    Lucy Gerrish Little 1840 - 1908
22 December 1881 - 22 October 1883 d/o Rev. H. S. & A. M. Little
died 21 June 1885 aged 38 Years w/o Rev. H. S. Little
The Denison Daily Herald
Tuesday, July 31, 1906 FUNERAL OF REV. LITTLE Many from Out of Town Paid Their Last Tribute The funeral of the late Rev. Henry Smith Little, who died Sunday morning, was held this morning at 9 o'clock in the First Presbyterian Church, of which he had been a member for so many years. A large number of relatives and friends, many from different parts of Texas, were assembled to pay the last tribute of love and respect to one whose life had been a blessing not only to his home city, but to the entire state during his residence and work of twenty-seven years. The church was beautifully decorated by loving hands of the members of the ladies' societies of the church. Palms and ferns were banked about the pulpit, black crepe was draped above the altar, and the chair in the pulpit which he had occupied so many times was decorated with masses of white flowers and ribbons by the Young Ladies Aid Society. The floral offerings were the largest and most beautiful ever seen in the city, many coming from distant towns, from the congregation of his son's church in Springfield, Mo., from relatives in Dallas and Gainesville and other parts of the state. The service was a very impressive one, all the speakers and singers being those who have been associated with Doctor Little in his life work. As the casket accompanied by the family and relatives entered the church, "Crossing the Bar" was sung by Mesdames Overton Harris and F. E. Shaffer, Messrs. M. McComas and Harry Tucker. This was followed by a touching prayer by Reverend Glackett of Dallas. Rev. D. H. Dodson of Leonard red the Scripture lesson, after which Mrs. Overton Harris sang, by request of the family, "The Sands of Time," a favorite song of Doctor Little's. Rev. A. F. Bishop of Austin, formerly pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of this city, spoke briefly and feelingly of the life of Doctor Little in his home, to his friends, and the great work he had done for the church in this city and the state. Doctor Little asked some time before his death that "The Glory Song" be sung at his funeral which request was complied with by the quartet. Rev. James Anderson of Stoneberg, one of the oldest Presbyterian pastors in the state, gave the address on the life and works of Doctor Little. Rev. M. C. Johnson, pastor of the church, closed with an impressive prayer, after which friends and relatives viewed the remains as the choir sang "Nearer, My God to Thee," and "God Be with You Till We Meet Again." A long concourse of sorrowing friends and relatives followed the remains to their last resting place in the family lot in Fairview cemetery. Among those from out of town here to attend the funeral of Dr. H. S. Little were the following ministers: Rev. James Anderson of Stoneberg, Rev. A. F. Bishop of Austin, Reverend Glackett of Dallas, Reverend Urier of Temple, Reverend Manton of Paris, Rev. D. H. Dodson of Leonard, Rev. B. Wrenn Webb of Sherman. Others were Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Acheson and son, Alex M. Jr., of Dallas; Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Corte of Dallas, James Kirkland, Dallas; Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Wilson, Leonard; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Van Style and E. B. Planter, Gainesville; Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hanna, Dallas. . . . REV. H. S. LITTLE IS DEAD Well-Known Minister Passed Away Sunday Morning Decedent Came From a Family of Ministers and Was a Pioneer Resident of Denison. Rev. Henry Smith Little, aged 69 years, synodical superintendent of home missions for the Presbyterian church in Texas and a pioneer resident of Denison, died at 5 o'clock Sunday morning at his home No. 705 West Chestnut street. Death was caused by ouraemic poisoning from which he had been ill for six months. For three weeks past his condition was serious and death was expected at almost any time. Rev. Little had a long and useful career as a minister, and by virtue of the position which he held for many years, he was known all over the state and greatly loved. As synodical superintendent of home missions he was called to every part of the state, his duties requiring him to organize and establish new churches and supervise those organized. In this work he had been engaged for almost thirty years. Rev. Little came from a family of ministers. His father was prominent in the affairs of the Presbyterian church in Indiana and spent fifty years as synocial superintendent of home missions in that state. Rev. Little has three brothers who are ministers. They are Rev. Joseph B. Little, Middlesberry, Conn.; Rev. George O. Little of Washington D. C. and Rev. Charles H. Little of Indianapolis, Ind. Four sisters also survive him. Rev. Little was married twice and both of his wives were the daughters of ministers. Rev. Little was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 27, 1837. The early years of his ministry were spent in Indiana and Wisconsin. Five years prior to the time he came to Texas he was pastor of Carondelet Presbyterian church, St. Louis, Mo. In the spring of 1879 Rev. Little came to Texas to take up the duties with the church which he continued up to the time of his death. He was attracted to Denison by the fact that this city was the only one in Texas which had a free public school. Settling in this city, he carried on his work of extending and supervising the church and built it into a special institution. His duties required him to travel a great deal, and as the methods of transportation were then very primitive, he did most of his traveling in his buggy. He made many trips to various parts of the state, some of them more than 1500 mile journeys in his own private conveyance. On these trips he was compelled to sleep beside his vehicle as houses were few and far between. On one occasion when he was accompanied by his son, now Rev. Henry Little of Springfield, Mo., they slept in the open for three weeks. This early work of the minister naturally brought him into many experiences, pleasant and otherwise. Several times while traveling in stage coaches he was held up and robbed. He suffered narrow escapes in floods and storms and lived practically a frontiersman's life. In West Texas Rev. Little did a great deal of work among the cattlemen, and in that section of the state he is very well known and loved. Rev. Little's work for the Presbyterian church was much like that of a bishop for the Methodist and Episcopal church, except that he was more of an advisory officer than one with authority. He has visited many times every church in the synod and was instrumental in organizing most of them. But two or three churches in Texas antedate his ministry. Rev. Little was married in May 1866 at Evansville, Ind., to Miss Anna McCarer. Four children survive the first union, as follows: Rev. Henry Little, pastor of Calvary Presbyterian church, Springfield, Mo.; Mrs. John M. Hanna, Dallas; Mrs. Method Pazdral of West, Texas, and Misses Marina L. Little of Denison. Rev. Little was married for the second time January 1, 1886 to Miss Lucy Gerriah at Hayes City, Kan. His wife survives him. Complete arrangements have not been made for the funeral. Services will be held at Presbyterian Church at 9 o'clock Tuesday by Rev. C. N. Johnson, pastor of the church. Rev. Bishop, formerly pastor here, now of Austin, and a large number of ministers from various points in the state will be present.  Martha Rhea Little 24 March 1879 - 13 January 1947
20 May 1885 - 6 August 1886 s/o Rev. H. S. & M. E. Little Fairview Cemetery Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |
