William
Jacob Long
(1867-1940)
William
Jacob Long was born on July 3, 1867 at Normalville, Fayette County, PA, the
son of George and Elizabeth (Minerd) Long.
When Will was age four, his father died. Will became the legal ward of his grandparents, Jacob and Rachel (Ansell) Minerd III of Normalville. They would care and provide for Will for many loving years.
In May 1890, in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, PA, Will married Mary McCoy (1873-1909). She was a native of Normalville. They had two children – Homer William Long and Katherine V. McClain.
In March 1895, Will moved from Normalville to nearby Connellsville, Fayette County, to begin working as a teamster for Calhoun & Company. He and Mary must have furnished a gracious household, and are known to have hosted Thanksgiving dinner for friends in 1897. The Longs often spent their weekends visiting family in the Normalville mountains. They belonged to the Normalville Methodist Church.
The
Scullton Road in Normalville, framed against the picturesque backdrop of the
"Little Alps of America," is seen at right.
Will was close to his grandfather, and in July 1895 they cut wheat together on the family farm in Normalville. The Connellsville Keystone Courier reported that "This is the first cut in this section." At about that time, the aged grandfather moved in with the Longs in Connellsville.
Over the years, Will and Mary kept a family album filled with tintypes, cartes de visite and cardboard backed photographs. One of the photos, showing an unidentified baby, was taken at the studio of Will's second cousin, Charles H. Rose, of Normalville. All of the images may be seen on a special page of this website -- "William Jacob Long's Photo Album."
Heartache rocked the family when, on Sept. 21, 1909, Mary passed away. She was buried at Hill Grove Cemetery in Connellsville.
This image is thought to show Will among fellow
employees of the Connellsville Planing Mill
Will later worked for the Connellsville Planing Mill Company in Connellsville, "remaining with this concern until 1909 when he secured a position as a lumber inspector for the West Penn Power Company," said the Courier. "He continued with the West Penn until his retirement about [1936]."
Will
himself sent a penny postcard on March 25, 1911 to his nephew Clyde Pritts
in Normalville. The card today is preserved in the Minerd-Minard-Miner-Minor
Archives. In the card, Will wrote:
Glad to hear you are all getting better. Everything is going along allright down here. Mr. Hays is driveing your team. We unloaded two cars to day, one of wire and one of spikes. Clyde you can bring the freight from the B&O as you come by.
His duties as an inspector must have required extensive travel, including to the state capitol in Harrisburg. Postcards written by his daughter in 1915-1916 detail the extensive time he spent away from home, and the early hours of the morning at which he would depart. The cards are spelled out in detail below.
Daughter
Katherine, enjoyed visiting with her Pritts and Kooser relatives, and often sent
penny postcards to her first cousin, Hannah
(Pritts) Prinkey, who lived in Normalville. A number of these cards, from
1915-1917, are preserved in the Minerd-Minard-Miner-Minor Archives.
One
of Katherine's cards is dated Sept. 4, 1915, is seen here, and is
preserved in the family archives. In the card, she wrote to Hannah:
Just finished washing and am resting a while so will drop you a card. They all left yesterday and it seems most awfully lonesome. Papa is going away again at three o'clock in the morning. Aunt Ann just coaxed and begged me to go along back but I thought that was a little too much. I'm feeling better again although I'm some weak yet. How are all you people and when are you coming down. Answer real soon before you forget I wrote.
Katherine sent another postcard to Hannah on Sept. 9, 1915, asking:
When are you coming down? I was going to try and see you about Tues. or Wed. but Papa persuaded me to wait till after circus day. I had a letter from Sadie to-day. She is trying to hold me to my promise to go out there Xmas. Would like well enough to but guess I can't. Answer real soon and come down whenever you can.
In a card dated Sept. 18, 1916, Katherine wrote:
As it's Sunday and Papa is working, I have little to do so will answer your card. It's rather chilly here this morning, suppose it will snow sometime this winter. How is everybody in the mt. getting along? Tell Mrs. Steele and Mrs. Marshall I said "Hello." Has Mrs. Marshall ever baked that cake? Tell her to save my piece until I come up again. It won't be longer than next summer I don't think. "Listen, well listen."
Connellsville's Pittsburgh Street, looking south
When cousin Hannah married Marshall E. Prinkey in the fall of 1916, Katherine sent a congratulatory postcard, saying:
You pulled some surprise, didn't you? Well, congratulations, anyhow. Think I'll be compelled to do the same thing soon, Dad's away so much. He got home Tuesday night and left this A.M. at 3:50, and goes to Harrisburg Mon. Don't forget to write since you are married.
As
he aged, Will’s health began to fail. The Courier said he was “ill
for a number of years and had been bedfast practically the last 10 months except
for a few occasions in the summer when he was able to sit in a chair.” He died
at age 73 on Sept. 22, 1940, at the home of his married daughter Katherine. He
had been alone as a widower for 31 years. His remains were laid to rest beside his wife at Hill Grove Cemetery.
Daughter Katherine (1898-1980) married Percy James "Pete" McClain (1891-1950). They resided on 411 North Jefferson Street in Connellsville. Percy was a railroader and a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Trainmen, an early union. He apparently was a veteran of World War I. Katherine was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church in Connellsville. Percy died at age 58 on Feb. 12, 1950, having "been ill for quite some time," the Daily Courier reported. Katherine lived for three decades as a widow. She died at the age of 82 on Dec. 16, 1980, and was buried with her husband at Green Ridge Memorial Park in Connellsville.
Son
Homer W. Long (1902-1969) married Ruth Osterout ( ? -1964). He moved to Monessen,
Westmoreland County, PA in 1937, and remained there for 32 years. He was employed by the Monessen
Southwestern Railway for many decades, retiring in 1960. He was a member of the Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen, an early union, and belonged to the Connellsville Aerie,
Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is said to have been a "hobo," jumping
onto moving trains and riding them as far as Florida. He once was caught,
chained by the legs, and forced to work at hard labor. Ruth died in September
1964. Homer passed away at the age of 67 on Nov. 17, 1969, at the
Charleroi-Monessen Hospital.
Copyright © 2001-2002, 2006-2007 Mark A. Miner