Archives West Finding Aid

Little is known about James A. and Mary Jane Little besides what is found in these biographies. James A. Little (1803-1892) was born on 14 September 1822, in New York, to James Little and Susannah Susan Young. His father died when James was six weeks old, and nothing is known of James' childhood until he was seven years old. When James was seven he went to live with a Mr. Burton until he was sixteen, when he was hired as a farm hand. While working as a farm hand, James attended country school during the winter months. He developed an aptitude for history and later taught school in 1843, when he was eight-teen years old. Later he enlisted as a soldier in the Mexican war, under General Taylor. James joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in 1848. In 1849 he moved to Utah where he met Mary Jane Lyttle. James and Mary Jane were married on 16 December 1849. In April 1854, James was called to serve a mission, for his Church, in England with LDS Apostle Franklin D. Richards. During the first part of his mission, James acted as associate editor of the Millennial Star, and during the latter part James was Counselor to Orson Pratt. After his mission, James was appointed as the LDS Church's emigration agent in St. Louis. Brigham Young later called James to help settle Dixie. In 1877 James was called to serve another mission, this time in the Eastern States, and again later to the Western States. Upon returning to Salt Lake, James began work on the Compendium. He is the author of From Kirtland to Salt Lake, as well as biographies of many prominent men in the Church, including Brigham Young. He died at the age of eight-six, in Kanab Kane, Utah, on 10 September 1908. James was survived by seventeen children.

Mary Jane Lyttle Little (1831-1921) was born on 6 August 1831, in Partridge, Ohio, to George and Sarah Whitner. When Mary Jane was five, her patents moved to Missouri with the LDS Church. There they lived until mobs drove them from their home. Eventually her family made their way to Nauvoo, and resided there until 1846. Mary Jane states that "the Prophet Joseph Smith was a great friend of my Fathers and always a welcome visitor at our Home," and claims her father lived at the Smith mansion house for five years, as a body guard. Mary Jane died 27 March 1921 in Ogden, Utah.