BULLER, VAN FLEET, TAYLOR

Posted By: Tom S. Brown (email)
Date: 5/23/2021 at 19:47:47

“Obituary of James Lytle,” transcribed from the family Bible of his brother Thomas E. Lytle of the Lytle house of Shenandoah, Iowa.

James Lytle, son of Francis and Winnie Carter Lytle, was born in Randolph co. N. Carolina July 19, 1818 and died at Riverton, Fremont county, Ia., Nov. 27, 1904 aged 86 yrs, 4 months and 8 days.

At the age of 14 years [1832] he was bereaved of his maternal parent who left to the father 11 children. After this time the family removed to Monroe Co IN, where they remained two years, then moved to Grant Co., of the same state, living there until James reached manhood. Their early life was under Quaker influence.

In the year 1840 [age 22] under the preaching of James Pugsley [John Pugsley] of the United Brethren Church, he was converted and became a member of that branch of Christ’s church. He was soon licensed to Exhort, in which field, and the office of class leader he found many opportunities to work for the Master. After working faithfully for 5 years in the U. B. church he transferred his membership to the Wesleyan Methodist connection of which church he remained a useful member to the day of his disease.

He was licensed to preach in the Wesleyan church in 1845, laboring as a local preacher for 15 years when he was ordained an elder in the church at the meeting of the Indian conference held at a camp meeting at Sugar Grove, Grant Co. In 1863 he transferred to the Iowa annual conference, taking up his residence in Fremont county in which vicinity he labored in the work of the ministry until physical infirmity compelled him to relinquish the work and super-annuate. During the many years he labored for the advancement of the kingdom of our lord he won many to righteousness. He had many friends and few if any enemies. Thus a man uneducated, classically speaking, and never seeking the applause of the people he won the love and esteem of multitudes, one prominent citizen declaring that “probably no man in the state has more friends than Father Lytle.” Many rise up and call him blessed because his prayer was “Bless me and make me a blessing.”

On April 26, 1837, he was married to Esther Butler of Grant Co., Ind. Of this union eleven children were born, five of whom with the mother have preceded him to the Glory Land.
The mother passed away Sept. 24, 1882 aged 62 years, 4 months.

On August 3, 1884 he married his second wife, Viranda Taylor who, after a union of sixteen years, died May 3, 1900. Since her decease he has been tenderly cared for by his daughter, Mrs. P. VanFleet. He came down to the close of life like a shock of corn fully ripe, and sweetly passed beyond the vail where he rests from his labors in the joy of his Lord.