| George M.
Littlefield, a farmer of South Fork township, is still
operating eighty acres but the remainder of his land is being
cultivated by his sons. He was born in Jersey county, Illinois,
November 10, 1845, a son of Isaac and Olive (Foster) Littlefield,
the former of whom was born in Kennebunk, Maine, August 11, 1811.
The paternal grandfather was a sea captain and was drowned before
the birth of his son Isaac. The mother of our subject was born
March 6, 1816, in Massachusetts, where her father was a
well-to-do farmer, owning one hundred and sixty acres of land
about forty miles from Boston. Her two brothers were soldiers in
the war of the Rebellion and the elder. A. J. Foster, went
through the war without injury. The younger, Jonathan, became ill
from the effects of the exposures and hardships which he endured
while in the service and died soon after the close of the war. A.
J. Foster served under General Benjamin Butler and he, as well as
the other men in the command, were proud of the bravery and
ability of their leader. When eighty five years of age Mr. Foster
came west to visit his sister and being much pleased with the
country, he would have settled here if he had not been so
advanced in age. He passed away a couple of years later. Isaac
and Olive Littlefield have been called to their reward, the
former dying February 2, 1866, and the latter February 6, 1903.
Both are buried in Hopkinton. To their union were born nine
children. Ellen O. M., born March 22, 1838, died in infancy.
William H., born April 23, 1843, has been a prosperous farmer and
is now living retired in Hopkinton. He is married and has two
living children. George M. is the next in order of birth. John
E., whose birth occurred January 17, 1847, was for a number of
years an agriculturist but his brother George has purchased his
farm. He has been married three times but only one of his
children survives. Paris M., born November 13, 1849, died in
infancy. Paris Mason, born October 29, 1853, was for a number of
years actively engaged in farming in this county but later sold
his land, a part of which his brother George purchased, and moved
to Kansas. He is married and has three children. Ellen Maria,
born June 27, 1856, became the wife of S. K. Myers of Manchester,
and two children have been born to them. Susan J., born November
2, 1858, is married and resides in Kansas. Isaac E., born May 1,
1861, died in 1886. He was married and had two children.
George M. Littlefield
accompanied his parents to Delaware county in the fall of 1850,
when but a child of five years. He received his education in the
district schools of the neighborhood and later attended Lenox
College for the greater part of three years. His father was one
of the leaders in the establishment of the college at Hopkinton
and it was largely due to his enthusiasm and influence that the
school was founded. He spoke publicly in behalf of the project
and succeeded in interesting many citizens therein. He also went
to Dubuque to get the incorporation papers for the college and
bore the expense. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of
land one mile east of Hopkinton and, digging up the clay found
upon his place, made the brick with which he built a substantial
house with a cellar in 1853. It is still standing and in good
condition.
George M. Littlefield as a boy assisted in the
cultivation of the homestead and since reaching manhood has
continued to make his home thereon. He now holds title to the
place and takes great pride in the fact that the farm has been in
possession of the family for over six decades. He has made many
improvements and in 1914 erected a well designed and commodious
residence. He has always been a hard worker and as his energies
have been directed by sound judgment he has prospered greatly. He
now owns five hundred and sixty acres and although his sons
cultivate the greater part of the land he personally operates
eighty acres. He finds that he is much happier and contented when
he has some definite work to do than when living in idleness and
he gives a great deal of time and labor to the land which he
himself cultivates. In addition to his real estate in this county
he owns an eighty acre tract in Missouri.
On the 7th of September, 1880, Mr.
Littlefield was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Ewart, a
daughter of James C. and Sarah (McKinley) Ewart, both natives of
County Down, Ireland, but of Scotch lineage. In 1866 Mrs.
Littlefield accompanied her parents to America and the family
have since resided in this county, where the parents passed away
years ago. When they emigrated to the United States there were
nine children but Mrs. Littlefield and two brothers are now the
only survivors. To Mr. and Mrs. Littlefield four children were
born. Isaac is in partnership with his brother, James Ewart, in
the implement and grain business at Hopkinton and has proven
himself a successful business man. Sarah Jane, the only daughter,
after graduating from the public schools took an academic course
in Lenox College and subsequently was for two years a student at
the University of Nebraska. James Ewart, associated with his
brother Isaac, has displayed sound judgment and good business
ability in bringing about the success of the enterprise. He was
married June 2, 1913, to Miss Rhoda Rachel Harvey, a daughter of
John Harvey, who resided upon a farm in Dubuque county, this
state. To Mr. and Mrs. James E. Littlefield has been born a son,
James Harvey; whose natal day was March 3, 1914. George M., the
youngest of the family, died in infancy.
The family belong to the Presbyterian church and
take a vital interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of
the community. Mr. Littlefield is a republican but has never
sought official preferment although he has served as school
director. He carries on mixed farming but is especially
interested in stock raising and has given scientific study to
many of the problems of animal husbandry. He has experimented
with raising cattle and hogs and has repeatedly satisfied himself
that he has discovered a natural law which has for many years
been sought by biologists, namely, the law which determines the
sex of animals of the mammalia order. In all that he does he
manifests a tendency to first ascertain the facts as they are and
then from that sure basis form his theories. Nor is he satisfied
then but must needs test his generalizations repeatedly before
accepting them as true. He is a man of broad general information
and of an incisive mind which enables him to understand to an
unusual degree the many complex movements of the time. Although
almost seventy years of age he is as active as a man of fifty and
still maintains his eager interest in the world. |
