NOTES FOR WILLIAM and MARTHA LITTLETON
from Wanda Albers
MARRIAGE: William Littleton married Martha Brown 11 Aug 1825, Roane Co,
TN; Sur. John Tummins. Also, listed in "Early East TN Marriages" by
Sistler, groom, pg 220.
CENSUS:
(1)1830 TN, Roane Co, Ro-51; William Littleton; 10001-10001; 1 male 0-5, William
20-30; 1 female 0-5, Martha 20-30.
(2)1840 TN, Roane Co, Ro-61; Littleton, William; 011011-211001; 1 male 5-10, 1
male 10-15, 1 male 20-30, William 30-40; 2 female 0-5, 1 female 5-10, 1 female
10-15, Martha 30-40. (two older female children unknown)
(3)1850 TN, Roane Co, Ro-598-724; Littleton, William, 50,T; Martha, 45,T; James
W, 22; Polly A, 19; George W, 15; Catharine 13; Emily 8; Martha 7; William J, 5;
Rufus W, 2.
(4)1860 TN, Roane Co, 2nd dist, PO Wrightsville, Ro-30-116; Littleton, Wm,
59,m,w,farmer, (torn), TN; Martha, 55,f,w,TN; Catharine, 22,f,w,TN;
Martha, 17,f,w,TN; Wm J, 15,m,w,TN; Rufus W, 12,m,w,TN; Mary J, 7,f,w, TN.
(5)1870 TN, Roane Co, 2nd dist, #49-47; Littleton, Wm 69,m,w,f,v.R/E $800,TN;
RICH, W J, 33,m,w,farmer,TN; Catherine (his daughter), 33,f,w,keeping
house, TN; Their children W L, 2,m,w,TN; R J, 1,m,w,TN; LITTLETON, R W (son),
21,m,w,farmer,TN.
TAX LIST:
(1)1823 TN Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Marney's Co. (first poll tax. Probably just
turned 21)...
(2) 1824 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Littleton's Co...
(3)1825 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Littleton's Co...
(4)1826 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Captain Littleton's Co...
(5)1827 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, 1bp(?, Capt Littleton's Co)...
(6)also 1827 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Haley's Co...
(7)1828 TN, Roane Co, July Court, 1wp...
(8)1829 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Pippin's Co...
(9)1830 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Pippin's Co...
(10)1831 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Bussell's Co...
(11)1832 TN, Roane Co, 1wp Capt Bussell's Co...
(12)1833 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Bussell's Co...
(13)1834 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Bussell's Co...
(14)1835 TN, Roane Co, 1wp, Capt Bussell's Co...
(15)1837 TN, Roane Co, 2nd dist, 100A - value $150, 1wp...
(16)1838 TN, Roane Co, 1st dist, 100A - value $150, 1wp...
(17)1839 TN, Roane Co, 2nd dist, 100A - value $150, 1wp...
(18)1840 TN, Roane Co, 2nd dist, 100A - value $150, 1wp...
.(need 1841-1856)...
(19)1857 TN, Roane Co, 2nd dist; William Littleton, 350 acres-value $900.
Vernon Wilson gave permission on 1/30/00 to use the following information
that he compiled.
The William Wilson and Emily Clementine Littleton Family
From Vernon Wilson
The information contained herein is for the most part information that has been received from my Dear relatives. I am sure you will find errors in the attached and you will confer a favor by reporting any errors found to me.
Most of the following on our Grandparents is from Madge William who secured it from Grandmother, Aunt Doll and her Father. I have paraphrased some of it and added other information received from Ida Hager, Devine Godwin, Pearl Turner, Geneva Waggoner and my Mother, Grace Wilson. We are all glad that Madge asked many questions other wise much information contained herein would not be available.
William Alexander (Pap) Wilson was born June 15, 1835. His parents were Phillip and Peggy (Margaret Elizabeth Dawn) Wilson. They were married in Kingston, Jan. 01, 1857. Grandpa was a wonderful Blacksmith in Kingston. He turned no one away from his shop, North or South. It is assumed that this family left Kingston in about 1872/73.
(The following is quoted from Geneva Waggoner)
I remember Mother (Aunt Parth) telling us stories of when she was young. She said when they left their home near Kingston, TN, they traveled very slowly with a covered wagon train, stopping several times. Mother said that all the rest of the people in the wagon train had oxen but Grandpa had a beautiful team of gray mares. I remember her telling about her family stopping and living for a while in an abandoned house near a river. She said that during the night a large number of cats which had been abandoned on the other side of the river, swam across the river and they had cats all over the place when they got up in the morning.
(Madge Williams quotes the following)
Dad (Boss) was four years old when they entered the state of Missouri. Dad said he could remember camping and putting a green gourd in the campfire. It exploded and really blasted him in places. Aunt Doll said she could remember the U S Mail coach. I think she said it had six horses hitched to it and they were running. They would blow a bugle ever so often and people on the road would all pull over to the side of the road and wait for the coach to go by. It was a sight never forgotten by the children. She said the horses were running.
Aunt Doll and I walked the road that they come through to the Wolf place where they stayed a few weeks until they got settled. The old log house they lived in was still standing in 1914 when Dad owned the Wolf Farm. For a table, Grandpa would take down the front door and place it on boxes. The old door was still there and it hung on pegs. While there, Grandpa walked about 3 miles to a mill (grist mill) to do black smith work. Grandpa was a wonderful black smith. I've had old timers tell me that people came from far and near for him to do their black smithing. After a few weeks the family moved to Franklin. They rented a nice house later called the Martin house. That was who Uncle Samuel Martin was named after. Later they built a house of their own and bought quite a bit of land. It is still known as the Wilson Field or Place.
I do not have the date of Grandpa's death, however, it could have been from 1883 - 1885. My Father (Jim Littleton) said he did not remember his Dad. He did remember getting a new pair of shoes for the funeral, however, he was a bit mad when he found the new shoes did not fit.
Emily Clementine (Muzzy) Littleton was born Dec. 16, 1839. Her parents were William Littleton and her Mothers maiden name was Brown (William). Littleton's Mother was a Kennedy, his Grandmother was named Cottonjim and his Great Grandmothers name was Creamer. It is assumed that Emily was born in Georgia. (The above is information that Aunt Doll Batterton gave to Madge Williams)The Littletons apparently were a well to do family, and they had a number of slaves and a lovely home. We do not know when Grandmother moved to Kingston, TN. Appatently she met Grandpa (Pap) in Kingston and they were married there on Jan. 01, 1857. Grandma apparently had several brothers and sisters. One of the brothers, William Littleton settled in Newport, Ark. Grandmother was a beautiful tall, black haired, and she had brown eyes. Yes, "she was a lady". After the death of Grandpa and with all the children at home and at least six of the children were under 15 years of age, this must have created quite a hardship on this family. Remember there was no welfare or pensions at that time. Grandmother must have been a hard worker.
(The following recollections are those of Lois Simpson Hopkins as told to her daughter, Ida Hopkins Hagar.)
Grandmother Wilson had a spinning wheel and loom and used both. She and her family lived just on the edge of Franklin, but had a farm about a mile away where they had a few head of sheep, a cow or two, and three or four mules and I do not remember what else. They raised a garden and feed for the animals. The corn was shucked and what was needed for the family was shelled from cobs and taken to the mill to be ground into corn meal. We used white corn almost entirely. I have seen my Mother and Grandmother put a piece of corn husk on the spindle to wind the thread on and when there was enough on it, she slipped it off the spindle, put another corn husk on. Usually we dyed the wool thread before weaving it into cloth on the loom. For this job the gread had to be put into dye water. I suppose we could buy various colors of dye, but we made black dye from the green outer shell of the black walnut. This mess made the prettiest black wool dye you could want.I do remember my Grandmother Wilson telling me about the death of one of her babies, when she visited me many years later in Washington. She said she just felt so bad about the child's death ( or maybe it's expected death from some disease that she wished she were dead herself) While she was out doors just waling about, a very severe storm came and lightning struck nearby. She was so scared that she ran to the house. She said that she felt that death had came close to her and that moment made her realize that she did not want to die after all, but must go on caring for the rest of her family. Before moving to the state of Washington, in 1902, we spent our last night in Franklin with Grandmother Wilson. On the morning we were ready to leave, Grandmother just disappeared after breakfast. She could not tell us goodbye.
We think that Martin W. Littleton was a cousin of Grandmother's. Martin was a famous lawyer and orator. He served as Assistant District Attorney of Kings County (Brooklyn) and was later elected Borough President of Brooklyn.
Emily Clemtine (this is how Vernon spells it) Wilson, passed away in 1912 and is buried at the Roberts Cemetery in Franklin, Ark.
The Littleton's
I find that the name Littleton is very much English and in England the name was spelled as Lyttleton. Apparently the spelling was changed during the 1700's. Sometime in the middle 1700's a William Littleton was appointed Colonial Governor of South Carolina. This William was tied in with our Great Grandfather, however, do not at this time know the exact connection.
At the start of the Revolutionary War, members of this family were located in Virginia, North & South Carolina. In the 1790's, some of our Littleton family moved into what is now Eastern, TN. Many of the graves of the Littletons in Eastern, TN are marked to show that they participated in the Revolutionary War. Apparently the Littletons were better off than many families as they are shown to be tax payers even back in the early 1800's. Subject to correction the following 1850 Roane County, TN, shows the family as follows.
William Littleton 50 TN
Martha 45 TN
James W. 22 TN
Polly A. 19 TN
George W. 15 TN
Catharine 13 TN
Emily 8 TN
Martha 7 TN
William J. 5 TN
Rufus W. 2 TN
Please note age on our Grandmother Emily, apparently the enumerator got her age wrong, it should have been shown as age 11 years. A large book that I have that shows marriage records 1801 to 1855 in Roane County, TN show the following on marriage on our Great Grandparents.
William Littleton Sur. John Tummins 11 Aug. 182_
(married) Martha Brown Ref bond (License missing)
This does not give exact date of marriage, however, would have been about Aug. 11, 1825. A surety bond was necessary at time of their marriage. I note in the book that Polly A. was married to our Great Uncle, John Wilson. Also note that George Littleton was married to Malinda Hart, Aug. 27, 1854. Grandmother's younger brother William, settled in Newport, Ark and was a prosperous cotton farmer. His son "Pony" and Uncle Boss (William) Wilson looked so much alike that some people had trouble telling them apart.
It is my understanding that Uncle Sam lived with this family for a short time. The book shows many other marriages of Littletons but am unable to match them up with this family. Even tho the name Littleton is English it is thought by older cousins that Grandmother Emily was part French. With this our Bicentennial year of 1976, we can look back with pride knowing that not only was the Littletons Pioneers of the State of Tennessee, but also of the United States.
I would like to thank cousin Madge for the names of our Great Grandparents.
Also to a Mrs. K. S. McDaniel, of Oak Ridge, TN who supplied me with information on the Littleton Family.
Sincerely
Vernon Wilson
6-1-76
The following children were born to William Alexander and Emily Clemtine Littleton Wilson
Name Date of Birth Place Passed Away Ceme.
Josephine (Josie)* Dec. 15, 1857 Kingston Aug. 05, 1862 Kingston, TN
John H. Mar. 22, 1860 Kingston Jan. 08, 1861 Kingston, TN
Parthenia Adeline (Parth) Simpson Nov. 29, 1861 Kingston June 23, 1934 Ephrata, WA
Myrtilla (Till) Billingsley Sept. 20, 1864 Kingston Jan. __ , 1920 Franklin, Ark.
Samantha Leanna (Doll) Batterton Mar. 15, 1867 Kingston Franklin, Ark.
William Alexander (Boss) Apr. 30, 1869 Kingston July __, 1918 Franklin, Ark.
Eulalla Valentine (Lule) Biship July 27, 1871 Kingston Feb. 22, 1954 Morse, OK **
Samuel Martin (Sam) June 18, 1874 Franklin, Ark. Apr. __, 1918 Morse, OK **
Ida E. Nov. 02, 1877 Franklin, Ark. May 24, 1887 Franklin, Ark.
James Littleton (Jim L) Jan. 02, 1880 Franklin, Ark. Mar. 16, 1963 Hutchinson,KS
Pearl Estelle Sowder July 11, 1883 Franklin, Ark. Oct. 06, 1966 Morse, OK **
*-- The 1860 Census of Roane County, TN shows first child's names as Polly A. J.
**-The Morse Cemetery is located about 7 miles north of Okemah, OK
The names shown in parenthesis are nick names that were used
In case of girls married, name is shown also