A Noble Heritage: Samuel Little and the Reformed Presbyterians

While researching my grandmother's side of the family, I came across some very interesting information regarding my Great, Great, Great Grandfather Samuel Little. It appears he may have been an Elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church and helped found the RP in Sparta, Illinois which is approximately a 30 minute drive from my home! If so, I have indeed inherited a noble Christian heritage and I bless the Lord for it.

My grandmother was Lillian Mae (Weaver) Somers and her father was William Izear Weaver, the great grandson of Samuel Little and Elizabeth "Betsy" Boone. Here is some information I found on-line that appears to link Samuel Little to the Reformed Presbyterian Church:

Some Descendants of Samuel Little and Elizabeth "Betsy" Boone

Samuel Little, born 4 Feb 1777 in Rowan County, North Carolina, died 8 May 1831, possibly in Smith County, Tennessee. His parents have been tentatively identified as John Little, Sr. and Bellany Erwin.

He married 14 Aug 1801 in Rowan County, North Carolina Elizabeth "Betsy" Boone, born 3 Mar 1786 in Rowan County, North Carolina, died 23 Mar 1827, possibly in Smith County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of John Boone and Rebecca Bryan. By 1811, the family was living in Lincoln County, Tennessee where a number of deeds are recorded for Samuel Little. One dated Nov 1811, appoints Samuel Little as overseer of the road from Touchstone's to Swan Creek. In November 1814, Samuel Little is again overseer of the road in the Swan Creek area. A Deed of Sale dated 31 Dec 1811 [Vol C1, pp 147-148], Samuel Little buys from John Wilson (Samuel's brother-in-law?), 100 acres on a creek that runs into Swan Creek and Elk River. The land was part of a grant of 3400 acres to John Wilson from the state of North Carolina, patent dated 6 June 1797 No. 1423.

Lincoln County Pioneers, Vol II, No 3 contains an article on the Hephzibah Reform Presbyterian Church. It states: "This once flourishing congregation was situated along the Elk River, near Fayetteville...The congregation was organized June 12, 1812, as the Elk Congregation, by Rev. John Reilly of South Carolina, and Elder William Edgar, of Duck River, with eighteen members. At this time Samuel Little and Alexander Morton were chosen ruling Elders."

(Source: Descendants of Samuel Little and Elizabeth Betsy Boone; Little Family History and Genealogy: http://www.family-genealogy-online.com/little/little-descendants.html)

Below is an excerpt of the February 19th "This Day In Presbyterian History" which gives an account of the founding of the Presbyterian Church in Sparta, Illinois and the installment of Samuel B. Wylie as pastor:

The field of operation at first was Randolph county, though it afterward embraced parts of Perry, Washington and St. Clair.  A number of families belonging to the Associate Reformed church in South Carolina had moved into the county early in the [1800’s], and made a settlement near the present town of Preston.  They had been organized into a congregation by Rev. S. Brown, of Kentucky, a number of years before Mr. Wylie’s arrival, and being without preaching from their own ministers, by request, Mr. Wylie made his principal preaching place with them.  Members of the Reformed Presbyterian church began to come in.  ...

John McDill, Sr., and Hugh McKelvey, from South Carolina, came out in the summer of 1818, and bought land in Township 4—5.  One their way home they stopped in Tennessee with William Edgar, Samuel Nisbet and Samuel Little, who had removed from South Carolina a number of years before, and informed them of the mission begun in Illinois.  They immediately set out for Kaskaskia and purchased land, and Messrs. Edgar and Little moved out in the spring of 1819.  Mr. Nisbet, however, was detained and did not arrive until September.

Mr. Wylie continued to preach in Kaskaskia and in the Irish settlement and among the Covenanters, until the arrival of William Edgar and Samuel Little, when the first session was constituted, May 24, 1819, at James McClurken’s, about six miles southwest of Sparta.  William Edgar had been ordained to the eldership in the Rocky Creek congregation, South Carolina, in 1801, and Samuel Little in Hephzibah congregation, Tennessee, at its organization in the spring of 1815.

This may be reckoned the formal organization of Bethel Reformed Presbyterian Church.  It is thought by some that the first communion was held at that time.

A call was made soon after for Rev. J. Wylie and forwarded to Synod to meet in Conococheague on August, 1819.  The call itself bears not date, but the letter accompanying it bears date June 7, 1819, and is signed on behalf of the meeting by James Wilson and Samuel Little.

Source: http://www.thisday.pcahistory.org/2014/02/february-19-2/

Sadly, the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Sparta, Illinois is recorded as dividing in August of 1833. But we know that good seed was sown and the Gospel message produced fruit. The founders efforts were not in vain.

...The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: ³² which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Matthew 13:31, 32 AKJV)

 Additional Resources:

• Lincoln County, TN Area Churches: http://azcaseys.com/lookups/lct1850/churches.html

• Genealogy Home Page: Samuel Little (b. Abt. 1780, d. Aft. 1816): http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/i/t/Debbie-K-Little-MS/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0387.html

• We Relate: Samuel Little: http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Samuel_Little_%2816%29

• Roots Web: Little Family Genealogy: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=littlefamily&id=I81