Johann Daniel (Klein) Little Sr (1731 - 1775)

Born 17 Dec 1731 in Cusel, Herzogtum Pfalz-Zweibrücken, Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation

Ancestors

Husband of Anne Mary (Lewis) Sparks — married 1750 (to 10 Dec 1775) in , York County, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 10 Dec 1775 at age 43 in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina

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Biography

Johann Daniel (Klein) Little Sr has German Roots.

Capt Johann Daniel (Klein) Little Sr served during the French and Indian War.

Johann Daniel (Klein) Little Sr migrated from Germany 1749 to USA.

Johann Daniel Klein was born 1731 in Cusel, Herzogtum Pfalz-Zweibrücken, Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation nowadays Kusel (until 1865 written Cusel), Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. After emigration to America the family members americanised their last name to "Little" (Klein in German means small or little).

Johann Daniel Klein (Little) was among the earliest settlers in Rowan County, North Carolina coming with the great wave that flowed from the German settlement areas of South Central Pennsylvania and North Central Maryland, beginnng around 1750.

"The Germans did not extend their settlements quite so far west as the Scotch-Irish did. They were industrious and economical in their habits and formed a valuable part of the population. As the laws were written and expounded in English and all public business was transacted in that language, the Germans were incapable, in most instances, of participating in public affairs. The process whereby they were naturalized was the taking of several oaths prescribed by law and the repeating and subscribing of the test. The test, as entered on the court records of the county, was in this form:

I, A. B., do believe in my conscience that there is not any transubstantiation in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper or in the elements of bread and wine at or after the consecration thereof by any person whatsoever."^[1]

Daniel took his oaths at the second session of the court of pleas and quarter sessions on September 17, 1753, indicating he was of German ancestry, however unlike many of the German settlers he was fluent in both English and German making him very capable of participating in public affairs.

"His first office held in the governing body of Rowan County was on January 24, 1756 when he was called upon to take the job of Constable. Since the constable was required to live in the district in which he served, we know that he was in the Crane Creek area known as the German Settlement. He served a full year in this capacity."

He served in the Rowan County Militia during the period of the French and Indian War. In 1759 he appears as sergeant, under Capt. Morgan Bryan and Lt. Thomas Evans. Perhaps he was later promoted to Capt. although it may be for some other reason he gained that title.^[3]

In 1770 a special statute was passed by the Assembly called "An act for regulating Salisbury." Among many other things the act established town commissioners who were authorized to select and lay out a suitable place for a market and other public buildings. They were to hold office for life. In case of removal of any commissioner the county court had power to appoint his successor. Daniel Little was one of the first 11 commissioners.^[4]

Next on February 13, 1770 he was appointed to serve for a term of one year as Justice of the Peace. His duties involved "taking the taxables" for his district of those who reported to him of the members of their households who were liable for taxation. This was an honarary position without pay.^[5]

Throughout his life in Salisbury, Daniel's primary occupation was operation of a tanning business although he supplemented this by obtaining a license, in January of 1765, to operate an inn in his house. This license to keep ordinaries was regulated by the county authorities who issued this list of allowed charges:
For dinner of roast or boiled flesh, 1 shilling.
For supper and breakfast, each, 6 pence.
For lodging one night, good bed, 2 pence.
For stablage (24 hours) with good hay or fodder, 6 pence.
For pasturage first 24 hours, 4 pence.
For every 24 hours thereafter, 2 pence.
For Indian corn and other grain per quart, 2 pence.8^[6]

Daniel at one time or another owned four pieces of property in or near Salisbury: Lot 20 (purchased Feb. 6, 1762}, Lot 19 (purchased Oct. 1766), Lot 73 and Lot 74. On Feb. 6, 1772 he sold 3/8 of Lots 73 and 74 to his son Peter for 12 pounds and another ¼ of these lots to Henry Essensee Jun. 4, 1774. The remainder of these properties were included in his will.

Daniel's will of Dec. 9, 1775 leaves the remainder of the above lots 73 and 74 to his sons John and Daniel. One third of his personal property to wife Mary and the remainder to be sold and equally divided among the children.

Immigration

Arrival 1756 America^[7]

Marriage & Children

Daniel married Annie Mary Lewis, about 1751, in York Co., PA. They had 7 known children, all born in Salisbury, NC:

1. Peter Little (1752-1822)
2. Daniel Little Jr. (1755-1807)
3. John Little (1758-1780)
4. Henry Little (1761-1780)
5. James Little (1767-1842)
6. Lewis P. Little (1770-1849)
7. Mary Ann Little (1772-1840)

Residence

From Ancestry Family Trees:

1755 Rowan County, NC

1759 Rowan County, NC

1761 Rowan County, NC

Death

Gravestone for Johann Klein/ Little

From Findagrave.com

CPT Daniel Little

Birth: Dec. 17, 1731, Cusel, Herzogtum Pfalz-Zweibrücken, Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation nowadays Kusel (until 1865 written Cusel), Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany;

Death: Dec. 10, 1775, Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina.

Capt. Johann Daniel Little is buried in a well-marked grave in Old English Cemetery. Also on his stone is written "First Grave."

Family links: Children: Daniel Little (1750 - 1807), Peter Little (1752 - 1822), Daniel Little (1755 - 1807), James Little (1767 - 1842), Lewis P Little (1770 - 1847).

Inscription:

HERE LYS THE BODY

OF CAP DANIEL LITTLE

LATE OF SALIBURY

WHO DIED DECEMBER

THE 10TH 1775 AGED

44 YEARS

Burial: Old English Cemetery, Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, USA^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ A Colonial History Of Rowan County North Carolina by Samuel James Ervin, Jr., 1917
2. ↑ Family Notes, Reba Little Inzer
3. ↑ 1759 Rowan County Militia List, North Carolina State Archives
4. ↑ A Colonial History Of Rowan County North Carolina by Samuel James Ervin, Jr., 1917
5. ↑ Family Notes, Reba Little Inzer
6. ↑ A Colonial History Of Rowan County North Carolina by Samuel James Ervin, Jr., 1917
7. ↑ Source: #S358 Page: Database online. Data: Text: Record for Anna Margaretha Grimm , Record for Johann Henrich Klein http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=0&pid=19768
8. ↑ Murrill Snipes, maintained by: KBStewart-Family, "CPT. Daniel Little," Findagrave.com. Record added: Oct 10, 2000. URL: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5075968. Accessed 15 Apr. 2017 by Patricia Prickett Hickin.

• American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI)

• Ancestry Family Trees

• Family Data Collection - Deaths

• Millennium File

• North Carolina Census, 1790-1890

• North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868

• Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s

• Selected U.S. Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1790-1974

• U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820

• U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants, 1789-1858

• U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Johann Daniel Klein, accessed Dec 1, 2026.

• U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970

• Web: North Carolina, Find A Grave Index, 1729-2011

• "A Colonial History Of Rowan County North Carolina" by Samuel James Ervin, Jr., 1917

• Family Notes, Reba Little Inzer

• 1759 Rowan County Militia List, North Carolina State Archives