Our branch of the Lytle family

Earliest verified ancestor:
1.Christopher Little(Litle, Lytle) was born 1680 in N. Ireland, and died 1770 in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania.
He was married in 1702 in Pennsylvania or Northern Ireland to Mary. They probably were married in Ulster as their elder son was born there the following year.
She was born Est. 1663-1691 in N. Ireland, and died prior to 1779.

Note:
There are ample verifications to the fact that Christopher Little and Christopher Lytle are one and the same person.
His sons John Litle/Lytle and James Little/Litle married Jane McConnell and Martha McConnell who were sisters.
Note:
The interchange of the spellings LITTLE, LITLE, and LYTLE is of little consequence and probably due to the interpretation of the person who recorded the fact. This varied from type to type as the heavy Scottish/Irish accent and the lack of the ability of many to spell correctly at this period in history led to misspelling as each record keeper interpreted the pronunciation. The three different spellings eventually prevailed differently in the descendants of Christopher Little/Lytle.

Immigration and ships records indicate that the first visit to America was in 1690 by his mother and father and 5 more passages take place before they settled in Pennsylvania. Ports of entry for those visits were NJ, NY, MD, and (3) PA. Christopher's father may have either worked on a ship or been a government employee during this period.

Children of Christopher Little and Mary are:
John Litle, born 1703 in Ulster Co., Ireland; died August 24, 1777 in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., PA.
James Litle, born 1720 in Pennsylvania or N. Ireland; died 1783 in Westpennsbro Township, Cumberland Co., Penn..

2.John Litle married Jane McConnell in 1727. She was the daughter of William and Mary McConnell.
Jane McConnell was born 1712, and died October 04, 1797 in PA.

Note: John and his brother James married Jane McConnell and Martha McConnell who were sisters.

Children of John Litle and Jane McConnell are:
Joseph Lytle.
Captain William Lytle, born October 15, 1728 in PA; died August 14, 1797.
Robert Lytle, born Abt. 1730 in PA; died 1779 in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., PA.
John Lytle, born 1733; died 1799.
Eleanor Lytle, born 1734 in PA.
David Lytle, born Abt. 1735.
James Litle, born Bet. 1746 - 1750; died Abt. 1808 in Anson Co, NC.

3.James Litle (son of John, son of Christopher Little) was born Bet. 1746 - 1750, and died Abt. 1808 in Anson Co, NC.
He married Nancy. She was born Bet. 1746 - 1750.

Children of James Litle and Nancy are:
John W. Litle, born 1774; died 1853 in TX.
James Litle, born Bet. 1775 - 1785; died Bef. 1817.
Agness Litle, born Bet. 1775 - 1785.
Sarah Litle, born Bet. 1775 - 1785.
William Litle, born Bet. 1775 - 1785. He married Elizabeth

A will for JAMES LITLE was recorded in Anson County NC in October 1792 reporting a wife, NANCY, and the following children:
JOHN, WILLIAM, JAMES, HOSEA, AGNESS, SARAH.

4.John W. Litle (James, John, Christopher Little) was born 1774, and died 1853 in TX.
He married Edith. She was born 1781 in Mississippi, and died Aft. 1850.

Notes for John W. Litle:
He appeared as a single man on the 1810 LA census but not again
At that time he was Litle later he changed spelling to LITTLE then to LYTLE

Shows on 1840 TX census as :
Lytle Jno 54605 (land designation)
with sons Lytle Harvey and Lytle Erastus

John W. Lytle, sometimes spelled Litle or Little, emigrated to Texas in
November 1829 from Louisiana as one of Austin's Colonists.
He was a farmer with a family consisting of himself fifty five (55) years of age
Wife Edith 49 years of age and four children.
Erastus Litle born Dec. 25, 1815 FL or LA
Harvey N. Litle born 8-5-1818 in FL or LA
Edith
Rebecca Litle born June 15, 1825 in Chocolate Bayou, LA married Andrew Watt Scobey the brother of Mary Jane Scobey who was the first wife of her brother Harvey Newton Litle.

John W. Lytle was granted on 23 Jan. 1833 one-league in what later BECAME Galveston County . Much of Galveston was created from lands that had for over a decade been part of the "Municipality" (under Mexican law, bigger than a county of the English and American system) of Brazoria. He later applied for and received an augmentation of one labor from the Brazoria County Board. of Land Commissioners

1850 Brazoria Co., TX Census
#28 173
H. N. Litle 32 M farmer $ 2000, Born: Louisiana
Edith Litle 69 F Mississippi (his mother)
Erastus Litle 34 M $ 800. Louisiana (his brother)
Eliza (Adkins) Litle 18 F Georgia (his second wife)
Mary E. Litle 2 F Texas (his daughter by his first wife)

5.Harvey Newton5 Litle (John W.4, James3, John2, Christopher1 Little) was born August 05, 1818 in FL (1850 census says LA).
Harvey N. Litle was a single man on Jan. 21st, 1838 when he was granted 1476 acres in Brazoria Co.
He had served in the Texas Mexican War.
He married Mary Jane Scobey on July 22, 1846.
Issued licence to celebrate the rites of matrimony between Harvey N Litle
and Miss Mary Scobey, this 22nd' day of July 1846 signed M B Williamson, Clerk C C B C
Mary was born Abt. 1829 and died in 1848 or 1849.
They had one child: Mary Edith Litle

He was re-married to Elizabeth Adkins of Galveston Co. on August 08, 1849 in Brazoria Co. TX. She was born Abt. 1832 in FL.
Issued licence to celebrate the rites of matrimony between Harvey N Litle
and Miss Elizabeth Adkins, this 8th day of August A D 1849 (signature unreadable)

They had three children:

William Thomas Lytle, born April 07, 1853 in Brazoria Co. TX;
died January 20, 1915 in Sand Grove, Milam Co. TX.
Shelby Lytle, born Abt. 1854 in TX. He married Kate.
Susan Lorene Lytle, born March 04, 1855 in Houston TX;
died May 27, 1936 in San Angelo, Tom Green Co. TX.

Harvey N. Litle served as a 2nd Lt. in the 17th Regiment, Texas Infantry (Allen's) F Co.
He died August 25, 1863 in Bastrop Co TX (cause of death not known).
Note: there was a yellow fever outbreak in the area at that time and the 17th Regt. was involved in a battle in Louisiana in May 1863. He might have been wounded and sent home?

Harvey N. Lytle died August 25 1863 without leaving a will disposing of his estate and left his widow Elizabeth and four children, Mary Edith the child by his first wife, and William T., Shelby and Susan all very young children, except Mary Edith.
He left a large estate consisting of lands, cattle, horses, and his homestead in Bastrop Co. and a one third interest in his brothers estate (Erastus died August 12, 1862 and had never married.)

He had no debts. All he died possessed of was disposed of by an Administrator shortly after his death, leaving his widow and minor children with no means of support. (The document of probate is on file and shows that M Mc Master transferred 165 acres in MC county, 36 quarter sections and 180 acres in Guadalupe, 19 horses and 35 cattle - to Stephen Cole and Sam McKinzie creditors. The sale of 3 "negro women" for $797 was used to pay the probate fees) You have to wonder how something like that could happen...



6.William Thomas6 Litle (Harvey Newton5 Litle, John W.4, James3, John2, Christopher1 Little) was born April 07, 1853 in Brazoria Co. TX, and died January 20, 1915 in Sand Grove, Milam Co. TX. He went by TB Litle

He married Della Morris.
One daughter, Mary Alice Litle. After Della died, T. B. Litle married Mary C. Joines

He married (2) Mary C. Joines 81 May 23, 1879, daughter of Albert Joines and Cassilla Dotson.
Mary C. Joines was born August 09, 1863 in Washington Co. TX, and died June 16, 1912 in Deanville, Burleson Co. TX.

Children of William Lytle and Mary Joines are:
Nettie Lytle, born February 1880 in Jeddo, Bastrop Co., TX; died 1890 in Jeddo, Bastrop Co., TX. Died from a mule kicking her in the head.
Stillborn Lytle, born Bet. 1880 - 1886. Mary C. Joines is buried near infant
William Alvery (or Alvey) Lytle, born November 24, 1884 in Jeddo, Bastrop Co., TX; died January 06, 1957 in Corpus Christi, Nueces Co., TX. (The Family called him "Alvy")
James Earl Lytle, born October 11, 1886 in Jeddo, Bastrop Co., TX; died June 05, 1974 in Caldwell, Burleson Co., TX. "Uncle Earl"
John Henry Lytle, born April 18, 1888 in Jeddo, Bastrop Co., TX; died January 18, 1966 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA. "Henry"
Arthur Lee Lytle, born November 23, 1890 in Jeddo, Bastrop Co., TX; died December 04, 1958 in Ft Worth, Tarrant Co., TX. ("Uncle Arthur")
George Dewey7 Lytle, born August 22, 1898 in Birdsong, Burleson, TX; died May 19, 1977 in Hanford, Kings, CA. ("GRANDPA")

The first Lytle family came to Burleson County about 1892. They were Tom Bully Lytle, his wife Mary C. Joines Lytle and their four sons: William Alvey, James Earl, John Henry, and Arthur Lee.

They came here from Bastrop County by way of the Old San Antonio Road. James Earl Lytle was six years old at the time of remembered the trip well. It was winter time and took many days of travel by wagon. Along the way Tom showed his boys the farm where he had lived as a boy. This was the last time they were to see the old home place in Bastrop County.

Near Deanville, Texas is a community called Birdsong and this is where the Lytles were to settle. The first night of their arrival, they camped near the Chriesman Chapel. A hard snow came down all night. In order for his wife and four little boys to survive, Bully Lytle stayed up all night shoveling the snow off the tent in which his family was sleeping. As soon as the storm was over, Bully began clearing land and built a log cabin. Earl Lytle lived to be eighty-seven years old and remembered many small details of their first home in Burleson County, even his father's making shingles with a froe.

The Lytles lived in Birdsong many years. Their youngest son, George Dewey Lytle, was born there on 22 August 1899. From there Bully and Mary Lytle moved to Sand Grove in Milam County, but the older Lytle boys remained in Birdsong. "Early" Lytle as James Earl was called lived with the Bob Webb family.

When Mary Lytle became very sick in 1912, she came back to Burleson County which she considered home. She spent her last days with Earl and Nellie Lytle who had been married on 7 June 1910. Mary Lytle died on 16 June 1912 and was buried beside her infant in the Chriesman Chapel Cemetery.

Bully Lytle never returned to Burleson County. He died at Sand Grove on 20 January 1915 and is buried there.

note: In error some thought Tom Bully's name to be Walter Thomas. His name was William Thomas, according to his marriage license. As a boy he had been the town bully and the nickname "stuck". When he signed his name he always went by T. B. Litle.

William Alvey Lytle married Odie Collins and lived in Corpus Christi, Texas.
James Earl Lytle was the only Lytle to remain in Burleson County.
John Henry Lytle married Melvina "Mel" Langham and moved to Los Angeles.
Arthur Lee Lytle married and lived in Fort Worth, Texas.
George Dewey Lytle married Julia Gladys Adney and lived in Armona, California.

7.George Dewey7 Lytle (William Thomas6, Harvey Newton5 Litle, John W.4, James3, John2, Christopher1 Little) was born August 22, 1898 in Birdsong, Burleson, TX, and died May 19, 1977 in Hanford, Kings, CA.
He married (1) Ora Strong in TX.
Child of George Lytle and Ora Strong is:
Vernon Garwood8 Lytle, born November 06, 1918 in Deanville, Burleson Co., TX; died December 21, 1929 in Kennedale, Tarrant Co., TX.

He married (2) Julia Gladys Adney April 20, 1921 in Fort Worth TX, daughter of William Adney and Louvenia King. She was born February 05, 1899 in San Angelo, Tom Green, TX, and died March 24, 1984 in Fresno CA.

Children of George Lytle and Julia Adney are:
+ 439 i. William George8 Lytle, born February 02, 1922 in Fort Worth TX; died February 28, 1994 in Fresno CA.
+ 440 ii. James Earl Lytle, born . (5-10-1929) in Kennedale, Tarrant, TX.
+ 441 iii. Max Rais Lytle, born. (2-26-1937) died May 22, 2007 in Seattle, WA
+ 442 iv. Julia Nadine Lytle, born(10-7-1940)
+ 443 v. Kenneth Bruce Lytle,born October 15, 1924 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX ; died June 28, 1999 in Hanford CA.
+ 444 vi. Mary Jean Lytle, born February 05, 1927 in Kennydale TX; died September 28, 1994 in Santa Rosa CA.
+ 445 vii. Cora Valerie Lytle, born October 08, 1932 in San Angelo, Tom Green, Tx; died November 07, 1999 in Petulama CA.
446 viii. Margarite Lytle, born October 03, 1934 in San Angelo, Tom Green, TX; died November 10, 1934 in San Angelo, Tom Green, TX. Burial: Fairmount Cem.

Kenneth Bruce Lytle:

8.Kenneth Bruce Lytle (George Dewey7 Lytle, William Thomas6, Harvey Newton5 Litle, John W.4, James3, John2, Christopher1 Little) was born October 15, 1924 in Fort Worth TX. The Lytles moved to Lemoore, CA from San Angelo, TX in the late 30s. Bruce attended Armona Academy until quitting school in 10th grade. Bruce married Aileen Mae Bateman of Inglewood, CA (daughter of Merrill Carl Bateman and Louise Petersen) in Sept. 1942 at Yuma, AZ. They set up housekeeping at Lemoore, CA. Kenneth Bruce (always called Bruce)Lytle worked at Swift and Company in Hanford, CA icing boxcars and driving trucks. Aileen Mae (Bateman) Lytle was born 11-14-1924 in Maywood, CA. She attended Huntington Park High School.

Children of Bruce and Aileen Lytle:

Donald
Timmie

In Feb. 1944 Bruce volunteered for the US Army, training at Camp Fannin, TX then Ft. Benning, GA Airborne school.
Then his unit was shipped to England for further training. A member of the 513th Parachute Infantry Regt. of the 17th Airborne Division,
he was inserted into the battle of the bulge at the Bastogne perimeter on Christmas Eve 1944. After hard fighting the combined Airborne and Tank Corps along with several infantry units broke the seige of Bastogne and sent the German Army into retreat. The Division entered the Ardennes campaign, 4 to 9 January, at the Battle of Dead Man's Ridge. It captured several small Belgian towns and entered Flamierge, 7 January, but enemy counterattacks necessitated a withdrawal. However, constant pressure and aggressive patrolling caused the enemy to retreat to the Our River. On 18 January, the Division relieved the 11th Armored Division at Houffalize, pushed enemy remnants from the Bulge, and seized Wattermal and Espeler, 26 January. Coming under the III Corps, the 17th turned toward Luxembourg, taking Eschweiler and Clervaux and clearing the enemy from the west bank of the Our River. Aggressive patrols crossed the river to probe the Siegfried Line defenses and established a limited bridgehead near Dasburg before being relieved by the 6th Armored Division, 10 February. The men of the 17th were moved to various places in France and Belgium as the continuing assault on Germany's western front continued into the spring of 1945.

On March 24th 1945 the 17th participated in the largest Airborne operation of WWII, Operation Varsity, in which nearly 4000 aircraft from the British 6th Airborne Division and the 17th US Airborne Division dropped fighting men behind enemy lines, into Westphalia in the vicinity of Wesel which was east of the Rhine River.

Covered by some eight hundred fighters, 1,696 transports and 1,348 gliders flew over the landing zone, a long line of aircraft that took two and one-half hours to complete their paratroop drops and glider deliveries. During the day, another two thousand fighters provided air cover for resupply sorties that included 240 Liberators which dropped more than 580 tons of supplies. The initial glider landings provided assault troops with 695 vehicles and 113 pieces of artillery. Despite fierce resistance from some German units and comparatively high casualty rates among the attacking Allied forces, most objectives were taken within a few hours. By nightfall, British ground troops had made contact with the airborne forces and the attack on Wesel had succeeded.

Forty-four transports and fifteen Liberators were destroyed in VARSITY operations, attempting to resupply the airborne troops. The 17th Airborne lost 159 men killed with 522 wounded; the British 6 Airborne listed 347 dead and 731 wounded. By comparison, two U.S. infantry divisions that crossed the Rhine in the same operation had 44 dead and 450 wounded. Airborne assaults remained highly vulnerable to effectively directed enemy fire. At the same time, the sight of so many airplanes in the air and the effective concentration of airborne forces in a visibly successful attack against an entrenched enemy position generated great enthusiasm from Allied observers. Taking place beyond the Rhine, along with additional Allied thrusts across the river, Operation VARSITY underscored the accelerating collapse of Nazi Germany and a rising confidence in victory for the Allies in western Europe.

Their mission was to capture key points and so assist the advance of the ground troops. Having learned the lessons from the Arnhem battle, the gliders and paratroops landed close to their targets and achieved total success.

Operation Varsity was the first airborne invasion over the Rhine into Germany itself. On the 25th, the Division had secured bridges over the Issel River and had entrenched itself firmly along the Issel Canal. Moving eastward, it captured Haltern, 29 March, and Munster, 2 April. The 17th entered the battle of the Ruhr Pocket, relieving the 79th Infantry Division. It crossed the Rhine-Herne Canal, 6 April, (I remember dad telling me, when I was a kid, about trying to get across this canal at night and that the Germans had set floating lines of tin cans connected with codline out in the water and if you made contact, the noise would alert the German sentries and get you shot.) and set up a secure bridgehead for the attack on Essen. The "Pittsburgh of the Ruhr" fell, 10 April, and the industrial cities of Mulheim and Duisburg were cleared in the continuing attack.

Military government duties began, 12 April, and active contact with the enemy ceased, 18 April. The Division came under the XXII Corps 24 April.

It continued its occupation duties until 15 June 1945 when it returned to France for redeployment. In September, 1945, the 17th Airborne Division returned home and was disbanded.

It's funny how you can sum up so much in a few paragraphs, I guess it's mostly due to lack of information with which to flesh out the person.
Still it's better to know their names and at least a brief outline of their lives than never to have known that they lived at all. And never to know that you are their child, after all.





U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
about Kenneth B Lytle
Name: Kenneth B Lytle
Birth Year: 1924
Race: White, citizen (White)
Nativity State or Country: Texas
State: California
County or City: Sonoma

Enlistment Date: 22 Jan 1944
Enlistment State: California
Enlistment City: San Francisco
Grade: Private
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War
or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion
of the President or otherwise according to law
Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source: Civil Life

Education: 2 years of high school
Civil Occupation: Tractor Driver* or Truck Driver, Heavy or
Chauffeur or Truck Driver, Light An asterisk (*) appearing after
a job title indicates that a trade test for the particular occupation
will be found in the United States Employment Service Manual, Oral Trade Test
Marital Status: Married
Height: 69
Weight: 155

U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006
about Kenneth Bruce Lytle
Name: Kenneth Bruce Lytle
Service Info.: PFC US ARMY WORLD WAR II
Birth Date: 15 Oct 1924
Death Date: 28 Jun 1999
Service Start Date: 22 Feb 1944
Service End Date: 3 Nov 1945
Interment Date: 22 Aug 2001
Cemetery: San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery
Cemetery Address: 32053 West McCabe Road Gustine, CA 95322
Buried At: Section C-6 Site 893


U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006
about Aileen May Lytle
Name: Aileen May Lytle
Service Info.: PFC US ARMY
Birth Date: 14 Nov 1924
Death Date: 1 Aug 2001
Relation: Wife of Lytle, Kenneth Bruce
Interment Date: 22 Aug 2001
Cemetery: San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery
Cemetery Address: 32053 West McCabe Road Gustine, CA 95322
Buried At: Section C-6 Site 893