Surname Little, Scotland to Ireland to Canada.....

[John Little]

I am trying to find any confirmation on my family origins. I have some documentation of their emigration from Ireland to Canada, but all I have is a hand written document (written in 1937) by an ancestor who documented his father's immigration from Scotland to Ireland. What I have Unknown Little b.? d. 1825 County Cavan Irl. , his wife - name unknown, died 15 Jan 1828, County Cavan Irl.
Children were: Simon b. abt 1780 prob. Scotland, d. 20 Jun 1885, ON Canada; Gilbert b. prob. Scotland; Nellie b. abt 1811 prob. Scotland m. John Taylor, d. in Canada; Nancy b. abt 1807 prob. Scotland m. Watty Fairbairn in Cootehill Ireland and "returned to Scotland".; James b. 1816 Glasgow, Sctld, m. Mary Gibson 26 Oct 1838 in Canningston, Co. Cavan Irl
d. 20 Mar. 1870 in ON Canada.
It appears all this family lived in or near Glasgow until 1816 when at least most of them emigrated to Ireland. There is a significant age difference between Simon and James - possibly two wives were involved. Apparently there were 4 more children of which I have no information.
Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

[Andy]

I think it's likely that this is your Simon in 1881:

Simon LITTLE M Male Irish 104 Ontario Farmer Church of England
Elisabeth LITTLE M Female Irish 96 Ontario Church of England
Martha LITTLE Female Irish 40 Ontario Church of England

Source Information:
Census Place Osprey, Grey East, Ontario
Family History Library Film 1375897
NA Film Number C-13261
District 155
Sub-district D
Division 3
Page Number 21
Household Number 106

I'd be amazed if there wasn't a lengthy obituary for Simon who was very probably Canada's oldest living person at the time of his death.

In Osprey there were are few Littles with similar given names to the ones you provided, including:

Gilbert LITTLE M Male Irish 51 Ireland Farmer Church of England
Margret LITTLE M Female Irish 26 Ontario Church of England
Robert LITTLE Male Irish 2 Ontario Church of England

Source Information:
Census Place Osprey, Grey East, Ontario
Family History Library Film 1375897
NA Film Number C-13261
District 155
Sub-district D
Division 3
Page Number 22
Household Number 111

Notice that this is the very next page to Simon. On the same page as Simon (next door in fact):

James LITTLE M Male Irish 62 Ontario Farmer Methodist Canada
Susan LITTLE M Female Irish 57 Ontario Methodist Canada
Susan LITTLE Female Irish 28 Ontario Methodist Canada

Source Information:
Census Place Osprey, Grey East, Ontario
Family History Library Film 1375897
NA Film Number C-13261
District 155
Sub-district D
Division 3
Page Number 21
Household Number 107


And on the next page:

John LITTLE M Male Irish 54 Ireland Farmer Methodist Canada
Elisabeth LITTLE M Female Irish 48 Ireland Methodist Canada
Simon LITTLE Male Irish 22 Ontario Farmer Son Methodist Canada
Annie LITTLE Female Irish 17 Ontario Methodist Canada
Martha LITTLE Female Irish 15 Ontario Methodist Canada
Ernina LITTLE Female Irish 13 Ontario Methodist Canada
Adeline LITTLE Female Irish 11 Ontario Methodist Canada
John LITTLE Male Irish 9 Ontario Methodist Canada
George LITTLE Male Irish 7 Ontario Methodist Canada

Source Information:
Census Place Osprey, Grey East, Ontario
Family History Library Film 1375897
NA Film Number C-13261
District 155
Sub-district D
Division 3
Page Number 21
Household Number 105

James Little was probably a Deputy Master in the Maxwell Masonic Lodge in Osprey. Shake hands the right way and there may be some helpful records.

[John Little]

Thanks for the response. The info in Ontario, I have. The John you list age 54 was my grt grdfather, his son John was my Grandfather.
You are right about Simon, but have found very little (no pun) about him.