John Sebastian Little

John Sebastian " Bass" Little ( born March 14, 1851 Sebastian County, Arkansas, † October 29, 1916 in Little Rock, Arkansas ) was an American politician and governor of Arkansas in 1907. He also represented this state 1894-1907 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years and political rise

John Little attended the local schools of his home and the Cane Hill College in Washington County. After that, he was himself for a short time teachers. After a subsequent law degree, he was admitted to the bar in 1874, after which he opened an office in Greenwood.

Between 1878 and 1882, Little prosecutor in the Twelfth Judicial District of Arkansas. In 1884 he was elected to the House of Representatives from Arkansas and 1886-1890 he was a member of the Twelfth District Court. In 1894 he was appointed as successor to the retiring Clifton R. Breckinridge in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington DC selected. There he remained, after several re- elections until January, 1907.

Governor time and the end of life

In 1906, Little was elected as a candidate of the Democratic Party as the new governor of Arkansas. He took office on January 18, 1907. Shortly after, he suffered a nervous breakdown. After that it was no longer possible for him to perform his duties. On February 11, 1907, he embarked on a long relaxing holiday by the Texas Gulf Coast. The Acting Senate President John Isaac Moore officiated until May 14, 1907 as governor. On this day Xenophon Overton Pindall new Senate President, the order fell to the task to finish Littles remainder of the term. Little John never recovered from his nervous disorder. He died in November 1916 in a mental hospital in Little Rock. He was married to Elizabeth J. Irwin, with whom he had five children.