Jesse C. Little

Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia Volume 4

Little, Jesse Carter, one of the original pioneers of Utah, was born Sept. 26, 1815, in Belmont, Waldo Co., Maine, a son of Thomas and Relief Little.

He joined the Church in the Eastern States and was ordained a High Priest April 17, 1845, by Parley P. Pratt. In 1846 Elder Little acted as president of the Eastern States Mission.

Hearing that President Polk was contemplating sending a company of militia to the seat of the war in California, he suggested that, since the Latter-day Saints were expecting to locate in the near future in Upper California, this company should be drawn from the ranks of the "Mormons" encamped on the banks of the Missouri River. This led to the Call of the famous "Mormon Battalion" in 1846.

After completing his mission in the East, Elder Little was called to be one of the original pioneer company in 1847. After his return to Winter Quarters with Pres. Brigham Young in the fall of 1847, Elder Little was again called to resume his presidency of the saints in the Eastern States and did not return to Great Salt Lake Valley again until 1852.

For many years Bro. Little was prominent in ecclesiastical, civil and military affairs in the Territory and acted as a counselor to Presiding Bishop Edward Hunter from 1856 to 1874. He died in Salt Lake City Dec. 26, 1893, being survived by several children.

(See Bio. Ency., Vol. 1, p. 242, and Vol. 3, p. 151.) This information is from the rootsweb website:
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