GEORGE JEFFERSON LONG. This well-known citizen of East Pike Run township was born at Brownsville, Fayette Co. Penn., November 9, 1826. He is descended from the early Irish colonists of Maryland. Luke Long, paternal grandfather of our subject, was born in Harford county, Md., early in the eighteenth century, and there passed his entire life, as an agriculturist. His wife was a Miss Whittick, also a native of Maryland, who bore him three sons and two daughters: John (father of George Jefferson), James (who when a young man took a trading boat down the Ohio, and was never after heard of), Isaac, Mary and Priscilla, all of whom died unmarried except John. In religious faith these children were Methodists, and in political affiliations the sons, like their immediate antecedents, were Democrats. The father of this family died at the patriarchal age of ninety-seven years, the mother at the age of fifty-six.
John Long married Eliza, daughter of Jonathan and Jane Worrell, who were the parents of children as follows: Stephen. Samuel, George, Nathan J., Leonard, John, Eliza, Jane and Elmira. Of these Stephen (of Lancaster county) died leaving four children--two daughters, and two sons George and Leonard; Samuel married a Miss McClain and had five children; George wedded a Miss Hall, and had two children; Nathan J. married a Miss Hall and had children as follows: Albert, Jane and Samuel; Leonard married Molley Stew, and died leaving no heir; John wedded Hannah Worrell, and had by her the following named children: Hiram, Nathan, William, Dix, John, Samuel and Ann; Jane was married to Robert Raley, and had children; Elmira became the wife of John Bowers, and their children were Frank, John and Mary. The Worrells were of Dutch descent, Whigs and Republicans in their political predilections. Shortly after marriage John and Eliza (Worrell) Long moved to Brownsville, Penn., where children were born to them as follows: Isaac, Mary Jane (married to Isaac Wright and had children of whom Luke, William, Samuel, Elizabeth and Mary survive), George J., John H., Sarah Ann (married to I. N. Duval, aud his children), and James L. The last named, who is a resident of Reynoldsville, Penn., and a carpenter by trade, married Louisa Powell, of California, this county, and has one daughter, Kate V., with whom her father resides, her mother having died in 1888. John H. and James L. both served in the Civil war. John Long, the father of this family, was a painter. He was born in Hartford county, Md., died at Coal Centre, Penn., April 2, 1864.
George Jefferson Long was, as has already been state,l, but a child when his mother died, and the family, bereft of a loving mother's care, were all separated and widely scattered, to live in new homes. On New Year's Day, 1839, then a lad of some thirteen summers, our subject became one of the family of Isaac Ailes, in the house where now resides Coleman Ailes, and here the orphan boy found a home in truth; so kind to him were these noble people that a stranger could not distinguish, from any word or act, that he was other than one of their own progeny. Here he remained until attaining his majority, in the meantime learning tho trade of carpenter, which he followed to some extent in after life. In 1861 he commenced the business of undertaker at Coal Centre, which he has since successfully carried on, although he is now comparatively retired.
At the age of thirty-five Mr. Long was united in marriage with Frances, daughter of Andrew H. and Mary Holmes, and one son blessed their union, named Walter A., now in the coal business at Cincinnati, Ohio. Mrs. Long was called to her final rest May 13, 1883. She, as has always been her husband, was an earnest supporter of the M. E. Church. Mr. Long united, June 22, 1869 with the Pike Run I. 0.0. F., at California, and was a charter member of Vista Lodge at Coal Centre; he has filled all the Chairs in the Lodge, and is a member of the Encampment. In politics he acts with the Republican party.
Text taken from page 413 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed August 1997 by Jean Suplick Matuson of Plano, TX as part of the Beers Project.
Published August 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]