The Portland daily press., 1893-06-06
WILLIAM D. LITTLE.
Death of Another of Portland's Oldest and
Best Known Citizens.

Mr.. William D. Little, one of Port
lands oldest and most respected citizens
died at his residence on Pearl street last
evening, at 1890 O'Clock, after a brief
illness of nearly two weeks, from
typhoid pneumonia. It is a singular
fact that two of the oldest men in the
city and both connected with the Second
Parish church, should have been called
to higher life within few days Of
each other. The other was the late Dea-
con S. w. Larrabee.
William D. Little was born in Ports
mouth, N. H., in April, 1907. His par
ents removed to this city in June of the
same year and since then he has resided
here during his long life of sc years and
felt that he was about the same as
native Portlander. He was educated
in the public schools and at the early
age of IA years became clerk in gro
Gerry store, the compensation being $50 a
year and board. He was pupil of the
first Sunday school organized in this
city in 1916, and was the only remaining
member of that school. In 1922,
at the age of Is years, he became a
clerk in a dry goods store of Deacon
Royal Lincoln, on Middle street,
(whose daughter he subsequently. mar
ried in 1920, and received salary of
S75 and board the first year; that was
subsequently increased to 500, when he
had the care of the books and the store.
At that time W. w. Thomas and the late
S. R. Lyman were clerks in adjoining
dry goods stores.
Mr.. Little continued there till 1927, in
which eventful year he began business
for himself. in the store previously occu-
pied by w. w. Thomas and, with Mr..
Thomas, Neal Dow and the late Oliver
Gerrish. helped in organizing the Port
land Temperance Society. He united
with the Second Parish church in July,
it being the last service of DR.. Payson
Mr.. Thomas became member in April,
so that they two were the Oldest male
members of the church and have been
closely associatedItogether for two-t thirds
of a century in the sustaining and up
building of this old historic church.
Mr.. Little suffered somewhat with
many others in the disastrous land spec
ulation of 1885. In 1887, after 10 years of
successful trade in dry goods, he moved
to Exchange street and engaged in the
auction and commission business with
S. G. Shapleigh, and has been in bust
ness on that street ever since, period of
SO years, and there is no man on it today
who was there when he came,
In 1S43 he was appointed agent of the
Mutual Life Insurance Company of New
York, which had just been established,
it being the first of its kind in this coun-
try, and has continued in the insurance
business ever since. He was the first life
insurance agent in the state, and his ex-
perience in urging people to adopt the new
idea was such as few, possibly no living,
men possess. He encountered not only the
usual prejudice against new departure,
but the strange superstition that was
aroused in many people at the novel plan
of providing for the future after death,
and still further, the conviction that
was quite prevalent that insurance of
life was a presumptuous interference
with Providence. People seemed to feel
somehow that to insure ones life was
tantamount to signing ones death war
rant.
One of the first men that he insured
was Rev. Elijah Kellogg Of Harpswell,
and the famous author of the Elm Island
stories still holds the policy.
Mr.. Little represented the Mutual Life
Company for nearly half century when
impaired health, due to the responsible
ty while general agent for Maine and
New Hampshire, induced him to relin-
quish it to others. OF course very
large amount of money passed through
his hands, but the. company never re-
quired him to give bonds, which is sin
gular instance Of confidence in human
integrity. He has lately represented the
American Surety Company of New
York.
For three years Mr.. Little was one of
the city assessors. In 1888 he was chos-
en- assistant clerk of the House of Rep
resentetives; in 1941 he was elected to
the City Council, and was the only man
left of the entire city government of
that year. He was elected to the coun-
Gil successfully for 10 years. serving as
president for eight years. and was not
absent from meeting unless out of the
city. He was repeatedly nominated for
alderman, but declined to, accept. He
served in the school board for severa
years. In 1850 he was nominated for
representative to the legislature, but
declined to accept. In 1851 he was elect
ed county treasurer and served as such.
In 1880 he was nominated for senator on
the BELL and Everett ticket, with
Phineas Barnes for Governor and Ma
than Webb for member Of Congress. He
was for several years member of the
military staff of Major Jewett and served
till the close of the "Aroostook war;
Mr.. Little's life had been one of strict