Josiah Littlefield 
 
JOSIAH LITTLEFIELD, Biography / Surrey Twp, Clare Co, MI 
 
Submitted for use by USGENWEB Clare County, Michigan November 2002 
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Portrait and Biographical Record of Northern Michigan. Chicago: Record 
Publishing Co., 1895. 
 
JOSIAH L. LITTLEFIELD, a leading business man of Farwell, is engaged in the 
lumber business. He has held various local offices, is now President of the 
Village Board, and in the ranks of the Republican party is a leader in this section. 
He was elected to the position of County Surveyor and served for several terms, 
and also officiated for one term as Register of Deeds. In everything pertaining to 
the good of the community he takes an active and influential part, and probably 
about one-third of the village property belongs to him. His residence is one of the 
best to be found in the county, and its fittings bespeak the refined taste of the 
proprietor. For twenty years Mr. Littlefield has given his attention largely to his 
lumber interests and has been very successful. From time to time he has 
invested money in farms, and is now the owner of a number of well improved 
homesteads. 
 
The birth of our subject occurred in Flat Rock Village, Wayne County, Mich., July 
3, 1845. His parents were Daniel and Mary (Hall) Littlefield, both natives of New 
York State. His grandfather, Josiah Littlefield, also of the Empire State, was a 
pioneer in Michigan, being one of the first settlers of Ash Township, Monroe 
County, where he cultivated a farm up to the time of his death. Daniel Littlefield 
and his wife, Mary, were married in Michigan, and had three children. Wesley B. 
is now a resident of Wayne County. Cyrus was in the Union service as a member 
of the First Michigan Cavalry, and his health was so shattered that he has been 
unable to conduct business since. Mrs. Littlefield is still living, her home being in 
Detroit, but the father died forty-five years ago, in 1850. 
 
After receiving an elementary education in the public schools, J.L. Littlefield went 
to Ann Arbor, where he took a four-years course in the scientific department of 
the State University, graduating therefrom in the Class of '71. The following 
August he came to Farwell and followed his chosen profession as a surveyor and 
civil engineer for a few years. In 1875 he built a planing and shingle mill, and in 
1881 erected the present sawmill, with a daily capacity of about thirty-five 
thousand feet; in 1891 he added a band-saw and all other modern 
improvements, making one of the most complete mills in this section. As the 
years passed success attended him, and thus he well deserves, for he has been 
the architect of his own fortunes and has made his way undaunted by difficulty. 
 
October 28, 1874, Mr. Littlefield married Ellen Hart, of Detroit, Mich. She died in 
this place in 1875, leaving one daughter, Ellen. The present wife of our subject 
wsa Miss Emma Layle. She was born in St. Clair County, Mich., and was married 
July 7, 1881. A son and daughter have come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. 
Littlefield, Hazel Grace and Franklin Floyd. 
 
For many years Mr. Littlefield has been a pillar in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, to which his wife also belongs. He was one of the organizers of the 
congregation here and has been Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He 
enjoys the friendship and kindly regard of a large circle of acquaintances.