FAMILY OF
GEORGE LITTLE, quoted from Guffie -
Through the Years, by Elizabeth Smith Cox
p21/22
The Little family was among the very first to inhabit this community now known as Guffie. Their migration to this particular area from South Carolina had been encourage by their kinsman, Captain John Handley who had come into possession of thousands of acres of land lying the lower Green River Country. His vast holdings had been acquired through land grants issued by the Government in payment for service in the American Revolution. Also, he was a surveyor which was to his advantage. Handley had promised the Littles a homestead if they would settle here and had made contracts to that effect, all of which were not fulfilled, possibly due to his death ca 1816. (See Equity Suit – Box 11, Circuit Court Suits Daviess County, Kentucky)
Much of the following information concerning the family is taken from a Sketch on George Little, History of Daviess County –1883 – pages 129-133 said to have been written by a great, grandson, Lucius Powhattan Little.
George Little, progenitor of the family, was a native of Dumfries, Scotland born ca 1733 and came to America in early manhood. His first known residence was near Carlisle in the Colony of South Carolina. He was married by 1760 to Mary (?) and the birth dates of their ten children ranged from 1761 to 1784. Being a loyalist at heart he was opposed to the Colonies rebellion again the Mother Country, however when war came he joined the American Army. During his time of service he attained the rank of Captain. On the 12th day of May 1780 he was taken prisoner at Charleston. When peace came he was soon reunited with his family and continued his agricultural pursuits though somewhat handicapped by a bullit (sic) wound in his hip suffered in battle. No record of a land bounty or other remuneration for his military service has come to our attention. In his lifetime only those veterans in destitute circumstances were eligible for a pension and he did not qualify.
Recorded in Grant Book of 96th District, South Carolina – the following: Granted to George Little 250 acres on Tyger River by William Bull, Lieut. Governor in Council on 11 August, 1774. Granted to George Little 92 acres by William Moultree, Governor on December 4, 1786.
The first wife, Mary was deceased before 1787 when he was married to his second wife, Rachel Cook? by that date. George Little and wife Rachel signed deeds for sale of land in Union County: Book F, page 242 – Feb. 1787 and Book H, page 7—22 Aug.1791, (the latter recorded 3 Oct. 1803). Later the remainder of the two tracts of land was sold to William Cooper 29 Oct. 1801 – Book G, page 109. “Mary Little, wife of George Little released dower the same day”.
This was the third wife, Mary (Handley) Douglas ((NB 1)), widow of Alexander Douglas. She too was a native of Scotland whence she came in childhood and in early life married Douglas of Pennsylvania. Born to this union were several daughters, one of whom was Elizabeth “Betsy”, wife of Jonas Little and another, Martha was married to Isaiah Hunt who came to Kentucky. Nothing more is known about the children of Alexander and Mary Douglas.
In 1784 (or 85) Douglas had come to Kentucky with his brother-in-law, John Handley prospecting in view of ultimate settlement. On their return trip they separated to go to their respective homes though Douglas never reached his destination and was believed to have been killed by the Indians.
According to plan Handley brought his family from Virginia to this section of the country. Soon to follow was Anthony Thompson and family, his wife, Rachel being a sister to John Handley as was Mary (Handley) Douglas-Little. A land bond dated 1793 from Handley to Thompson is recorded in Hardin County which covered this area at that time. About the year 1802 Mr. Little in company with his sons, Jonas and John with families started on their journey from South Carolina to Kentucky. After reaching Barren County they tarried there long enough to raise a crop. John did not wish to accompany them further and went to Tennessee and later to Texas where he lived and died ((NB 2)). George and son, Jonas moved on and settled a few miles north of Long Fall on Green River then in Ohio County. The town of Vienna (now Calhoun) at that point had succeeded a fort of block house erected there some years before for protection from the Indians.
Mr. Little had reached an advanced age and the time for toil had passed him before coming to Kentucky. In personal appearance he is said to have been short and stoutly built with dark hair and eyes. He features were marked and he spoke with a broad Scot dialect. He was a pious man and had joined the Wesleyan movement in early life. On the first day of February 1815 he made his will. He mentioned his children as follows:
Sons: Joseph, Jonas, John, William and Thomas Little
Daughters: Mary, wife of Abner Spray
Sarah, wife of Richard Harris
Susannah, wife of John Phillips
Jane (deceased) had married John Hunt
Nancy, wife of Henry Cockburn
Very little is known about these children except Jonas. Most of them are believed to have lived and died in South Carolina. It appears that the Spray family lived in the Curdsville locality, Daviess County. Abner Spray served as Trustee of the Methodist Church in that village. Aquilla Spray and wife, Cynthia with children: Mary (Spray) Galloway, husband, George Galloway and children are listed in 1850 census of Daviess County.
Shortly after making his will Mr. Little departed this life and was laid to rest in the Anthony Thompson Graveyard at Van Meter Springs (Highway 81). More than one hundred years later the Daughters of the American Revolution, General Evan Shelby Chapter, Owensboro, held a memorial service at the burial site of George Little and Anthony Thompson, veterans of the American Revolution and erected a monument at the grave of each ((NB 3)). Mary (Handley) Douglas Little, widow of George, married as her third husband, Edward Atterbury of Daviess County who died in 1824. She survived several years, outliving most of her generation. From youth to old age she was noted for her beauty, the grace of her manners and the rare charm of her colloquil (sic) powers (sic). At death her remains were interred by the side of her second husband, George Little. This was the first of the first public cemeteries in the county and many of the early settlers were buried there. In recent years it has been abandoned and only two of the original tombstones can be found.
NB 1 – Notice the spelling of Douglas. In other documents it is frequently spelled Douglass.
NB 2 – The timing implied here is incorrect. John Little (p 96) is in the Ohio KY census of 1810 with George (p 99) and Jonas (p 100). John seems to have left for TN between 1810 and 1820 as he is in the 1820 Williamson Co TN census (p 60).
NB 3 – The second photo at the link below shows Anthony Thompson’s marker as well. It is legible in other photos from those not posted to the web.