Edward Preble Little

Edward Preble Little (November 7, 1791 – February 6, 1875) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts and a Democratic politician active in both state and national affairs in the mid-nineteenth century. He was born in Marshfield, Massachusetts, on November 7, 1791, the son of Capt. George Little (1754–1809), a noted naval officer, and Rachel (Rogers) Little (1758–1838). He was named in honor of Commodore Edward Preble, reflecting his family’s close association with the early United States Navy. Little attended the public schools of Marshfield, receiving a basic education typical of New England communities of the period.

From an early age, Little’s life was closely tied to maritime service. In 1800, at the age of nine, he accompanied his father aboard the U.S. frigate Boston. This opportunity arose at the suggestion of President John Adams, who arranged for the boy to receive a commission as a midshipman. The experience placed him in the environment of the early American naval establishment during the formative years of the republic, although his later life would be devoted primarily to civilian pursuits rather than a long-term naval career.

On March 13, 1811, Edward Preble Little married Edy Rogers (1789–1852) in Marshfield, Massachusetts, further strengthening his ties to the local community and to the extended Rogers family, from which his mother also descended. After his brief early naval experience, Little engaged in agricultural pursuits, establishing himself as a farmer. His work in agriculture anchored him in the economic and social life of his region and provided the foundation for his later entry into public service.

Little’s political career began at the state level, where he served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. His legislative service in the state house helped to establish his reputation as a Democratic Party officeholder at a time when Massachusetts politics were often dominated by rival factions. Through this role he gained experience in lawmaking and public affairs, preparing him for subsequent responsibilities in the federal government.

Little was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-second Congress to fill the vacancy in the United States House of Representatives caused by the death of Representative Orin Fowler. He took his seat on December 13, 1852, representing Massachusetts during a period of growing sectional tension in the United States. His term in Congress lasted until March 3, 1853. During this single term in office, he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Massachusetts constituents as part of the Democratic minority in a politically contentious era. He was not a candidate for renomination to the Thirty-third Congress, choosing instead to return to other forms of public and private service.

After leaving Congress, Little continued his involvement in public affairs as collector of customs at the port of Plymouth, Massachusetts. In this federal administrative position he oversaw the collection of customs duties, an important source of national revenue in the mid-nineteenth century, and contributed to the regulation of maritime commerce in the region. Following his tenure as collector, he resumed his agricultural pursuits, returning to the rural life that had characterized much of his adulthood.

Edward Preble Little spent his later years in Massachusetts, remaining connected to the communities in which he had lived and served. He died in Lynn, Massachusetts, on February 6, 1875. His body was returned to his native region for burial, and he was interred in the Congregational Church Cemetery in Marshfield Hills, Massachusetts, closing a life that linked early American naval history, New England agriculture, and service in both the Massachusetts legislature and the United States Congress.