Earl Buchanan Little (born 1901)

1917	1917	1920
1975

Littles Celebrate Golden Anniversary

More than 300 guests gathered at the Lake Prairie Presbyterian Church annex Aug. 31 for an open house honoring Mr. and Mrs. Earl Little, Lowell, for their golden wedding anniversary, Oct. 1.

Hosts were daughter, Mary Mikels and her husband, Harold of Lowell, Sally Sarah Piller and husband, Eugene of Blawenburg, N.J. and grandchildren, Martha Lain of Lowell; Sarah Lain of Flora, Henry and wife Nancy Lain of Veedersburg; William Lain and wife Linda, Lowell; John Mikels and wife Judy, Lowell; Pat Mikels and wife Judy; Richard Mikels and wife Janet of Muncie; Jane, Patricia and Julie Piller, New Jersey.

Both Emarine and Earl Little come from sturdy Scotch ancestors. She is the daughter of Sarah Rinker Cook and Thomas Montgomery Black; he the son of Martha A. Buchanan and Jesse Little, early pioneers of the Lowell area.

A former teacher of grade school classes, 1921-25 in Indiana Harbor and Cook County, Ill., Emarine is a former student at Indiana University, Bloomington. Earl is a 1924 graduate of Purdue University.

They were married Oct. 1 1925 in Lowell at the Black home by the Rev. C.A. Brown, Methodist minister. Tom Black and Mary Childress were their witnesses. Emarine recalled theirs as a simple home wedding. Her parents had both died when she was a youngster and she and her nine brothers and sisters kept together raising each other.

The Littles resided first in the Jesse Little homestead on old Route 41 where he was engaged in farming. After 11 years they moved to the Hess Little "Kankakee marsh farm," south and west of Lowell. Later they inherited it from his family and it has been sold to their grandson, William Lain, who continues the grain and livestock operation on the 360 acres. The Littles live in the newer home constructed on this same property; the Lains in the old home.

They are pictured here before the burl maple secretary, their favorite piece of furniture which belonged once to the last Tory governor of New Hampshire, given to a member of the Black family and kept all these years.

Earl is mostly retired, but is on hand to help in emergencies, he pointed out. His hobby is the six Shetland ponies he raises and trains. They appear in parades and are used for special events.

The Littles are members of Lake Prairie United Presbyterian Church where Emarine taught Sunday school for 40 years. Both have served various church offices, she as president of the Woman's Organization.

Their 50 years together were filled with days of fun and hard work, Emarine recalled. When times were tough, she took in boarders. She also boarded children, the Morrissey and York children among some. They raised two nephews, Ralph and Richard Deatrick.

50 YEAR MEMBER

Emarine is a 50 years member of Order of Eastern Star and in '76 will have 50 years in the Extension Homemakers Club. She also belongs to Oakland Woman's club. Earl's fraternity is Alpha Chi Rho. Last year he attended [the] 50th anniversary of his Purdue graduating class.

Her hobbies include a collection of glass slippers and antique furniture.

Both are history minded and told that the Little family came to Lake Prairie in 1856 from New Hampshire along with families like Garrish, Ames, Wasson, Burhans and Brannons, to name a few. Of the Black children, only Emarine and a brother, Adolph Black of Utah survive, Earl still has his sister, Mary Childress of Hebron.