Littleberry Pierce ^{1 2 3}

   FamilySearch ID: L6YQ-23W.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Residence: Moved to Clinton county, Ohio in 1842 in , Clinton, OH. ¹

2. Residence: in 1851 in Licking Township, Blackford, IN. ¹

3. Residence: in 1896 in Hartford City, Blackford, IN. ¹

4. Book: Biographical Memoirs of Blackford County, Indiana: bio of Elisha Pierce, 1920. ¹
HON. ELISHA PIERCE.

The paternal ancestors of Mr. Pierce were for many generations residents of North Carolina, where some of them settled in the colonial period, and the name is still to be met with in various parts of that state. His grandfather, the first of the family of whom anything very definite has been learned, was a wealthy planter and slave holder and a man of more than local repute in the community where he lived. Like many of his progenitors, he became the possessor of a large landed estate, known far and wide as the abode of a genuine, open-hearted hospitality, which was generously dispensed to all who laid claim to his friendship. Such free-handed hospitality was prevalent among the wealthy classes throughout the south during the ante bellum days, but with the changed conditions wrought by the war it is now only too rarely met with.

Littleberry Pierce, father of Elisha, was born on the paternal plantation in North Carolina and there grew to maturity, remaining with his parents until twenty-two years of age. He then engaged in agricultural pursuits for himself, but did not remain long in his native state, going thence to Ohio in 1842 and settling in the county of Clinton, where he purchased land and made his home until 1851.

Thinking to better his condition in a country abounding in better opportunities for a man in moderate circumstances, Mr. Pierce, in the latter year, moved to Blackford county, Indiana, and bought eighty acres of woodland in Licking township, which in due time was cleared and developed into a first-class farm. At the time of his settling there the place contained a small clearing of fifteen acres, the remainder of the tract being in its primitive condition of dense woods and thick underbrush, in short, an almost unbroken wilderness, penetrated only by a few foot paths.

Addressing himself to the herculean task before him, Mr. Pierce, by working early and late, soon felled the forest monarchs, enlarged the area of cultivable land and within a few years had a comfortable home, patterned in many respects after the old plantation in North Carolina, though by no means so large in extent as the latter. Here he lived and reared his family and until advancing age and the infirmities incident thereto compelled him to desist somewhat from manual toil, he followed agricultural pursuits profitably and earned the reputation of a high-minded and honorable Christian gentleman.

In 1896 he moved to Hartford City, where he passed the residue of life yet remaining, and here, amid a large circle of friends who respected him for his many sterling qualities, this good man was called to the higher life in September, 1898.

For over twenty years Littleberry Pierce held the office of justice of the peace in Licking township and as a dispenser of justice and adviser of his neighbors in matters of law he is remembered for the impartiality of his decisions and the disinterested manner with which he compromised much troublesome and expensive litigation. In early life he united with the Methodist church, to which he ever afterwards remained loyal, and for nearly a quarter of a century he was a licensed preacher in his denomination, though not at any time regularly employed or in charge of a circuit or station. He ministered to the people of his neighborhood in holy things without financial remuneration and did much to spread the cause of religion in Blackford and neighboring counties. His intellectual attainments were far above those possessed by the average man and his wide reading and general information upon all the leading questions of the day, both secular and religious, made him a leader of thought in the community where he lived so many years.

In addition to his agricultural interests, he gave much attention to stock dealing, trading in realty, etc., which added considerable to his income, although at no time was he what might be considered a wealthy man? only a good liver and a liberal contributor to all benevolent and religious enterprises.

As stated in a preceding paragraph, Mr. Pierce gave considerable attention to the law and in addition to his office as justice of the peace he was frequently retained as counsel in justice courts.

He married in Clinton county, Ohio, soon after locating there, Huldah Graham, a descendant of an old Scotch family, and became the father of twelve children whose names are as follows: Elisha, the subject of this mention ; James, a soldier in the Civil war, died in 1864 at Raleigh, North Carolina; Rebecca, wife of William Spence, of Eaton, Ohio; Franklin, deceased; William, a merchant of St. Louis, Missouri; Stephen D., a farmer of Blackford county; Handford resides in the state of Nebraska; Wiley, a resident of Hartford City; Mary married D. Adkinson and lives in Kansas; Charles, attorney at law and deputy prosecuting attorney of the county of Blackford, and Minnie, wife of D. Smith, a farmer of Delaware county, this state. The mother of these children is still living, at the age of sixty-nine, her home at this time being in Hartford City.

Littleberry married Huldah Graham in , Clinton, OH.¹ (Huldah Graham was born on 10 Oct 1830 in , Clinton, OH,^{2 4} died on 17 Jul 1900 in Hartford City, Blackford, IN ⁴ and was buried in Muncie: Elizabethtown Cemetery, Delaware, IN ⁴.)