double click on picture to enlarge
The homestead which has been called the "Little Place", lies between House Mountain and Clinch Mountain in Knox Co., Tenn. It is an original land grant of 1786 for Jermiah Chamberlain (1740-1829) for his service as a surveyor during the Revolutionary War. Jermiah married Margaret, and family tradition has her listed as a Worthington. There is a possibility that Margaret was a Carmichael instead of a Worthington, but more research is needed. Jermiah gave his son, Ninnian Chamberlain, the land grant and it was to a one room log house Ninnian Chamberlain brought his bride in 1817.
Research is showing that Jermiah immigrated from Ireland to the Colonies when he was 16 yrs. old, about 1756 with his father Ninian Chamberlain and mother Janet. He served as a private in the Revolutionary War at the Battle of King's Mountain.
Research is showing that Jermiah immigrated from Ireland to the Colonies when he was 16 yrs. old, about 1756 with his father Ninian Chamberlain and mother Janet. He served as a private in the Revolutionary War at the Battle of King's Mountain.
The original land grant hung in the Old Home Place in a busted frame over Jermiah's wooden surveyor's desk until the 1980s. After Worthy Little passed in 1964; Lucy Little Dunsmore (1904-1987) took care of the Home Place and Family Cemetery up in the cow pasture, keeping most of the things packed away in the original log cabin room which is the bottom floor, left side of the home and in the attic. It has been said that a full Union Civil War Uniform hung in the front room which belonged to Frank Armstrong Little (1833-1924). Lucy gave the Union Civil War cap to her younger cousin Frank Persons(1931-2003).
The Chamberlain-Little Home Place - 1929
Bottom of House Mountain, Knox Co., Tennessee
1988
The bottom left side of the house is the original part of the log cabin
and over the years it has been added on to.
The old barn.
Charlie L. is sitting with Charlotte Persons and Dan L. is standing with Franklin Persons on top of wagon. House Mountain in the back ground, working the fields. - 1936.
Margaret "Maggie" Adelia Chamberlain Little (1832-1903) was the last Chamberlain to live in the Old Chamberlain Homestead.
Maggie married Frank Armstrong Little (1833-1924) in 1865 and from that time on, it has been occupied by Littles.
Frank Armstrong Little
Reunion of Union Civil War Soldiers
L. to R. - Williams, Frank A. Little, Col. Eppi, Rev. W. Shipe
Frank Armstrong Little - 1890
The Little Family Portrait
Photo -1896
Photo -1896
Standing- Thomas Prosur Little (1868-1932), Daniel Lynville Little (1873-1933), Ara Jane Worthington Love Little (1869-1964), Ninnian Adam Little (1866-1936), Francis Robert Lincon Little (1871-1934),
Seated- Frank Armstrong Little (1833-1924), "Maggie" Chamberlain Little (1832-1903), Julia White Little (1868-1910) in her gold wedding dress. Bob, her husband is holding Charlie Little and Arminda Little (1896-1971) is the baby in front.
This is Julia White Little's wedding dress.
It was donated to the
McClung Historical Collection in Knoxville, Tenn.
 |
| Suzan Persons - wearing Julia White Little's Wedding Dress. This photo was taken 1970s, on the farm of Lucy Little Dunsmore. Lucy was Julia's daughter. The wedding dress was donated to the McClung Collection in Knoxville, Tenn. |
The family comes together when Frank A. Little passes in 1924.
Bob, Tom, Worthy, Dan and Adam Little - 1924
The only daughter of Maggie and Frank Little,
Ara Jane Worthington Love Little
(1869-1964)
Obituary from the Knoxville Newspaper-
"Miss Ara Worthington Little, one of Knox County's first registered nurses, died yesterday at the home of a niece, Mrs. Ralph "Lucy" Dunsmore, on Washington Pike, Corryton, Tenn., at 94.
Miss Little, who had ridden side-saddle through dark, cold and rain time and again to her private-duty cases, waited on her last one when she was 75. But Mrs. Lucy Dunsmore says she was still able to wait on herself up to a couple of weeks ago.
The Daughter of Frank and Margaret Chamberlain Little, early Corryton settlers, Miss Little still owned her birthplace home on Circle Rd., and the side-saddle hangs in the attic there. Four years ago, (in 1960) Corryton Community Club honored her with a "This is Your Life" Program.
Miss Little was already 30 when she graduated from the Erlanger Hospital Nursing school in Chattanooga in 1907. She had many of the late Dr. Albert Kern's private-duty cases here and also nursed for a long time in Chattanooga and Florida. She did not belong to a church but attended the Baptist Church in whatever community she was working. She will be buried in the family cemetery near her home in the cow pasture."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Researching Worthy's nursing license- the first licensed Registered Nursing Program in Tennessee was started in 1911. Worthy graduated from Baroness Erlanger School of Nursing in 1908 with 10 other nurses in her class. Some of the early licenses were granted in local courthouses and so not recorded at the Tennessee Board of Nursing. Also, registration for Nursing Certification was not required early on.
The oldest son of Maggie and Frank Little
Ninnian Adam Little
(1866-1936)
Adam was born in Corryton, Tenn. at the foot of House Mountain
in the old Chamberlain-Little homestead. He attended college at the Holbrook Normal College for Teaching.
Adam met his future wife Jennie Alora Shelton while both were attending Holbrook Normal College.
Adam's wife, Jennie Alora had TB as did two of her sisters in Hamilton Co., Tenn. The Dr. told Ninnian that he needed to move to Florida for the weather to help Jennie with her condition. About 1908-09, Adam moved his family down to the central part of the state to Grand Island, Lake Co. Florida.
The following was copied from Memories, Dedicated to the Memory of our Loved one Whos life has been Dear to Us. A Memory Book supplied by Pastor Rev. L.C. Chiles. Place of Services in the Home of Miss Worthy Little. Final Resting Place is the Family Cemetery on August 28, 1936.
Mr. N.A. Little was born July 31, 1866. He was married to Jenny Shelton in 1899. That good wife went on to the other side leaving her devoted husband and three children and his wife's people are here today and they said they never knew anything about Uncle Adam that was wrong. I can't recall having heard anyone criticize Uncle Adam Little.
To this happy union was born two sons, little Frank was taken to Heaven when just a few months of age and Paul who lives at Grand Island, Florida and two daughters, Mrs. W.B. Persons and Miss Sarah Little.
He was saved in his childhood and joined the Church. He remained active in the Church and these last few months he took his place in the church. He went to the Church of his childhood in Washington and found the preacher and had them sing the song, "Blessed Assurance Jesus Is Mine." He loved that song. He taught school for a number of years successfully before moving to Florida. Like other members of his family he had sterling qualities. He was a member of the Methodist Church at Grand Island, Florida. He was Post Master and Depot Agent for twenty-five years.
When Squire Zachary came in a minute ago, he could hardly walk and he said, "I remember when he (N.A. Little) was superintendent of the Sunday School for years and years and he was a good one." He said, "Adam was a true and faithful superintendent." Some of we people think of him in this light. Several people have told me that they went to school with him and he was a wonderful boy and a good boy.
Jennie Alora Shelton & Ninnian Adam Little
wedding picture - 1899
