William
Littell
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William Littell, born in 1798,
joined the Militia in 1812, and served in Captain Thomas Childers Company,
Kentucky Mounted Volunteer Militia, as First Sergeant or Second Lieutenant.
Others in this company were John Mountjoy, James Arnold, Icabod Ashcraft,
Lewis Lawless, James and Joseph Childers. A veteran at sixteen, he returned
home where his father lived on the upper fort of Fort Lick and taught school
each winter near the Baton Rouge Road. His uncle was the William Littell
of Frankfort, a lawyer and author of "Littells' Laws," and "Political
Transactions in Kentucky 1792-1812". He obtained a marriage license
in 1815 to marry Polly Layton, daughter of William Layton of Crooked Creek
neighborhood. Littell was only sixteen at the time and Polly younger.
Her father would not consent to the marriage. William put his license
away and continued to make the trip down Crooked Creek to court Polly. All
through the summer of 1819, William Littell campaigned for his election to
the House. The election was close, but he was elected. This was quite a triumph
for a young man only twenty-one years of age. He worked earnestly in the
House for his bill to form a new county and after some opposition it was
passed and sent to the Senate. The bill for Grant County soon passed the
Senate without any further delay and was signed by Governor Adair February
12, 1820. This was the happiest year in Littell's life, for it was at this
time that he and Polly Layton were married with the marriage license that
the had bought five years before. John Crook performed the ceremony, one
of the early preachers of the Fork Lick neighborhood. The witness to sign
and act as best man was Price B. Hume from what is now Dry Ridge. The young
couple went to housekeeping in a log cabin on High Street. A son was born
to the couple but only lived a few months. In the early days of 1823, William
Littell died at the age of 25. During the court for the County of Grant on
July 14, 1823, on a motion by Daniel Harrison and Polley Littell letters
of administration were granted them on the estate of William Littell, dec'd,
who thereupon took the oath required by law and executed bond in the penalty
of $2000 with William Arnold and Lewis Gregory their security. During
the same court it was ordered that Thomas Wilson, P. B. Hume, Absalam Skirvin,
Hubbard B. Smith, all or any three of them being first duly sworn were appointed
commissioners to appraise in current money the personal estate, and slaves
if any, of William Littell, dec'd., and return an inventory thereof to court.
An inventory of the appraisement of William Littell, dec'd., was returned
to court, examined and ordered to be recorded during court on the 8th day
of December 1823. Polly married John Sipple on June 25, 1826 in Grant County,
Ky.
Sesqui-Centennial, 150th Year
of Grant County, Ky.
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