JOHN LONG was born in Culpeper County, Va., December 5, 1791. When five years old his father moved to Nelson County, Ky. At twenty or twenty-two John Long volunteered in the war of 1812, under Capt. Martin H. Wickliff, Col. Rennick, Gen. Harrison, Fourth regiment, Fifth Brigade, under Gen. Shelby; went from Newport, Ky., to Lake Erie, crossing the Ohio River at Cincinnati, and Lake Erie into Canada, about five miles from Fort Moldon; pursued the Blackfeet Indians through Amherstburg to the Moravian towns, where was fought the battle of the Thames, where Tecumseh was killed; he saw the dead Indian chief. Mr. Long came home in 1813; was in the service three months. He returned to Nelson County, where he lived until 1815, when he came to Eddyville, then the county seat of Livingston County. In June, 1827, he married Maria Goodall in Eddyville; she was born in Danville, Ky. In 1872 he was the last survivor of the first settlers of Eddyville. William H. Long was born March 14, 1828, in Eddyville, Caldwell, now Lyon County, and is the eldest child in a family of eight children born to John and Maria Long, whose sketch appears above. William H. was reared in the town of Eddyville and secured his education in the common schools. At about sixteen years of age, he began clerking in his father's store, where he remained until eighteen. He then went to Cincinnati: there he was salesman for an uncle, and remained nearly a year; then returned to Eddyville and entered the store of J. G. & M. M. Lyon, and was employed by the latter to take his place while he went to the Mexican war. Up to 1855, he was engaged in clerking for various parties, when he opened a dry goods store and continued the business until after the breaking out of the war. During the war he was provost marshal under the United States, and arrested deserters, etc. In November, 1866, he moved to Tennessee Rolling Mills in Lyon County, and was with Hillman Bro. & Sons, later with D. Hillman & Sons, and remained with them until they closed their works in 1878. They had three stores which Mr. Long kept the books and purchased for. While with them the present railroad was built, and Mr. Long shipped the first stock of goods over the line to Eddyville. In 1878 he returned to Eddyville and opened his present store, under the firm name of Long & Holloway, and carries a general stock. Mr. Long occupies a beautiful residence, on a hill overlooking the town. Of his brothers and sisters, there are but two of the family living, our subject, and James T. Long, of Yates City, Knox Co., Ill., a gentleman of great ability and of national prominence in the temperance cause, having visited many parts of the Union, lecturing and otherwise using his influence for the promotion of the temperance cause. Mr. Long made his start by buying a bankrupt stock of goods on credit; he has made everything by his own industry. Mr. Long was reared a Democrat, as was his father, but changed their views when the first gun was fired on the old flag, and has since been a stanch Republican. February 9, 1853, he married Julia A. Prince, of Caldwell County. To them were born three children, two living—John E. and Helen M., now Mrs. George Locker of Birmingham. Mrs. Long died May 6, 1861, she was a member of the Baptist Church and a devout Christian. October 21, 1862, Mr. Long married Mary L. White, of Evansville, Ind. They have eight children living: Nellie N., Addie B., Maria Lillian, Luie D., Grace Ione, William H., Carrie May and Ruby. Mr. Long was an Odd Fellow.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Pages 857-858.