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LUTHER RICE LITTEFIELD--OBITUARY

Copied from McNairy County Independent, March 1903.
Contributed by Scleeta Hudson.

[Luther Rice "Luke" Littlefield was born on December 25, 1826 near Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was the son of William Littlefield, Jr., a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and his second wife, Sarah Turner. Luther married Nancy Artimesia Woolverton, daughter of James Matthew Woolverton and Agatha Williams; granddaughter of Andrew Woolverton3 (Joel2, Charles1). Luther and Nancy Littlefield lived most of their married life in McNairy County, Tennessee, on a farm about 3 miles northwest of Adamsville. Nancy (Woolverton) Littlefield lived another 23 years after her husband, passing away January 24, 1926 at the age of 96. Luther Rice Littlefield and his wife Nancy are both buried in the Adamsville Cemetery.]

IN MEMORIAM.

The death angel came at 3:30 o'clock, March 25, 1903, and claimed for its victim a husband, father, and friend. Luther Rice Littlefield, of Adamsville, Tenn. He was born Dec. 25, 1826,--at the good old age of 76 years and three months he died.
He married Miss Nancy A. Wolvert-ton in Tippah Co., Miss., Dec. 28 1849, at the age of 22, and for fifty-four years they walked side by side in the road of life. His wife, now feeble and blind is left sitting by his empty chair waiting for the angel to return and take her home to her faithful friend.
The year he married he professed faith in Christ, and thus begun his married responsibilites in the cause of Christ. In 1849, Eld. Levin Savage, of happy memory, baptised him in Tippah Co., Miss., and for nearly fifty four years brother Littlefield lived a consciencous land mark Baptist, devoted to the cause of truth and righteousness. He reared a family of eleven children, some of whom have filled places of public trust, and his family is one of the most honored in the county. He moved to Tennessee in 1850 where by labor and economy he succeeded in earning a splendid living and leaves considerable property to his children, all of whom are married and have families.
How seeming said it is to say good-bye, yet in the evening shadows of life, when pain and sorrows crown our brow, the good hand of Him who loves us, reaches down and takes us away to the Temple where the lights burn forever. Peace to the bereaved and praise to the King who conquered death, and set life's banner over the solemn tomb.

Luther Rice Littlefield, dear husband, father, friend
Waited for the message God did send,
To call him to glory with the blood-washed blest,
And he ceased from labor and went to rest.

To all his children his smile was dear,
In sunshine and shadows while with them here,
For seventy-six years he stood the test,
Then said, "I am weary: let me rest."

His heart was brace, his life was true.
His soul was pure as the mountain dew.
His hands were busy and in the sweat of his face,
He earned his bread, sustained by grace.

His God and his church were his joy and care,
In their service he always bore his share;
His home and his country he loved to the last,
In duty and prudence he found life's task.

His examples were all written, where each one may read.
His actions all made good lessons to heed;
His words were well spoke, in kindness and love,
His faith pointed upward to God above.

We will miss you, dear one, here below,
But Jesus did call you and you did go
To see Him who sits on the throne,
But we will join you when life is done.

Yes, God knows best for us, we are so weak;
In our grief and our sorrow, Him can we seek,
Then when earth's pathway, we no longer can roam,
With Jesus in heaven we all may have a home.

The hour is coming when you and when I
Will put down our burden, for we too must die,
Our sun is fast sinking, our bodies must fall,
And the death angel for us will shortly call.

W. M. Hicks