Note:The following is an extract from the book "A Lot About A Little" the chapter having been edited by Helen Rix and
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John was the youngest son of James and Jane Little and was the only son born in Australia. He was born on the 28th August, 1843, at Burbank, near Lexton, in the Pyrenees area of the Port Phillip District. The family Bible, now in the possession of Graham Bridle, says that John was born near Trawalla Bridge, Victoria. Many of his descendants believed he was born in the Vale of Tralee in Ireland, an incorrect family story pased down through generations. A younger sister, Agnes was born two years later. The family moved to the Wimmera when John was about four years of age. As John grew up he was sent to school in Geelong. He returned home to become part of "James Little & Sons" on their Wimmera properties. John was atDimboola in April 1863 when his father died as a result of a riding accident. He was left to manage Mt. Elgin with his brother, James. At Myrtleford on the 25th March, 1870, John married Susie Evans White, sister to John Coppock White, who had married Agnes Little three years earlier. According to the Family Bible, Susie was born at Sydney on May 9th, 1845. John moved to the Yackandandah area where he was in partnership with his brother, James, at Tarrawingee and Myrtle Creek, near Myrtleford. It is believed that John and James both moved to Condobolin, N.S.W., on the Lachlan River. By 1880 on, John and Susie had moved to Curraweena Station, which lies between Bourke and Cobar in N.S.W. John also had "Glen Arif" station at this time. A letter, written by his brother James in July 1879, tells of a visit to "Glen Arif" by their nephew, David Harper. David "did not like to stay at Glenarif as it was to hot and wages was only one pound, fifteen shillings per week and he could get that in a cooler climat", writes James. "Glen Arif" is situated south east of Byrock, between Bourke and Nyngan, and about 40 kms. east from Curraweena Homestead. The story is told that one of John's children was seven years old before sighting rain. John ran both sheep and horses on Curraweena. John Little was well known and respected in the Bourke, Cobar and Nyngan District. He was very fair and kind to his aboriginal workers and according to one story he had made a chest plate on which was inscribed with the chief's name. This was worn proudly by the old aborigine. Another family story tells how John also had a crescent made with the words"Jimmie Little, King of Curraweena" engraved between an emu and a kangaroo. John was regarded as a caring and generous neighbour and was known as "Honest John Little". The vegetable garden at Curraweena was tendered by a chinese gardener. The flower garden was in the style of an English garden. One story tells how Susie Little, who was known as "Markie", always carried a riding crop with her. She was very strict with the aboriginal house girls who assisted with the house work. John was quite involved with the Bourke Hospital and it is told that he pleaded with the Governor in Sydney to allow the first aboriginal patient to be admitted. Often described as an upright, honorable gentleman, John Little was stout in build, had a dark complexion, black beard and hair, and had a love of music as well as a good sense of humour. He was a generous, likeable man, and always a great favourite with his younger sister, Agnes. John was a Mason and had progressed through various Lodges. It is told that a visitor to Curraweena, when looking at the beautiful buildings, stated that the man who built them must be a Mason because of a secret sign incorporated into the keystones supporting every window. John Little is mentioned several times in the Bourke Historical Society's booklets entitled "The History of Bourke and District". It is mentioned that John Little J.P., held a spirits licence at Curraweena from 17/7/1880 until at least May 1881. He had the hotel on the Cobar Road, the "Royal Mail", until at least 1881. He was owner or manager of Curraweena from 1883 to 1889 at least and a member of the P.P.Association. In 1883 he owed ten shillings to Bampton and Spratt, saddlery and harness shop at North Bourke, an account he never paid. The booklets also indicate that the Curraweena homestead buildings cost £20,000 to build in the 1880's. John and Susie had nine children, seven girls and two boys. They were born in a number of different places including Yackandandah, Myrtleford, Barwidgee, Merriwa, Bourke, Waverley and Curraweena. This certainly indicates how mobile the family was prior to their settling at Curraweena. In 1946, Charles White, son of John Little's sister Agnes, and Susie's brother, John Coppock White, wrote of his time at Curraweena from 1886 until 1893. Note: In the book an extract from a lengthy narrative is included here, but I have included the full narrative elsewhere. The old Curraweena homestead is today almost in ruins. It is reached by a narrow track through scrubby countryside approximately 11 kms. south of todays "Curraweena". Despite the dilapted condition of the buildings, the craftsmanship of the buildings is very evident. Some distance away stands the shearing shed, also in deteriorating condition. Standing atop nearby Curraweena Hill one can still imagine the life and times of John and Susie and their children more than a century ago. On 13th April, 1894, at the age of 52 years, John died of a heart attack while parading his grey four-in-hand horses, which had won first prize at the Goulburn Show. His death was registered at Gundagai. After John's death Susie White moved to Sydney with her children, travelling by buckboard. There she ran a boarding house. She was a fine, stylish lady with snow white hair, but according to one family member became rather imperious as she grew older. She was known to the family as "The Duchess". Susie Little died in 1940 at the age of 95 years. NOTE: We now know that Susie actually died in 1933 at the age of 88 years, she lived with one of her daughters at Parkes. And now to the questions, and hopefully answers:
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