THE LITTLE LEGEND

If you have corrections or information to contribute on any of these families please contact  Jane Murtishaw Lindsey or Irma Little Boyer.

Our Primary Research
Little, Liles, Presson Ross, Coburn, Brewer, Griffin Lewis, Lazenby, Taylor Beall, Dent, Murtishaw Haun, Lindsey, Sutton

The Genealogy UPDATED
11 July 2009

Where they lived
Routes, deeds, and other sources

Wills and Estate Records

Pensions, Letters, etc.

Links to other sites

 

The Little Legend, a Genealogical History of the descendants of Jacob Little, and related Presson and Liles families was published by Irma Little Boyer in 1989.  The book title was taken from a family newspaper published by Irma's younger sister, Oleta Little DeWitt, from 1955 to 1971 for the family of William Alfred Little and Montezella Lewis. Irma's book traced her father's ancestors to Jacob Little, born about 1804 in Anson Co. NC. Along the way, with the help of nephew George Vest and cousin Nettie Sexton, Irma added other Anson Co. ancestors to the history - most notably James Presson and James Liles. Since the publication of The Little Legend, we have found that Anson Co. was also the home of Will's mother's parents: Dugal Ross and Penelope Moore and have traced the Little family back to Surry Co. Virginia. 

This online version of The Little Legend is dedicated to Will and Monti Little and their children:  Harry, Jewell, Curtis, Meryle, Burl, Irma, Oleta, and Bill.  This site includes genealogy and family stories about all of these families, source material, and links to websites where more information can be found.

While much of the data on this site is well documented, many facts are unsubstantiated and many are speculative. Please treat any fact that does not reference original sources as speculation and do your own research. We will continue to improve the documentation, so check in periodically. We welcome corrections, updates,  new data related to these families and this area, and questions.

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Halifax & Edgecombe Co. deeds
Pitt Co. deeds
Anson Co. deeds before 1800
Anson Co. deeds: 1800 to 1815
Anson Co. deeds: 1815 to 1836

Olive Branch Baptist Church Subscribers 1860

 

Anson Co. NC Ancestors - By 1800, all of my grandfather's ancestors lived in Anson Co. NC, most of them in the Gourdvine - Negrohead Creek area which became Union Co. in 1843. Like most families of that era, these families seemed to move in groups. We have traced our Little ancestors to Surry Co. VA, where Jacob Little was born in 1755. Also found in Surry Co. are Mooring and Presson families, names that soon show up in Pitt Co. NC along with the Little family. In 1795, Jacob and Isaac Little move on to Anson Co. While the Mooring family stays in Pitt Co., the Presson name is also found in Anson Co.

The first record we have of the Ross family is in 1761 when James Ross was born in Martin Co. NC, adjacent to Pitt Co. The 1790 census shows James and Hugh Ross living among several Coburn family members who soon move to Anson Co. along with James Ross and probably Hugh Ross.

In 1842 Union Co. was formed from parts of Anson Co. and Mecklenburg Co. Soon after, our families and many other Union Co. families started moving to Tennessee. By 1850, you could find Presson, Little, and Liles families in the adjacent counties of Benton and Carroll Co. TN. Nearby Henderson Co. would become the home of Dougal and Penelope Moore Ross, Jesse and Martha Ross Little, and Tyson G. Maness by 1860. Other familiar Union Co. names found near these families include Orba and Lucinda Holmes, J.W. Cherry, Noah Davis, and Patrick Presley. What made all these families move to this area of Tennessee?

 

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Web sites for Little and Ross Researchers

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Last Updated 11 July 2009

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© 2002 Jane Murtishaw Lindsey