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JOSEPH LONG, one of the oldest and wealthiest farmers of
Delhi township, Delaware county, and at one time probably its
largest landholder, was born in North Carolina, September 13,
1811. His father, Frederick Long, born August 12, 1782, was
also a native of the "old North State," whence he emigrated in
the latter part of 1811, to Wayne county, Ind.
By occupation he was a
farmer and also a blacksmith, and withal a wealthy man, being
able to donate to each of his children eighty acres of land. He
was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which
he was a class leader, and was most instrumental in causing a
church edifice, belonging to that denomination, to be built ten
miles north of Peru, Ind., by furnishing largely of his means
and labor. In this faith he died in 1870, universally respected
by the citizens of Wayne county. His wife, who bore the maiden
name of Rachel Star, and whom he married June 21, 1802, was also
a native of North Carolina, and was born December 15, 1775. Like
her husband she was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, was charitable, kind and motherly, and departed this
life, with full trust in her religious belief, September 9,
1835, the mother of seven children, born in the following order:
Sarah, born March 29,1803, died in infancy; Elizabeth, born
March 1, 1805; John, born April 25, 1807; Anna, born November
11, 1808; Henry, born March 31, 1810; Joseph, the subject of
this sketch, and James (deceased), born February 2, 1815.
Joseph Long was but four weeks old when he was taken by
his parents to Indiana, where he passed his early days in
attending the district school during the winter season, and
assisting on the home farm during the summer in picking brush,
rolling logs, and in making himself otherwise generally useful.
This early training strengthened his muscles and developed in
him an early manhood, so that on the seventh of July, 1831, when
not twenty years of age, he married Miss Nancy Hunt, who was
born in Wayne county, Ind., May 14, 1815, and who, to gladden
his home, brought forth six children, viz.: Elizabeth, who
unfortunately died in 1839, when but four years of age; William
and George, now residents of Delaware county, Iowa; Leander
Lafayette, living in Harrison county Mo.; Isaac N., a dairyman
of Marshall county, Iowa, and Sarah, who died in August, 1879.
Mrs. Long having been called to her last rest, Mr. Long, on July
28, 1853, took for his second wife Miss Martha Whitehead, who
was born in Indiana September 13, 1827, and to this felicitous
union have been born five children, as follows: Belle, now
Mrs. Petlon; Eugene, in Story county; Thyrsa Maria, who died
March 11, 1863; John Francis, deceased; and Anna Alice, at home.
After his first marriage Joseph Long took possession of
the eighty acre farm given to him by his father, and on this he
resided until his removal to La Porte county, Ind., where he
bought a farm on which he lived about eighteen years; thence he
moved to Lee county, bought another farm which he occupied one
year only, and from there came to his present home in Delhi
township, Delaware county, Iowa, which home he had prepared for
the reception of his family before bringing the members thereof
to his newly found paradise. Comparatively wealthy before he
came here, his business habits were not abandoned, but he
continued to add to his fortune by his excellent management
until at one time he was the possessor of over one thousand
eight hundred acres of choice land, but this immense acreage he
has divided up with a son, retaining for himself three hundred
and twenty acres only, not that he has any special need of even
this number of acres, having now retired from active business
pursuits, but because his busy brain requires something with
which to employ itself.
In politics Mr. Long is a republican. For many years he
has been an active member and liberal supporter of the Baptist
church, and his walk through life has shown the sincerity of his
belief and won the esteem of all who know him. |
