Author: Steve Little

All 32 of my 3rd-great-grandparents had settled into one Appalachian county by 1820 (many earlier), and 60 of my most-recent ancestors were born, lived, and died there, in Ashe County, NC. I'm interested in genetic genealogy, especially endogamy, pedigree collapse, and teasing-apart multiple relationships using DNA segment triangulation. I am also a husband, dad, birder, chess dilettante, film & TV fan, genetic genealogist, Methodist pastor, photographer, reader, writer, regex script hacker, skygazer, and Virginian.

Joseph Conley Houck, 1888-1983, great-grandfather

The holler where my great-grandfather Joseph Conley Houck and great-grandmother Pearl Houck lived. I knew my great-grandfather, Joseph Conley Houck, who I called Great-Grandpa Houck. I have one predominate visual--if not visceral--memory of my great-grandfather: that of his--at age 90!--climbing into the ancient cherry tree that grew at the end of his and Great-Grandma's porch. … Continue reading Joseph Conley Houck, 1888-1983, great-grandfather →

Hattie Almedia Bare, 1895-1975, great-grandmother

Five generation photograph. This photograph is a five-generation photo, which is pretty rare. The baby is Monte Ann (Little) DeBoard. Monte Anne is sitting in the lap of her mother, Ruby Helen (Bower) Little. Behind Ruby is her mother, Hattie (Bare) Bower. To Hattie’s left, in the upper-left of the photo, is her mother, Kansas Missouri “Ori” Halsey. Seated in front of Ori, in the lower-left, is her mother, Ludema “Demie” Halsey.

Hattie with her mother, grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter. This photograph (circa 1940) is a five-generation photo, which I'm told is fairly rare. The baby is Monte Ann (Little) DeBoard. Monte Anne is sitting in the lap of her mother, Ruby Helen (Bower) Little. Behind Ruby is her mother, Hattie (Bare) Bower, at the upper-right. To … Continue reading Hattie Almedia Bare, 1895-1975, great-grandmother →

Jethro “Joe” Wilson Little, 1874–1951, great-grandfather

I didn't know my namesake, Joe Little, my great-grandfather. But my Dad did. On a snowy Christmas Day in 1951, when my Dad was eight years old, he was walking with his grandfather in wooded hills when Joe Little had a heart attack. For a long time my Dad blamed himself for his grandfather's death … Continue reading Jethro “Joe” Wilson Little, 1874–1951, great-grandfather →