William Little was born in Massachusetts on February 27, 1691. He moved to North Carolina by 1720 and in 1724 he became the attorney general of the colony. After resigning in November 1724, Little returned to the attorney generalship in July 1725. In 1726 he became the colony's receiver general and served in both roles until 1729. Little later became the chief justice of the general court in 1732 and remained in that office until his death in about August 1734.