Progressive Men of
Minnesota
Minneapolis Journal
1897
SAMUEL T.
LITTLETON is an attorney-at-law of Kasson, Dodge
County, Minnesota. His father, Joseph D.
Littleton, was a farmer in moderate
circumstances, who had been a lawyer during the
early part of his life, and who was in the Union
army during the war. He was a native of Kentucky
and traced his ancestry back to Lord Littleton
of England who was a writer on law subjects, and
author of Littleton’s Tenures. Mr.
Littleton
married Miss Sarah Ann Parks, who was born in
Tennessee, but moved with her family to Missouri
when a little girl. Her people were all large
slave holders.
Their son, Samuel,
the subject of this sketch, was born in Chariton
County, Missouri, December 3, 1858. His father’s
home was then a log cabin. The first school
which he attended was held in a hewed log school
house. It was under such conditions that young
Littleton received most of his schooling. When
sixteen years old he commenced to teach the
lower branches, in the meantime perfecting
himself as well as possible in more advanced
studies. Like most self-taught men, Mr.
Litttleton knew thoroughly what he had
learned, and appreciated the value of persistent
application. In 1887
he commenced the practice of law at West
Concord, Minnesota. Two years later he moved to
Kasson, where he now lives. He has built up a
large and lucrative practice, extending into
many counties of the state. In 1894 he
associated in the business John J. McCaughey, a
young man of good standing at the bar, under the
firm name of Littleton & McCaughey. One of
the most interesting cases which Mr. Littleton
has had was that of Sparrow vs. Pond, tried in
the supreme court in April, 1892. This case is
commonly known as the blackberry case. The main
question was whether blackberries growing upon
the bushes were real or personal property. It is
considered the leading case of the kind in the
United States, and Mr. Littleton’s management of
the suit for his client, the plaintiff, and his
brief and argument brought him many compliments.
Mr. Littleton has
always been a Republican. He was elected to the
Twenty-ninth session of the Minnesota
legislature by a large majority over the
Democratic and Populist candidates. In the house
he served as chairman of the committee on
claims, was a member of the judiciary committee,
and was also on the committee on municipal
legislation. He was selected by the judiciary
committee to make the legal argument for the
report of the committee on the impeachment of
Judge Frank Ives. He was
re-elected for the session of 1897. Mr.
Littleton has twice served as mayor of Kasson.
He is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, a member of the
United Workmen, the Modern Woodmen, the
Daughters of Rebekah and the Sons of Veterans.
He is a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church. On February 5, 1881,
Mr. Littleton was married to Mrs. Laura A. Sheldon,
at Topeka, Kansas. Mrs. Sheldon had three
children, Charles, Eva and Robert L. They have
had one child, Melvin Albertis, who has
developed a talent for music and is an
accomplished pianist. Miss Eva will graduate
from Hamline University in the class of
‘97.
