OBITUARY.
DE WITT C. LITTLEJOHN.
De Witt C. Littlejohn, member of the Assem-
bly for twelve years and the Speaker at five
sessions, died at his home in Oswego, N.Y., yes-
terday in the seventy-fifth year of his age. Mr.
Littlejohn was born in Bridgewater, Oneida
County, Feb. 7, 1818. He prepared himself for
entering the sophomore class at college, get-
ting his education at Ovid, Belleville, and
Palmyra, but gave up the idea of going to col-
lege, and went to Oswego when twenty-one
years old and entered into partnership with the
late Henry Fitzhugh as Fitzhugh & Littlejohn,
in transportation and milling. He was elected
President of Osego Village in 1847, and was
Mayor of OSwego under its city charter in 1849
and 1855.
Originally a Whig, Mr. Littlejohn joined the
Republican Party on its organization, and re-
mained in its ranks till his death, except that
he voted for Greeley in 1872. His zealous work
for Lincoln brought him an appointment as
Consul at Liverpool, which he declined. Though
in no way a military man, he raised in 1862 the
One Hundred and Tenth Regiment of New-York
Volunteers, and became its Colonel, taking part
in the Red River expedition. While in camp at
New-Orleans he was elected to the Thirty-eighth
Congress from the Twenty-second District, and
resigned his commission to take his seat. Army
life had left him with impaired health, and he
was absent from Congress for five months. He
took a leading part in debates, and served on
important committees.
Mr. Littlejohn's notable career in the Assem-
bly began in 1853, when he represented the
First District of Oswego County and pushed to
a successful conclusion the enlargement of the
Erie Canal and the Oswego Canal. He served
in the Assembly of 1854 and in 1855 was elect-
ed Speaker, receiving the same honor in 1857,
1859, 1860, and 1861, thus filling the chair five
terms. After his career in the army and Con-
gress he was again sent to the Assembly in
1866, when he devoted his attention to putting
through a bill chartereing the Niagara Ship
Canal, his efforts being rewarded by his con-
stituents with a public reception and a sil-
ver service. He returned to the Assem-
bly the following year, and again in 1870
and 1871. In 1872 he abandoned the Re-
publican Party and stumped the State for Hor-
ace Greeley. He acted with the Democrats for
several years, was an unsuccessful candidate
for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant
Governor when Tilden was nominated in 1872,
and was in 1876 a delegate to the St. Louis Con-
vention, and was opposed to Tilden. Suse-
quently he returned to the Republican fold, and
in 1882 ran for the Assembly, but was defeated
by William A. Poucher. He was, however,
elected for the twelfth time in 1883 to the As-
sembly of 1884, by a majority of 9.
Mr. Littlejohn was an excellent parliamenta-
rian and the strongest speaker in the House.
In the sixties he was greatly interested in the
unfortunate New-York and Oswego Midland
Railroad Company with A.A. Low, and was
President of the company for some years. It
was through his efforts largely that towns along
the line took up the scheme and increased their
bonded indebtedness. This railroad, which was
organized in 1866, was opened in 1871 and went
into the hands of receivers in September, 1873.
It was later organized as the New-York, Onta-
rio and Western Railroad.
Maintained by
Sue Greenhagen.
E-mail:
greenhsh@morrisville.edu