Cumberland County, Maine - Albion Little ********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: C. Wendland SilverDrusilla@aol.com Copyright © 2005 by C. Wendland Caitlin's Gold Award Project, Girl Scouts USA, Rio Grande Girl Scout Council, El Paso, Texas ********************************************************************** Biography Albion Little Biographical Review Cumberland County, Maine Boston Biographical Review Publishing Company 1896 Page 434-437 Albion Little, a portrait of whom appears in connection with the following sketch, is a public-spirited, philanthropic citizen of Portland, prominent in business, political, and social circles, who is at present devoting his energies to the building of the Eastern Maine Insane Hospital, being Chairman of the Building Commission. He was born in Whitefield, Lincoln County, Me., January 22, 1836. He is the son of Samuel and Hannah (Boynton). Little, and is a representative of an old and honorable family, his first ancestor in this country, George Little, who came from Unicorn Street, London, near London Bridge, having settled in old Newbury, Mass., in 1640. (See "Descendants of George Little, Newbury, Mass.," by George T. Little, Auburn, Me., 1882.) From him the line is traced through Joseph, Daniel, and Samuel, to Joshua, the great- grandfather of Mr. Albion Little. Joshua Little was born September 17, 1741, and was one of the first settlers in Whitefield, Me. A man of courage, patriotism, and ability, he served in the Revolutionary War, bearing the rank of Lieutenant, and was in charge of a company at Castine and in action at Crown Point. He was subsequently Captain of a company of State militia for many years; and he represented Whitefield in the Massachusetts legislature when the town was incorporated, Maine being then a part of Massachusetts. Samuel Little, son of Joshua, was a farmer, who lived in Pittston, Me.; and there his son Samuel, the father of our subject, was born, June 3, 1811. He also was a farmer, living in Whitefield from 1834 to 1867, when he moved to Bowdoinham, where he and his wife are now living. He is a prominent man in the town, and has served in various official capacities. Albion Little attended the district schools of his native town, and was graduated from the high school of Alna. When but seventeen years of age he took charge of a school; and from that time until he was twenty-one he taught school for two terms in a year at Boothbay Harbor, historic Pemaquid Point in Bristol, Jefferson, Whitefield, and Windsor. In 1857 he obtained a position in Portland as clerk in a dry-goods store; and he shortly became associated with Peter Lane, with whom he formed a partnership, March 4, 1861, under the firm name of Lane & Little. At first they conducted a retail business, and later established a wholesale store on Middle Street. The senior partner retired in 1872, and the firm name was changed to A. Little & Co. The establishment was one of the leading wholesale houses of the city; and a flourishing trade was carried on until 1893, when Mr. Little retired. He is a Director of the First National Bank, with which he became connected in 1878; was one of the active founders of the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, an institution of which the State may well be proud, and has been Vice-President from the time of its organization; has been a Director of the Saco River Woollen Company since it was organized; and was principal stockholder in the Hollis woollen-mill before its incorporation, and is now on the Board of Directors. In 1877 Mr. Little was appointed Trustee of the State Reform School; and he was soon after chosen President of the Board, a position that he has filled with great credit, taking an active interest in the school, which ranks high among the public institutions of the State. He is now the oldest member of the Board; and, as stated above, he is Chairman of the Commission for building the Maine Insane Hospital at Bangor. On December 24, 1861, Mr. Little was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Ellen Hart, who was born in Portland, January 12, 1840, daughter of Deacon Henry B. and Sarah (Hill) Hart. They have the following children: Alice May, wife of Edmund T. Davis, of Boston; Florence Kingman, wife of F. O. Keene, of Freeport, Ill.; Sarah Ellen; Albion Henry, in his father's office; and Maude Garfield. A Republican in politics, Mr. Little was elected to the Common Council in 1877, and twice re-elected, filling the President's chair the last term. He was elected to the Board of Aldermen three times from the same ward, and was Chairman of the Board in his third term. He was in the convention which nominated Garfield in 1880, and was a delegate to the National Convention at Chicago, which nominated James G. Blaine in 1884. Mr. Little is President of the Bramhall League of Portland, and is a member of the Portland Club and the Country Club. In religious belief he is a Baptist, being a member of the Free Street Baptist Church. He has a beautiful residence at 227 Western Promenade, Portland.