JOSEPH M. LITTLE , M. D. In the year 1066 William the Conqueror, with his horde of Normans, effected a landing in England and at the battle of Hastings asserted his claim to the throne of England. Of the many thousands of descendants to-day of the Norman heroes the only family in Ireland who can claim direct lineage are the Littles, of whom the subject of this sketch is a member. Moses Little, his grandfather, was born in County Down, Ireland, whence, when a young man, he emigrated to this country, settling in Washington county, Penn., where he purchased land in Strabane (now South Strabane) township. At that time Virginia still claimed jurisdiction over this section of the country, and the land was only partly improved. Wild animals were numerous, and neighbors had long distances to go through the dense forest to visit each other. Moses Little's first home on his settlement was made of logs, but that has long since given place to modern improvements, and all that is now left of the surroundings of those primitive days is the ever-living spring of water which flowed near the door of the old log house. Here, in Washington county, Mr. Little married Margaret Locke, who had come from Ireland in the same ship he did. They were the parents of four children, viz.: John, who died in Franklin, Venango Co., Penn.; David, who died in South Strabane township, Washington Co., Penn.; Moses, father of Dr. Little, and Mary, deceased wife of Zach. Reynolds (their son, Squire D. L. Reynolds, is now a resident of South Strabane township).
Moses Little, the third son of Moses and Margaret (Locke) Little, was born in 1800, on a farm in what is now South Strabane township, and was there reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1823 he was united in marriage with Miss Nancy, daughter of Joseph Harris, of Amwell township, this county, and the children born to them were: Emeline (still living); Margaret, widow of Samuel W. Melvin (deceased), and the mother of two children Alice and Anna; John H., a farmer in South Strabane township; Leroy Woods, who practiced law in Washington, Penn., and died in 1873, leaving a widow but no children; Dr. Joseph H. and Moses, living in Washington. The father died of heart disease November 11, 1875, on the farm now owned by his son Moses. He began life quite a poor boy, having been disinherited by his father for some imaginary trivial offense, but he made a success. At one time he was coroner of the county, and he was an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The mother died in 1879 at the age of eighty-four years.
Joseph H. Little was born in Amwell township, Washington Co., Penn. (on the line of South Strabane township), May 6, 1835, and grew to manhood on the farm, sharing in the many duties incident to agricultural life. His primary education was received at the common schools of the neighborhood, and later he attended select schools, after which he entered Washington College, where he took a classical course. On June 21, 1855, on completion of the college course, he received the degree of A. B.; in June, 1858, the degree of A. M. from the same institution; in March, 1859, M. D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and February 22, 1861, Ad Eundem degree of M. D. from Columbia University, Washington, D. C. During his vacations he taught school, whereby he acquired means to enable him to prosecute his studies and aid him through his course. Having completed his studies, our subject was then appointed principal of Blairsville Academy, in Indiana county, Penn., which incumbency he filled one year, and then received the appointment of principal of the academy at West Alexander, this county. While at Blairsville he commenced the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. M. W. Auswalt, of that place, afterward continuing same under Dr. John Wishart & Son, of Washington, this county. He began the practice of his profession in Allegheny county, Penn., residing one year at Library, that State, and then proceeded to Washington, D. C., to fill the position of resident physician at a hospital, receiving the appointment under President Buchanan. Here he remained until March, 1861, when he again came to West Alexander, and commenced practice. He had planned to go to North Carolina, but the breaking out of the Rebellion caused him to change his plans. In West Alexander he remained some thirteen years, or until 1874, in which year, owing to his father's failing health, he came into the borough of Washington, where he has since remained, successfully practicing his chosen profession. The Doctor has been a busy man, his ride extending far and wide in the county, and even beyond, no weather ever being too cold or stormy, and no night at any time too dark or disagreeable to prevent him from speeding on his mission of humanity. His practice is a general one, and he has been eminently successful in all branches. His library is replete with modern works, for the Doctor, busy as he is, finds time to drink of the Pierian spring, and he keeps well abreast with the times.
On March 26, 1862, Dr. Little was married to Margaret Ann, daughter of Harvey Wadsworth, of Allegheny county, of English descent. By this union there is one son, George B., now a druggist at Greensburgh, Westmoreland Co., Penn. Politically Dr. Little is a Democrat, and in 1870 he ran for the State legislature, but the District being Republican he was defeated. Socially he is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, and of the Second Presbyterian Church at Washington. The Doctor is possessed of a remarkably rugged constitution, and is endowed with robust health. He would frequently be engaged in harvest work during the day, overseeing the hands, and then at night be riding over the country, visiting his numerous patients. The residence of Dr. Joseph H. Little is No. 215 South Main street, in the borough of Washington.
Text taken from page 1135 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]