LONG, Emma (Johnson) 1874- c 1962

LONG, JOHNSON, CARLSON, HILDRING, MAASS, OLTMAN

Posted By: Diane Johnson (email)
Date: 1/22/2003 at 15:27:50

LONG, EMMA PETRONELLA JOHNSON
OBITUARY OF MRS. EMMA LONG, 88 OF LARCHWOOD
(Written by her son, the Rev. A.C. Long)

Emma Petronella, eldest daughter of Andrew and Albertina Johnson, was born May 31, 1874 in the province of Ostergotland, Sweden. As a child she received the sacrament of Holy Baptism in the parish Lutheran church. When she was a small girl her parents made the decision to come to America in search of new and better opportunities for the family. It was thus that they came to the Canton, South Dakota community in June of the year 1881.

Material and personal financial resources were all but nonexistent. Together with many early settlers of that era, they had to start at the very beginning. Earning a livelihood in those pioneer days was a cooperative family endeavor. Father, mother and children all worked at the common and immediate task of acquiring necessary food, shelter and clothing. As soon as possible they rented a farm. Successful experience in this venture was by no means a predetermined result. The settlers were periodically subjected to the rigors of drought, grasshoppers, hot burning winds of summer and cold story blasts of winter.

There were none of the labor saving devices taken for granted now-a-days. Grain was gathered from the fields and unloaded in the granary by hand. This required both time and energy. Emma had more than theoretical knowledge about the long fall season required to harvest the corn crop. Being the oldest of the children she would assume her full share of responsibility for the work on the farm. Thus formal education, even if and when available, was greatly curtailed because of the necessity of helping with daily chores and field work.

But in spite of these limitations there were compensations by reason of things learned the hard way in the school of experience. Neighborliness, mutual helpfulness, faith in one's fellow men and an abiding trust in the goodness of God became abiding values and unfailing assets not soon lost or forgotten. Lessons were learned that moulded character and determined attitudes that were retained throughout life.

On June 7, 1896, Emma was united in bonds of matrimony with Carl John Long of Larchwood. To this union were born 13 children - eight sons and five daughters. On the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary when the children, relatives and friends surprised them with a lovely remembrance of the date, all the children were present and the entire family was enjoying the best of health. Soon thereafter one son, Fromalt, and a daughter, Rosella, passed away. With the elapse of another 25 years, and reasonably good health, Mr. and Mrs. Long took special delight in celebrating their golden wedding anniversary with family and many friends. Mr. Long passed away on December 1, 1949.

In spite of a large family with never ending tasks to be done, nevertheless, mother found time for things she considered essential. Each of her children was privately taught to read before attending public school. Sunday, special holidays, and rainy days were opportunities for family consultation, Bible reading and hymn-singing. She loved to sing the good old hymns she had committed to memory, which practice she continued even to the last day of her life. We like to think of her now as having joined the heavenly chorus and with "loosened tougue" singing the praises of her God in that home not made with hands eternal in the heavens. And it is as though she had said with another mother of a different day: "Children when I am released, sing a song of praise."

She is survived by her sister, Mrs. Lena Carlson of Hartford, South Dakota and her eleven living children: Ferdinand and Carl of Harrisburg, South Dakota; Betty (Mrs. Gilmer Hildring) of Larchwood; Sylvia (Mrs. John Maass) of Garretson, South Dakota; Josephine (Mrs. Fred Oltman) of Lennox, South Dakota; Rev. Axel Long, of Tipton, Iowa; Joseph and David of Larchwood; Palmer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Amanda and John at home. There are 20 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren and other relatives and friends.

Throughout her comparatively long life, mother was blessed with good health and an optimistic spirit. She was not one to think or say that things could not be done, nor was she easily discouraged. She was never given to worry. When human resources and wisdom were spent, she would turn to her never failing spiritual reserves. Her faith was simple yet adequate. She believed that the grace of God was equal to every need. During times of difficulty, hardship, illness, suffering and sorrow her faith never wavered. God was an ever-present reality and He would not leave or forsake any of his children.

Within recent months her health and strength began to ebb and fail noticeably. Yet her faith was beautifully calm and serene until the very end. Her interests and concern for her family continued unabated. She loved to see her children and was glad for company any time. They never left her bedside without a bit of counsel or a word of advise. We knew she meant well for all, and her words were like a benediction on the way home. Her own departure from this world at the ripe age of 88 years, 11 months and three days, was "like an evening gone" and "as they who wait for the morning" quietly folding their earthly tents and unannounced slip away to that home "where joys immortal reign."