The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-01-12
AN OLD SCHOOL LADY,
Death of Madam Hannah Horton
Little, Aged 88 Years.

There died at Windham Hill, Jan. 10th,
Madam Hannah Horton Little, at the great
age Of nearly sS years. She vas the last per-
son in town retaining the once popular, but
now obsolete title of madam. Mrs. Little
was born in Portland, Feb. Is, 1899. Her
parents were Rufus Horton, and his wife
Abigail Lord. Mr.. Horton came to Portland
from his native town of Milton, Mass, in
1888. His wife was a sister to William Lord,
long the faithful treasurer of Portland, who
was succeeded in Office by his son Henry p.
Lord. Mr.. Horton was for many years in
mercantile business, and the building of YES
sells. In 1901 he bought of Ansel Lewis the
now valuable lot on the north corner of Con-
gress and Green streets, and in the rear he
built SOAP and candle factory. These goods
then formed part of the cargo of every yes
sci sailing to the West Indies. In 1911, Mr..
Horton erected on the lot the corner stole
and the three houses on Green street, one of
which he occupied. Mr.. Horton, then only
IS, had served on board an armed vessel in
the war of the Revolution, and was wounded
in one leg, which affected his gait. DR..
Deane, in his journal, in his quaint way, re-
cords the building of the candle factory in
1902, calling its proprietor Lame Quaker
Horton" The late John Horton of Gorham
was brother to Rufus, and partner in
business with him.
The late Toppan Robie of Gorham COM
menced his business career with this firm as
a store boy. Rufus Horizons health became
impaired, and in 1917 he purchased a farm in
Windham, and moved his family there. l
Iecollect the appearance of Mrs. Little, then
II years old, with her sisters, in their straight
silk bonnets, of the Quaker regulation, of
which society the parents were prominent
members. The daughters were allowed to
attend the social parties of other societies,
fer which the parents were censured by their
own society, but without success. Two
years after the removal to Windham, Han
nah Horton was married to Moses Little, a
trader of the town. He was the son Of Paul
Little, a silversmith, who was burnt out at
Mowatt, in 1775, when he removed to Wind
ham.
After living on the farm for five years, Mr..
Horton and his family returned to Portland.
He died there in 1910, aged 81 years. His
widow continued to live in the Green street
house until 1871, when she died at the ex-
treme age of 80 years ard months. Rufus
Horton, Jr., long the president of the Man.
ufacturers 81 Traders Bank, who died in 1867,
was their son. The valuable Congress and
Green street property is yet owned by the
family, one-third Of which was part of the
patrimony owned by Madam Little at her
decease.
One year after the marriage of Moses Little
to Hannah Horton he built on the command
ing site, the spacious house in which they
lived and died. He had held at sometime
nearly all the town offices, and in 1916 ne
was delegate to the Brunswick convention
ON the formation of the new State. Mr.. and
Mrs. Little had from the first six children.
In 1925 son was born to them. At that
time the late Senator Fessenden was teach
ing their village school, and was frequent
and welcome visitor at the residence OF the
Littles. He told the mother that II she
would give the boy his own name, at the
proper time he would see that he had law
school education; but the boy died about the
time of his majority. The Hill district has
had several teachers who have afterwards
become prominent men. Josiah ). Little,
afterwards of Portland, taught the district
school the year previous to MIR. Fessenden
and afterwards Judge Goddard was the
teacher one term. Madam Little was very
remarkable woman and greatly respected.
At her great age she was brilliant example
to younger persons OF three score and ten,
who murmur and complain that the yoke OF
wears has become a burden. She retained
her mental powers almost to the last; they
were clOuded but a few days before her
death. The young loved her society, and
the old sought it for it made them feel young
again. Indeed her last days on earth were
among her happest, and she has taught us
that if the intellectual powers are vigorously
employed and cheerfully devoted to useful
ness, old age instead Of impairing, may be-
come the calmest and best part Of human
life.
Mrs. Little was generous of her ample
means, and remembered the ancient congre-
gational church Of the town, in her will, of
which she had been an active member 56
years. OF all her six children only one son
rUuIatnS, iIu huo Uccu Always IaltnIul IN
his duties to his mother
The funeral service will be held on Friday,
the 18th inst, at the Congregational church
at IL o'clock a. m. w. q.