Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 867 - 868

GEORGE W. LONG settled in Lincoln Township when Harvey County was a portion of Sedgwick, and his first residence was the voting precinct for three townships. The election held upon the question of the division of the county was also carried on under his roof, and he voted for the railroad bonds required for the construction of the first road to Wichita. It will thus be seen that he may be properly numbered among the pioneers of Southern Kansas, and there are few who can tell him anything additional about the hardships and difficulties of life in a new settlement. He has now one of the finest farms in Lincoln Township, located about twenty-two miles from Wichita, affording him a convenient market and easy access to church and school. The new town of Furley is but three miles away. His daughter Blanche was claimed by some to have been the first white child born in Lincoln Township, but Mr. Long is inclined to believe she was the second.

            Our subject first opened his eyes to the light near the coast of the Atlantic, in New Jersey, March 31, 1834, and was the second in a family of eleven children, seven now living, born to Isaac and Mary (Williamson) Long, natives of Cambridgeshire, England. The parents upon emigrating to this country settled in New Jersey, where they remained, however, but a few years, returning to England when George W. was quite young. There it is supposed they are still living. The paternal grandparents upon both sides were also of English birth and parentage.

            The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation, and in moderate circumstances. George W. returned to America when about ten years of age, and thereafter until reaching manhood was mostly a resident of the State of New York, where he acquired a common-school education, and learned the trade of mason. This latter he followed in Perry and Wyoming Counties, besides in various other parts of the State, and in the fall of 1852 set out on a visit to England. After six months spent with his parents he came back to the United States, and continued a resident of Indiana until after the outbreak of the Rebellion. In the fall of 1864 he enlisted in an Indiana regiment for one year in a veteran regiment in Company I, 43d Indiana Infantry, and was thereafter engaged mostly in guard duty at Camp Morton. He was mustered into service at Indianapolis, and received his honorable discharge at the same place on the 14th of June, 1865.

            Our subject in the meantime had been married, Aug. 1, 1862, in Wabash County, Ind., to Miss Mary Minnick, who was born in that State, in Wabash County, in 1842. Her parents, Samuel and Margaret (Lair) Minnick, were natives of Pennsylvania and had a family of ten children, of whom Mrs. Long was the ninth in order of birth. Of these four are living, and all residents of Indiana, Wabash County. The parents are dead.

            After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Long settled in Lagro Township, Wabash Co., Ind., where they lived until coming to this county in the fall of 1871. Mr. L. upon his arrival here homesteaded 160 acres of raw prairie, and hauled the material for his house from Emporia, a distance of about ninety miles. The building was put up that winter and the family moved in, while our subject commenced the cultivation of his land and bringing about the improvements which have now made it one of the points of attraction in Lincoln Township. Mr. Long was not in possession of an overplus of capital when he took up his residence among the pioneers of Lincoln Township, and in connection with his farming operations, which progressed slowly at first, was employed in freighting goods from Emporia, Florence, Cottonwood Falls and Newton to Wichita. At first only a few days now and then could be devoted exclusively to the farm. Those days, however, are past, and besides bringing his first possession to a good state of cultivation he added to his real estate until be now owns a half-section, and has a fine assortment of live stock, including blooded horses and graded Durham cattle. He has always taken a lively interest in politics, and for a period of over thirty years has voted the straight Republican ticket. He has served in his township as Treasurer, and arrived here in time to assist in the organization of the school districts. In relation to this matter he at one time paid a visit to the County Superintendent at Wichita, and was at once appointed Clerk, and called the first meeting which effected the division of the township into school districts. Mr. Long circulated the petition in regard to this desired object, and was placed on the building committee to erect the primitive temple of learning. No man has taken a deeper interest in the educational and moral welfare of the people around him, and he has cheerfully given of his time and means to further those enterprises which should be for the benefit of the community.

            To our subject and his wife there have been born seven children, six now living: The eldest, Effie M., is the wife of Joseph Reeves, of Harvey County; George Sherman; Walter Gillespie is sojourning in Washington Territory; Charles, Blanche and Clara are at home with their parents; Anna died at the age of one year. A view of Mr. Long's place may be found among the illustrations given in this volume.

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