Jonas and Catherine (Kruzan) Little of Prairie Creek

JONAS LITTLE (picture) was the 8th child of Abel and Elizabeth (GRIGGS) LITTLE, who removed to Ohio from Monongalia Co., Virginia (now West Virginia) about the year 1800. Jonas was born c1802 in what is now Brown County, Ohio and grew up there with his ten brothers and sisters. We first find Jonas recorded in the 1820 Brown County, Ohio census living in Huntington Twp. in his father's household. Abel died intestate in early 1821, leaving us with little information about his children. Shortly after his father's death, Jonas removed to Mason County, Virginia where he married December 19, 1822 Catherine KRUZAN (spelled CRUZAN in the marriage records).

CATHERINE KRUZAN was born October 16, 1802 in Virginia, the daughter of Isaac KRUZAN and Catherine STAATS, members of large, well-established families in Jackson County, (W)VA. Catherine's siblings were Susannah, Benjamin, Isaac Jr., Hariet "Sarah", Rebecca and an unknown daughter.

In July of 1823, in Brown Co., Ohio, Jonas' older brother, Thomas G. LITTLE, went to court "on behalf of the heirs of Abel LITTLE" regarding a land dispute. Those court records provide us with the names of Abel's children: "Hannah STEWART, late Hannah LITTLE; Thomas G., David; James; Abel; Sarah; and minor children Ephrain; Jonas; Job; William; and Isaac." This places Jonas under the age of 21 in July of 1823. Census records place his birth year as 1802.

The next record in which we find of Jonas is that of the 1830 census for Mason Co., Virginia where he is found living near his brother David. Another brother, William, was also in the area as he married there about that time. In 1835, Jonas, Catherine and their five children, along with Jonas' brother William and his family, removed to Lost Creek Twp., Vigo Co., Indiana. Catherine's brother, Isaac KRUZAN Jr., was already residing there by this time.

By 1850, Jonas, Catherine and family were living along the Wabash River in Vigo Co. in the little town of Prairie Creek. Jonas was a farmer and owned land worth $1,100.00. As his sons came of age, each was given a portion of this land, which Jonas continued to accumulate. Records show he was industrious and established several businesses to suppliment the family income in addition to farming. Survey maps show he operated a ferry across the Wabash River called 'Little Ferry'. Family tradition holds that he also bought and bred purebred horses from Kentucky and went there often to buy the best available. Perhaps he had connections, as several of his siblings were living in Kenton Co., KY at the time.

Jonas and Catherine are again found in the 1860 and 1870 census for Prairie Creek. In addition to raising their own children, they raised Melissa Jane EVANS (relationship unknown) and their grandchildren Sina and Rebecca LITTLE. Sina and Rebecca were children of their daughter, Eliza who died in 1855.

Children of Jonas and Catherine were:

1. Eliza, born 11 Dec 1825 (W)VA; died 4 Apr 1855 Vigo Co., IN; married Abel LITTELL (poss. son of Jonas' brother David) 15 Dec 1850 Vigo Co., IN - Children: Sina & Rebecca.

2. Isaac, born 27 Jan 1827 (W)VA; died 7 Jan 1887 Prairie Creek, Vigo Co., IN; married Rachel Ann LAYCOCK (daughter of Amos Walton LAYCOCK and Elizabeth PARKER) 25 Nov 1849 Vigo Co., IN - Children: Melvina, Francis "Marion", Sarah J., Willard R., Albert, Hester Annabell "Annie", George & Ida "Alice".

3. Hannah, born 1827 (W)VA; died 1895 Vigo Co., IN; married Richard PRATHER (poss. brother of Mary A.) - Children: William, Rosetta, Louisa & Lovina.

4. Elijah, born 1832 (W)VA; died 1895 Vigo Co., IN; married (first) Elizabeth SWITZER 25 May 1852 Clark Co., IL - Child: Sidania "Sina"; married (second) Mary A. PRATHER (poss. sister of Richard?) 23 July 1857 Clark Co., IL - Children: Martha Isabella, Theora & Luetta Florence.

5. Tobias Mattox, born 11 Aug 1834 (W)VA; died 7 May 1897 Vigo Co., IN; married Frances "Jane" McCARNISH 16 June 1864 Vigo Co., IN - Children: Catherine, Charles C., Lucy, Oliver, Ellen "Ella", Mary, Bonnie and and unknown son.

6. Benjamin Riley, born 15 April 1836 Vigo County, IN; died 8 August 1916 Prairieton, Vigo Co., IN; married Louviah WHEATLEY 3 October 1865 Vigo Co., IN - Children: Eddie, Jonas, Freddie S., Nannie, George, Clarence E. & Bert.

7. Francis "Marion", born c1839 Vigo County, IN; married Nancy Jane (McCURTIE) RICE 3 April 1872 - Child: Oscar D.

8. Rebecca "Beckie", born Aug 1840 Vigo County, IN; died 5 Jan 1922 Vigo County, IN; married Samuel B. FARRAND (son of James & Margaret FARRAND) - Children: Bert, Jonas, Razie, Emily, Maggie, Francis "Frank" & Goldie.

Catherine died shortly after the enumeration of the 1870 census on December 26, 1870 in Prairie Creek, Vigo Co., Indiana. She is buried in New Harmony Cemetery in Prairieton, Vigo Co.

On August 10, 1871 in Vigo Co., IN, Jonas married Charlotte (WILSON) AMES, daughter of John WILSON from KY & Susan MILLER of Indiana. Charlotte was born December 29, 1826 in Indiana and died July 28, 1909 in Prairie Creek, Vigo Co., IN. She is buried in New Harmony Cemetery in Prairieton. They had one child, Walter, born October 26, 1873 and died September 20, 1874. He is buried in New Harmony Cemetery.

No record of death or burial have been found for Jonas, who is said to have died in 1877.

Jonas and Catherine (Kruzan) Little of Prairie Creek, Vigo Co., Indiana
Written by Kim Holly - 1999
The author is the ggg-granddaughter of the subjects of this sketch and the gg-granddaughter of their son, Isaac.

Back to Vigo County Biographies Index
Back to Vigo County Biographies Project