El Dorado County
Biographies
ARTHUR LITTEN
The subject of this personal notice is the third child and oldest son of a family of eleven children, sons and daughters of Solomon and Ida (nee Babb) Litten.
His father was a native of Kentucky, and also his mother. After their marriage they removed to Massac county, Illinois, where Arthur was born, his boyhood was spent as was usual in those days of primitive things, attending the country school three months in the winter and working the balance of the twelve months on his father’s farm. The school buildings in those days were but rude affairs, build [sic] of logs with puncheon floors and slab seats, without backs. When near 21 years of age, he forsook the parental roof and went forth to battle with the sterner realities of this life in pursuit of a home for himself and his posterity. On the 20th day of May, 1853, he started on his trip across the plains to California, with that slow, but no less sure conveyance, an ox team. He arrived at Placerville August 15th, same year. He prospected for a short time on Dry creek, with little or no success as a miner, he abandoned the pursuit in that direction and located at Rock Bridge on the South Fork of American river and began merchandising there in the summer while the work of fluming the river was going on and in the winter season moved up to Jay Hawk to sell goods to the miners there. This he worked until the fall of 1859. He then sold out his store and purchased his present home of 269 acres on the road leading from Folsom to Coloma and Placerville and on what is known as “White Oak flat.” A view of the residence and surroundings will be found on another page of this volume. In addition to this he owns a ranch near Uniontown, on which he ranches his bands of angora goats. On his home ranch have been discovered some of the most valuable quartz ledges in the county. Whatever of this worlds goods Mr. Litten possesses, he is indebted to his own talents and industry for never having received one farthing for naught. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Ebbert, a daughter of Louis Ebbert of Deer Valley, on the 27th day of May, 1858. To them have been born four children, viz.: Martha Jane, born at Jayhawk, Mary Ann, Estella and Julia, each born on the present home. Mr. Little [sic] is a member of Hiram Lodge, No. 43, F. & A.M., at Mud Springs. He is of more than medium stature, being 6 feet 2 and ½ inches in height and springs from a long lived family, some of his ancestors being in the nineties at death. His own father and mother reached the age of 74 and 68 years, respectively.
Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County, California with Illustrations & Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men & Pioneers - Oakland, Cal. - Paolo Sioli, Publisher, 1883. p – 251-252
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler