Important Houses in LeRoy's Life

Reed Home, 12932 Hencher Rd. De Soto, Missouri

 

Several years ago, Dave and I drove to DeSoto, Missouri with a list of addresses of where my ancestor's lived.  I had addresses for both sides of Dad's family for my great grandparents and my great great grandparents.  First, I found the beautiful stone house of my great-great grandparents Reed a little outside of town.  Then we located their home in De Soto as well as the home of my great grandparents Maupin.  Click here for more photos in De Soto. (The Long side of the family were mostly farmers and didn't live in town)

When I went to the address for my grandparents and my dad in 1920, I couldn't find the house anywhere.  It was now the parking lot for the De Soto Public Library. 710 South Main.  Dad wasn't much of a reader, so this is a form of "poetic justice" that his home when he was a year old is the parking lot of a library.

One of the stories my father often talked about was surviving the 1927 tornado in St. Louis while he was in elementary school.  He would tell about walking home from Stix School (9 years old) in the utter destruction.  My aunt said their home was totally destroyed and they never owned another house but only rented. For more, click here.

Several years ago Dave had to go for some cognitive testing through Barnes at 4444 Forest Park Avenue.  There wasn't much of a waiting room, so I walked around the neighborhood. There were several beautiful old homes across Forest Park Avenue from where we were but our side of the street there were none---just new buildings, Barnes hospital and parking lots/garages.  Then, I realized where I was standing---in the path of the 1927 tornado---it was as clear as day when I knew what I was looking at.  There were old homes (dating before 1927) on either side of the path.  I walked several blocks in either direction and my hypothesis was correct.

So, I knew Dad had lived near there.  I called Mom and she said he lived on the corner of Forest Park and Newstead and thought a bus shelter was there.  There was no bus shelter, but another parking lot.

My brother and sister recently asked me some questions about Dad's railroad work experience which sent me to Ancestry.com to find some documents.  As usual, when I started out looking for one thing, I found another--Dad's World War II draft registration in 1940.  He and Mom were married September 1940, so I was surprised to see her name on it---they were newlyweds and living at 3626 Botanical Ave. near the Botanical Gardens.

So, I googled it and was so surprised at what a cute house it was even though they probably lived upstairs.

When I clicked through, that was 3634 Botanical, Mom and Dad's first home was. ... you guessed it, another parking lot. My sister Jane wrote me,"Empty space, filled with living spirit."  She nailed it!

Vivian Maupin Long's Photo Album: Lee and Louise

 Several years ago, I inherited my grandmother's photo album always intending to share the photos on this web site, but it was shoved in a bin stored under a chair because "life" happened.  Recently a cousin came over and I showed him the album.  So, before I put it away again here are some photos.  I believe all of the outdoor photos where when the Longs went to Arkansas to meet the Wickers before (after?) Mother (Arky/Louise) and Dad (Lee) were married.
Amendment:  I'm going to say AFTER they were married judging from the trees in Arkansas---looks like October or November and they were married in September (having known each other just 6-8 weeks I believe)

Lee, Vivian and Roy Long

"Lee"---love the look if you enlarge this.

Billie and Louise

Roy Long and Vivian Maupin: early 1900's

Roy and Vivian—

While attending a writing class at church, someone in the class had begun writing her family history with a story of how her grandparents met.  As almost the eldest in my family, I thought I’d better write more of my family stories also.

Grandpa Roy grew up in a Baptist farm family of 12 children outside of DeSoto  MO near Big River. His mother was the daughter of a German miner and his father was from a Jefferson County Mo. family that had been farming and mining there before statehood. Any schooling Grandpa had would have been in a one room country school.He was raised with hard work and chores, but  Roy broke  away from the family traditions of farming or mining  to work at Missouri Pacific Railroad shop in De Soto, MO as a welder/boilermaker.   He was tall with blond good looks and based on notes, postcards, and photos that he saved, he was well loved by the ladies in the area.

  

Grandma Vivian grew up in a Methodist-Episcopal family with 7 children in a large Victorian home in DeSoto Mo.  Her mother’s family was from England and my aunt remembers tea parties and lace-curtain- elegance.  Grandma was raised in a more privileged family that was also more fun-loving.  During the Depression, an uncle gave all of the girls in the family violins and the boys each got a dime to buy ice cream with.  My dad often told stories of riding in the rumble seat of his grandfather’s Packard. Vivian’s father was the foreman of the Missouri Pacific roundhouse and the family travelled often by train to St. Louis for shopping and to Kansas City and Texas where family lived. She was one of those women whose personality and kindness sparkled in her eyes.

I don’t know how they met—the only common thread was Roy worked in the Missouri-Pacific shops and Vivan’s father was the foreman of the  Missouri-Pacific roundhouse in the same small town of De Soto, Missouri..  Grandpa had turned many a female head, and Grandma was a small town aristocrat. . .  and the boss’s daughter.  I have no letters and no photos of them at this time.  World War I was looming.

Roy enlisted in the Army Air Corps, not realizing that Vivian was pregnant with dad (LeRoy). LeRoy Harold Long  was born Aug. 1918 while Grandpa was in France. While I do have post cards Roy sent his parents, there is no indication that he had become a father.  The post cards are letting his parents know that he had landed in New York and would be home soon.

And Vivian?  I have one photo of her at this time, standing in a large circle — she appears to be pregnant. So, she wasn’t sent away or locked in her room.  Based on the stories I have heard about her family, I believe she was loved and cherished.  Her parents were indulgent with their children, even when they were adults and married.  Great grandmother Annie was so beloved that many of her descendants still bear her name (mine is in the middle).  They were not stingy with their wealth and freely gave what they had to all of their children that needed it, especially in the Depression where they provided housing for any needing it including one of my aunts (Norma) who lived with them as a teen-ager.  So, I believe they did whatever they needed to keep her physically or emotionally healthy.

Roy was discharged from the army on March 27, 1919 and  got married on the same day.  The witnesses were Mamie and Leo Wilson—Vivian’s sister and brother-in-law. She was 20; he was 25. It's worth noting that Vivian's mother was one of the founding "mothers" of the Episcopal Church in DeSoto.  Roy's family were the backbone of their Baptist Church and yet they were married by the Justice of the Peace not in a church. That seemed to be pretty common at that time---at least in my  Dad's family.   I wish I had one photo of them together when they were young, but starting life together with a 7 month old boy was undoubtedly a big adjustment.

As far as any of us know, Grandpa, despite his reputation with the ladies, remained faithful in his marriage to Vivian.  They had 6 children (Milton died as a baby) and remained married for 32 years until she died in 1951. But, there must have been a little bit of embarrassment on someone’s part since I found their marriage certificate which is in contradiction to the “official marriage records” in Jefferson County, Missouri.  The 1919 had been changed to 1916.

For more on Roy and Vivian , click here. 

Railroads and Trains

My father had a collection of railroad spikes that I decided to give to my grandsons this year.  But, I thought they (and their parents) needed to know why trains are so important.  My father, LeRoy Long and Grandfather, Roy Long worked for Missouri-Pacific railroad when I was a child. At one time they were both boilermakers although Dad later became an Electrician.   I went with them to the shops (where the trains were being repaired) and I took advantage of passes by getting on a train (unaccompanied by an adult), riding to DeSoto, Mo (about an hour away from St. Louis) where my parents and/or relatives would meet me. 

Once we even took an over-night trip to Oklahoma City to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins.  I can remember waking up on the train, looking out the window and being amazed by red soil of Oklahoma. I also made trips to Boston with my mother, but I was too young to remember that.

My grandparents and my grandmother's family all rode on passes since most of them worked for Missouri-Pacific.  Uncle Walter Maupin brought me two gifts from one of their frequent trips to Texas to visit family.

 The soft suede cow-girl outfit pictured above has been worn by me, my daughters and my granddaughters.   The tag says it is from Muskogee, OK.  I suspect my great-uncle bought it and the doll below at a vendor while the train was stopped in Muskogee.

LeRoy Joins the Navy

The story was that Dad went into the military relatively late because he worked for the railroad which was important to the war effort. But, I think this classification is for "family hardship" which in 1942 could only mean that he was married.

LeRoy and Lindbergh

Last weekend I went to the Missouri Historical Society Research Library. While I was there, I asked about Dad's recording he made for them of his memories of Charles Lindbergh. They couldn't help me, but gave me a name of someone at the Museum that I could contact. So, I e-mailed her---she responded promptly that she had forwarded my inquiry to someone else.

Meanwhile, I was looking at this photo Mom had made of my Dad on this day at the museum. For some reason, I decided to take the photo off the shelf to see if Mom had written the date on the back.

She had the flyer for the event, a description of Dad's memories all in the back of the frame (That's my Mother!).
"June 13, 2002
Your Dad was 9 years old the parade passed his house on Forest Park Blvd. [Dad lived on the corner of Forest Park Blvd. and Newstead Click here ]
Hear say:
He over-heard Aunt Mamie [Maupin] Wilson and his mom talking. He stayed all night at Aunt Mamie's Room House (no motels) across the street."

To my recollection---Lindbergh was staying across the street in another rooming house. But, Mom's notes told me two things that I wanted to know---where Dad had seen the parade and which aunt had a boarding house. Thanks, Mom!

Long Family Reunions

LeRoy Long (1918-2004) with his uncle Alfred Stewart Long ( 1881-1977)

Although the Long Family Reunion has been held for over 70 years in Jefferson County Missouri, I don't have a lot of photos. This first group of photos says "Jan 76" on the back, but the reunion is always in September and even Sept. 1975 would have been hard for me to attend---I was living in Pittsburgh. So this photo is either another year, or my parents took the photos.
This is one of Dad's favorite uncles---Curtis Andrew Long (1903-1980) with Le Roy Long.
The lady in the yellow lawn chair is Cenith Catherine Long Bruns, Aunt Katie (1891-1978).
The photo above was taken of my dad (on the left) with his cousin Clyde Long (1922-2001) at the reunion in 1981.
Although this looks like my grandfather, Roy Long, this is his nephew Clyde Long again in 1981.
I'm not sure who are in the photos above---Clyde? David? Please contact me (Jaclyn Morgan) if you know who these gentlemen are. To see photos of the 1931 reunion, click here.

Birthday Letter to LeRoy from Rachel

If you read the letters from Dad's siblings, they talk about their older brother and how he influenced them. The letters from 2 of his children talks about his cars and laid back personality. His grandchildren almost all remember his cycling, train room and decorating the pontoon for July 4th. Click here for Rebecca's memories.
Double click on Rachel's letter to read it. She included the photo of LeRoy (beardless) and herself as a baby as a part of her letter.

L-R: Rebecca Morgan Lewis, Rachel Morgan Twenter, Jaclyn Long Morgan, Leah Morgan Warren

Here we are getting ready to cheer Dad on during his bicycle race.
Dad had a model train room that all children loved, but he was especially proud of showing it off to his great-grandson Brett Twenter.

Bibles: 1940's and 1930's

I have inherited a number of Bibles over the years---none of them are exactly rich in genealogy, but they are rich in what my family values. I love looking at the pages, what my family members have marked---the scripture that was important to them, the items that mark the pages, the notes---they are all windows into their souls. The Bibles above belonged to my parents and my great-grandparents---Thomas Henry Long and Mary Reiter Long.

The Bible pictured above was one my father, Le Roy H. Long, carried overseas when he was in the Navy during World War II. It is also the Bible that my mother slipped in my suitcase anytime I went to camp or off to college. She said, "It will keep you safe like it kept your dad safe during the war."
It has a page inscribed by the Commander in Chief---Franklin D. Roosevelt. I think it's interesting that he acknowledges that it is a source of inspiration despite what the recipient's background might be. Something tells me even with that disclaimer, these aren't handed out anymore to servicemen from the President of the United States.


This Bible was Mother's as a child. In her later year's mother went by "Louise Alice", but this Bible confirms that her name was originally "Alice Louise Wicker"
It also has a bit of genealogy in a more adult handwriting.
Indeed, Mother must have used this Bible during World War II because I found this tucked in the pages---the name is mis-spelled but there's no denying that is Norman Schwend!
Also, there is a lock of hair---don't know whose it is---it's very pretty---almost golden in color---reminds me of my daughter Rebecca's hair.
Of course there are passages marked. I'm not sure if these were significant passages, passages that were being studied or passages she had to read aloud in a Sunday School class.
The back cover is a reminder that this is, indeed, a child's Bible: source of inspiration, source of entertainment and source of writing a note to a friend sitting beside you in the pew (hint: read what's written side-ways on the right side)

Maplewood, MO

While visiting our daughter, Leah, who lives in Maplewood, MO, I took a walk around the neighborhood to photograph places with a "family" connection. ALL of these places were taken on one walk---Leah was totally unaware of the family connection when she bought her house there.

Around the corner from her is currently a hot night spot called Jive and Wail, managed by a friend of Rachel's. Upstairs was once the beauty school whe re my mother Louise Wicker Long attended in the 1950's.
Then, a block down Manchester Road is an auto dealership. My grandfather James Wesley Wicker once worked at an auto dealership at that location in the 1940's-1950's. It was probably a Buick or Pontiac dealership at that time, though. "Wes" was an auto mechanic---the only dealership name I can recall was Burns Buick--not sure if that was in South St. Louis or in Maplewood.

Leah lives on Maple Avenue. When Mother first came to St. Louis at 18, she lived in this house also on Maple Avenue which was divided during the 1930's and 1940' s for multiple families.



My mother and father also lived on Maple Avenue when they were first married. This apartment is just down the street from Leah's house. Mother said Dad, Le Roy Long, used to go out on those tiny little balconies to study for his exams for the boilermaker trade.Maplewood is becoming an "up and coming" neighborhood with many people converting those multiple family dwellings into single family homes again. Leah and Todd's home, pictured at the top, was a two family flat which they've converted into a single family home. For more information on the town, click here . I'm happy that Mother lived long enough to see what a lovely neighborhood it has become and to see her granddaughter return to her old neighborhood.