Charles Edgar Little was born in the village of Maria in Bloomfield Township, on March 25, 1883. He was the son of James P. and Belle (Fisher) Little. As a young boy, he moved with his family to Loysburg to live across the road from the blacksmith shop. His grandfather, William Little Jr., was looking to retire and had built a new home to entice son J.P. to take over the business. Edgar’s father, James Patton Little was the “Blacksmith”.
So, it’s no surprise that the 1900 US Census shows him at home, age 17, and occupation as a blacksmith. In 1906 at age 23, he married a neighbor girl, Clara Virginia Jamison, daughter of Benjamin Franklin and Caroline (Whetstone) Jamison. B.F. Jamison was “The Squire”. On the county’s marriage application, his occupation is listed as “miller” The large grist mill was just down the street. In the 1910 Census, Edgar and Clara are seen living in their own home with Edgar is listed as “head of household” and occupation still “miller in a flour mill”. Clara’s father, Ben, now a widower, was living with them. It was in this home their first two boys were welcomed to the family.
Charles Edgar Little and Clara Virginia Jamison were married in Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, on July 19, 1906. They had the following children:
- Wilbur Jamison Little, b. 1907 in Loysburg, South Woodbury Twp.
- James Arthur Little, b. 1912 in Loysburg, South Woodbury Twp.
- Caroline Belle Little, b. 1915 in Barley’s Corner (Bakers Summit), Bloomfield Twp.
- Robert Glenn Little, b. 1917 in Barley’s Corner (Bakers Summit), Bloomfield Twp.
- Emily Ruth Little, b. 1919, in Waterside, South Woodbury Twp.
- William Paul Little, b. 1922, in Waterside, South Woodbury Twp.
- Frances Rebecca Little, b. 1928 in Waterside, South Woodbury, Twp.
Before Caroline was born, the young family moved to a house in Barley’s Corner in Bloomfield Township. It was located on the farm owned by Richard Fisher, located not far from the town of Baker’s Summit. Both Caroline and Robert were born while they lived here. It is assumed that Edgar worked for Mr. Fisher on his farm.
Then about 1917, Edgar was able to purchase their first farm in Waterside. (see blog post on Waterside Farm). It was here that he was farming in earnest and that the remaining children were born. As shown in the attached article from the Bedford Gazette in 1922, he had a quality herd of Holsteins with notable production. (see previous post on the Waterside Farm)
They farmed with mules, Molly & Hannah, and a horse named Jack. In those days, farming was hard work. My father, Robert, relayed the story that once (at least) when Edgar was taking the team around with the binder, he and Arthur were following along stacking the sheaves. When their father was sufficiently out of sight, the boys would strip down and jump in the creek to cool off. Ah.. farm life!
Arthur’s son Gaylord relates that his father attended school in Waterside through the fifth grade—about 1924–after which the small school was closed and combined with the new Replogle school built in New Enterprise. Ed had a Model A Ford Truck fitted with some benches and took the kids to New Enterprise to school. My father, Robert, told me that as a boy he went with his dad in that same truck to huckster potatoes and other produce down in the coal region around Reynoldsdale and Broad Top.
The Everett Press reported on April 8, 1932, that Edgar sold a parcel of land to J. S. Detwiler et. al. for $7000. This land became a quarry and a lime furnace in the early days of New Enterprise Stone & Lime. That business was across the creek, but apparently blasting in the quarry was frequent with the occasional bombardment of rock fragments landing in the farm yard.
About 1933, the family moved to their second farm, considered to be a New Enterprise address. This ultimately became “The Little Place”, later purchased again by Robert and is where I grew up. When Edgar’s family moved there, Wilbur had been to college and was back teaching at New Enterprise, Arthur had departed for a couple years to live in Connecticut, living at his mother’s sister, Aunt Etta. Robert was still in HS playing football for his brother, Coach Wilbur Little. “Bob” and “Bill” were likely Edgar’s primary help on the farm.
Wilbur procured the farm that adjoined the back of this property and they could coordinate some farming activities. He taught school, coached football, and farmed. At that time, the farm lane was a road that connected the two farms. Wilbur’s boys would come visit and Grandma Clara helped with babysitting. Later they helped with the farming, too. Here’s a picture of Grandma Clara about 1942 with Ruth’s first born, George Ellis Over.
The farmhouse was probably crowded. A standard 4 x 4 log construction originally, one of the four rooms on the first floor was Ed and Clara’s bedroom. There were four rooms on the second floor. The walkout basement was also living space. There was a summer kitchen out front beside a well. There was a “cave” or underground storage for root vegetables, etc. on the other side. There was no bathroom in the house, the water and facilities situation is no longer known.
Caroline, Ruth, Bob, Bill, and Frances also were living there. In 1938, Ruth was married and moved to Woodbury. Caroline got married in 1942, so as of 1940, she was still at home. Bill married in 1942 and lived there, as well. The 1940 US Census shows the occupants of the home as C.E. Little, Head; Clara V., wife; Caroline, William, and Frances. Those old log walls were likely bulging!
A little before 1940, Edgar built a second, smaller home next to the farmhouse. In the 1940 US Census, Robert and Dorothy are a separate household, assumedly in that house. The wedding announcement in March 1940 stated Dorothy would remain in Everett for a time after their honeymoon. Perhaps the house wasn’t completed, but It is confusing. Additionally, there were some discussions that the new home was intended for Ed and Clara to move into for retirement. That discussion will likely never be absolutely settled.
Unfortunately, Edgar died somewhat unexpectedly on April 8th, 1943, at the age of 60. The surviving family members had to move out and the farm was sold. Clara moved with Frances to a house near her family home in Loysburg, and Bob’s family moved to a different house at the opposite end of town. This was where William Jr. initially lived in 1850 and Ed and Clara lived right after they were married, and had their first child, Wilbur. Bob and Dorothy’s third child was born there, too, in October 1943. Then, sadly, Clara died on the 10th of February, 1944, just 10 months after her husband’s passing. She was only 57 years of age.
Edgar and Clara are buried together on the Little family plot in the Loysburg Cemetery, next to the St. Johns Reformed church.
Obituaries published in the Everett Press: 16 Apr 1943 and 18 Feb 1944
Squire, Blacksmith, Collier, Settler 