General Notes

Name: Daniel LITTLE
Given Name: Daniel
Surname: Little
Alias: Johann Daniel
Prefix: Capt.
Sex: M
Birth: 1731 in Kusel,Zweibrucken,Germany
Death: 10 DEC 1775 in Salisbury,North Carolina
Burial: Old English Graveyard,Salisbury Co.,North Carolina
Ancestral File #: 3Z4F-C6
Note:
!Daniel Little first appears in Rowan CO, NC as early as 1753. He settledat the Crossroads Camp some 10 miles south of the Trading Ford. The GreatWagon Road crossed the Yadkin River here into North Carolina. We don'tknow from where he came, or if he was already married by the time hesettles here in 1853.
Nothing definite has yet been proven as to his parentage nor whether hehad any siblings. He was evidently of German descent, as was his wife,Mary, who spoke broken English all her life.
Daniel was literate and could speak and write both German and English. Hetook his naturalization oath at the second session of the court of pleasand quarter sessions, which was organized before there was a townestablished. This was the first governing body of Rowan County, NC. Thissecond session was held on September 18, 1753. His was the secondnaturalization oath administered since the court first opened in June. Itbecomes evident that he was not of English descent or he would not havehad to take the oath. Most historians of the family have concluded thathe was of German descent. As a German his surname would have been spelledKlein, or the anglicized version Cline, translated into Little in English.
His first office held in the governing body of Rowan County was inJanuary 1756 when he was called upon to take the job of Constable. Sincethe constable was required to live in the district in which he served, weknow that he was in the Crane Creek area known as the German Settlement.He served a full year in this capacity.
In January 1765, the following item appeared in the court minutes: Onmotion of John Dunn, Esq., ordered Daniel Little have license to keepordinary at his dwelling house in Salisbury. The ordinary would add extraincome for the family. The ordinary meant that his home was open totravelers for food and lodging. The prices were set by the court.
By this time he was already engaged in the tannery business. Daniel'stannery was on the back of the lot where his home was. Imagine the odorcoming from the skinning and tanning of these hides! A lot of theclothing of that period was made from hides. They were sturdy and warm.He would load the oxcart or wagon and haul them to other settlements tosell.
Daniel Little, Esq. qualified and was appointed to serve as Justice ofthe Peace on February 13, 1770. His duties involved "taking the taxables"for his district of those who reported to him of the members of theirhouseholds who were liable for taxation. This was an honarary positionwithout pay. But a position which earned him much respect, and would nottake away from his other duties of the tannery and tavern and his militiaduty, since it only met four times a year.
On November 7, 1772, Daniel appeared in court and produced a commissionsigned by Josiah Martin, appointing him Sherrif for the county of Rowan.However, his securities were not approved. Why the securities were notapproved is not known. He did not get to serve as High Sherriff, despiteseveral articles that have been written stating that he was. Thesearticles ignore the fact that his securities were denied.
The last documentation of Daniel Little is his will, written for him byhis son, Peter, on December 9, 1776, one day before his death. The willis beautifully written, attesting to the education Peter was given.Daniel died from an unknown illness and was to ill to write the willhimself. He knew that he was dying and needed to make provisions for hiswife and small children. His true worth lay in real estate and this wouldhave to be sold to provide for his wife and minor children. He was to illto sign his full name, but was able to write a shaky D as his mark orsignature. He died the next day and was the first person to be buried inthe Old English Cemetery near the courthouse on the square.
There is much more documentation on Capt. Daniel Little in the book byPauline Shook*, in the form of a narrative in chronological order fromhis first appearance in Rowan County until his death. I do not attempt toinclude them here, but have chosen only to highlight a few. He was a muchrespected, intelligent and prosperous citizen. Many of his descendantshave followed in his footsteps.
*"Capt. Daniel Little, Esq. and his Contemparies Salisbury, Rowan County,North Carolina, 1753-1792"
Documented by: Pauline M. Shook; Research by: John C. Roberts III; firstedition Copyright 1994; Printed by: Anundsen Publishing Co., 108Washington ST., PO Box 230, Decorah, Iowa 52101
(Notes by Reba Little Inzer)
1 2
Change Date: 14 APR 2000 at 07:48:23

Father: Johann Henrich KLEIN b: 1704 in Kusel,Zweibrucken,Germany
Mother: Anna Margaretha GRIMM b: JAN 1712 in Kusel,Zweibrucken,Germany

Marriage 1 Annie Mary LEWIS b: ABT 1735 in Kusel,Zweibrucken,Germany
Married: 1750 in North Carolina
Children
Peter LITTLE b: 13 SEP 1752 in Salisbury,North Carolina
Daniel LITTLE b: 1755 in Rowan County North Carolina
John LITTLE b: 1758 in Rowan,North Carolina
Henry LITTLE b: 1761 in ,Rowan,North Carolina
James LITTLE b: 1767 in Rowan Co.,North Carolina
Lewis LITTLE b: 4 NOV 1770 in Salisbury,Rowan,North Carolina
Mary LITTLE b: 1772 in Salisbury,Rowan Co.,North Carolina

Sources:
Title: Will of Daniel Little
Publication: Probated December 1777, Bk. A, pge. 223, Rowan CO, NC byDaniel Little, Jr.
Call Number: www.gbso.net/buc/little
Note:
This will identifies all of Daniel's children and his wife.
Title: Letter Re: Little Klein
Author: Carolyn J Nelson
Publication: LITTLE-L@rootsweb.com
Text:
"I found my Sparks quarterlies, On Sept 5 1786 Jonas Sparks obtained amarriage bond in Rowan County to marry Mary Eakle, The bond was signed byPeter Little, while Hugh Magoune signed as witness. Mary Eakle had beentwice widowed when she married Jonas Sparks. Her first husband, whom shemarried about 1751 was Capt Daniel Little ( born 1731, died Dec10 1775,),who was a prominent citizen of Salisbury in Rowan County. ( he heldnumerous high offices in Salisbury, Constable, jailer, Commissioner, HighSheriff, Justice of the peace and Capt of the Militia. ) Daniel and MaryLittle had seven children: Peter,Daniel Jr, John, Henry, James, Lewis andMary.
In 1779, Mary widow of Daniel Little, married as her second husband,Jacob Eakle, (also spelled Eckle) . The Rowan County marriage bond wasdated Jan 5 1779, and Mary's name appeared as Anne Mary Little: thebondsman of John Lewis Beard, while the witness was William R. Davis,Jacob Eakle or Eckle died, date not known, and Jonas Sparks came Mary'sthird husband.
According to a tradition among the descendants of Jonas Spark's sonDavid, this second wife was a "Dutch woman" (that is, German), and David, who would have been about eighteen years old at the time, stronglyobjected to his father marring her. Later , however, David marred the"Dutch woman's" pretty daughter, whose name was Mary.
Lewis Little,son of Daniel. born Nov 4 1770 is known to have married aTabitha Sparks. She believed to be daughter of Jonas and wife Elizabeth.
It is believed that Daniel Little born abt 1731, came to North Carolinafrom York County in Pa. and that he had been born in Germany with theoriginal name of Daniel Klein, which was Anglicized to Daniel Little,.
A descendent, Lawrence L Little, who has done extensive research onDaniel Little, is convinced that he was a son of Ludwig Klein who camewith his family from Rotterdam to Philadelphia on the ship Loyal Judithwhich landed on Sept 3 1742. Ludwig Klein settled in York County Pa, thenmigrated North Carolina in the 1740's, settling that is now Rowan County.It was there that Daniel Little married a neighbor girl name Anna Mary.prior to 1753.
Also Jacob Eakle died 1783 "


***These are believed to be Capt. Daniel Little's parents:

Name: Johann Henrich KLEIN
Given Name: Johann Henrich
Surname: Klein
Sex: M
Birth: 1704 in Kusel,Zweibrucken,Germany
Death: 1810 in Adams,Pennsylvania
Burial: 1810 Adams,Pennsylvania

Name: Anna Margaretha GRIMM
Given Name: Anna Margaretha
Surname: Grimm
Sex: F
Birth: JAN 1712 in Kusel,Zweibrucken,Germany
Death: in Pennsylvania
Burial: Pennsylvania **************Her father:  Name: Johann Daniel GRIMM


This is a major work under construction with census, marriage, birth, death, etc. records being added on a regular basis. Please verify and inform me if something is incorrect.  We all want family Trees we can be proud of.  Barbara Anne