Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 523
MARTIN F. LITTLE

Martin F. LITTLE, a resident of section 4, Jefferson Township, arrived in Harrison County, October 4, 1855, and moved to his present place in August, 1867.

We find that Martin F. LITTLE is a descendant of David LITTLE, who was born in Botetourt, Virginia, November 8, 1797, and he was a son of David and Peggy LITTLE. He was married to Charity E. ROSS in Tennessee. She was born in North Carolina, February 10, 1803, and they had a family of three sons, Martin F., our subject, born September 21, 1833; Calvin V., born in Overton County, Tenn., June 27, 1836, and died in Indian Territory, February 15, 1889; Daniel A., born in Overton County, Tenn., November 22, 1840, and died in Kansas in February, 1882.

David LITTLE, the father of our subject, located in Tennessee in 1830, and came West with his family, locating in Mills County, Iowa, in November, 1854, and one year later came to Harrison County and settled on a farm at Harris Grove, where he remained six years and then removed to Whitesboro, Jefferson Township, and there died March 31, 1863. His wife was Charity E. (VICKER) ROSS. David LITTLE was not a rugged man, and at the time our subject became old enough, the care of the family naturally devolved upon him. He took care of the homestead, and in the spring of 1860, purchased his present home. On August 14, 1861, and just four months after Ft. Sumter had been fired upon, he enlisted from Harrison County, as a member of the Second Iowa Light Artillery Battery, under Captain N. T. SPOOR, and First Lieutenant J. R. REED (now Judge). Our subject's brother, Calvin V. LITTLE, also enlisted, and while in battle acting as "No. 2," was wounded in the arm. Martin F. was acting as "No. 6," but was at the front at the time his brother was wounded. After having faithfully served as a Union soldier for three years, Mr. LITTLE was discharged at Davenport, Iowa, August 30, 1864, when he returned to his home.

. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary M. ROWE, January 30, 1866. She was a native of Virginia, born April 6, 1846, and was the daughter of Abbott and Annie (DILES) ROWE, and was of a family of eight children. Mr. and Mrs. LITTLE are the parents of four children: David A., born March 12, 1866; Amanda E., born August 16, 1867; Anna A., born November 6, 1869; Maggie M., born October 17, 1871. David A., Married Edith LYONS March 11, 1891; Maggie M. married J. Orville BARTHOLOMEW, January 1, 1891, Amanda E. and Anna are both teachers.

After the death of Calvin V. LITTLE, (the brother of our subject) our subject and his wife took his four children to raise�one girl, Vazera M., having been married prior to this time. The other children's names are as follows: Joseph., Ira I., Eva E., and Laura E.

Politically our subject has always voted the Republican ticket, except in two instances: one for Prohibition, and one for the People's ticket, and in his own language, his political belief is as follows: "I believe in equal rights, and have tried to organize a Labor and Capital Club. I believe that all money should bear the same rate of interest, and that all manual labor should receive the same compensation for the time employed. That any knowledge possessed which leads to the performance of any kind of labor, skilled or otherwise, should be the same as money at interest, and that the possessors should be compensated for their knowledge, according to their efficiency. I believe that any and all forms on money should only be based on labor products, and that any other form of money is ruinous to the laboring class; consequently certificates of deposit should be the only money in circulation. I believe that all our laws should be repealed and comprehensive laws enacted in their stead, in the place of the present voluminous and incomprehensible laws of the present. Further, that every law should be submitted to the people for their approval, regardless of party politics, and that none should be entitled to vote except they have proper educational qualifications, and lastly, that all laws enacted by the Legislature should be published in at least one local paper in each county, that the rank and file of the voting population be enlightened as to the full text of such laws."

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