Rabbit hunting--Long style

At the Long Family Reunion last week, Bill Long got out his grandfather Tom's rifle. It was Tom Long's turkey rifle which cousin Steve thought was engraved with his name:
But, "Long Tom" was actually a trade name although my great-grandfather was Tom Long AKA Thomas Henry Long.
Bill (red shirt) and Dave (white shirt) shared a story on why the 42 inch barrel of this 16 gauge rifle is bent. Although Tom Long used this to hunt turkeys, Elmer Dodson (on right) who was Tom's son-in-law's brother borrowed the gun to hunt rabbits. The rabbit went in a log so Elmer put the barrel in the log and fired, bending the barrel.
So I told my cousin Michael about this shotgun. He said, " I just wonder if that's grandpa's old shotgun?? The one he took with us when he took me rabbit hunting when I was just a young boy... He shot the rabbit from about 6 feet away from us with his shotgun - and all I remember was something blowing up and rabbit fuzz flying everywhere - Grandpa [Roy Long] said to me - Guess we were a little too close to that one... A special time with Grandpa I will always remember... And a funny one at that."

I asked Aunt Mary about Roy's shotgun but she said they had left it in DeSoto somewhere. It was double barreled and was pre-World War I. He let anyone use it. His nephew Junior McKay used to borrow it often. But, Roy lost track of it and no one knows what happened to it.

Vivian Maupin and Roy Long 1918

Roy Long, 3rd from the left

The photo below just says the woman on the left is Vivian, but I believe this was the summer she was pregnant with Dad. It's a part of a photo with a large group of young people. I was happy to find it because I had often wondered what it must have been like for her in 1918 to be pregnant and unmarried. This photo at least tells me she wasn't locked away in an attic. At first, it shocked us that our father, LeRoy Long, was born out of wedlock. But, his father Roy Milton Long had left for World War I and couldn't really make an honest woman out of Vivian Maupin until he returned in 1919.
We also have the crocheted cap that Annie Reed made dad as an infant. Mom left the note that the star was in the top of the cap because his dad was a soldier over-seas. This tells me that despite the "inconvenience" of his birth, he was loved and cherished.
The photo above shows the cap was worn quite a bit---it's soiled around the edges. The glasses were also Dad's when he was very little. I don't think LeRoy Long is wearing the hat below, but here he is in 1919, probably.

Although we don't have any letters between Vivian and Roy, we do have this souvenir made out of silk.

And, he did bring the doll on the right back to Vivian from France.
Maybe someone else in the family has letters between them. We do have post-cards from Roy to his parents, and he never indicates any friction. But, that's another blog.

Inside Mary Reiter Long's Bible

Thomas Henry Long and Mary Reiter Long seated. L-R: Curtis Long, Cecil Long Dodson, Clarence Long, Katie Long Bruns, Fred Long, Lecy Long Guinther, Roy Long, Lawrence Long, George Long, John Long (Estie Long not there).

The Bible was apparently not just a source of inspiration but was used as a file drawer, also. . .unless she used slips of paper as book marks like I usually do. There were many things in her Bible that weren't exactly religious, but they are a slice of life in the 1920's and 1930's. (I've photographed some on the page where they were found)I've often heard my mother comment on how much people of the Depression loved Edgar A. Guest's poems.

There were several slips of paper with addresses as well. I think this hospital was in St. Louis. Another address was "6757 Schofield Pl." David Long informed me recently this was Lecy Long and Harry Guinther's address. There is a Schofield Av. in the University City area. I have notes that say my dad (LeRoy Long) lived with Lawrence in University City at some time to help pay the rent---he lived several streets over near Page and Pennsylvania.
Other fun items stuck in the pages are T.H. Long's subscription to a The Farm Journal, a valentine (no name on it), and a gift tag from George and Pauline Long.
Some receipts from the A & P grocery and one from a David Gillman Dry Goods in De Soto, Mo.

The paper above and below are from the Dept. of Agriculture (Nov. 1933) about an adjustment program for corn-hog producers. I thought that was an interesting chart below showing exports to Europe.
There were two clippings from the paper---one was an obituary for George B. Morse (born at Morse Mill) and the other a social update on who was visiting whom. The last one mentions Mrs. W. D. Alderson---I know an Alderson family had an adjoining farm. The other side is page 2 of an obituary but there are no names with it---just condolences "It was great consolation to his loved ones when just about a week before death relieved him of his sufferings he made a profession of his faith in Christ. . ."
This was my favorite---a dress pattern and a slip of paper that says "plow ____ no. 19". Such is the life of a farmer's wife!

Mary Reiter Long's Bible

This Bible belonged to Mary Celecy Reiter Long. Although she didn't write as much as my mother did in her Bible, she did have a few notes, but most were in pencil and are very faded and hard to read.
Here is her name. On another page very faintly written are:" Mrs. Mary Long De Soto, Mo. May 30, 1915" Then, written across the page is "4115 Castleman" which is in St. Louis. I'm guessing that was either Lawrence or Roy's address since they both lived in St. Louis.
There were all sorts of items stuck in the pages---the picture above has no writing on it. The Bible lesson below is September 1924.
There were a number of pages folded very neatly like the one below:Below: Mary Celecy Reiter and Thomas Henry Long

Come back in a few days for more of what was in Mary Reiter Long's Bible.

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)

Jim's Cycling Memories

From my brother James Long:

"Jaci's Blog.....got me to looking around this AM....This is what I found of Dad's Cycling Gear. I am sure I have a few other things....just need to look harder. Dad did take me to several CRC Bike Parties...even went cycling at the Penrose Park Velodrome Track on a couple of Saturdays. Then came the big race....fell....game over ...back to Swimming.

Now lets get in the mind of a 10 yr old: Cycling - Hot...hard work...falling hurts vs Swimming- always refreshed...babes...how can you fall and get hurt swimming?"

Click here to see a photo of the Velodrome which is still in use. If you want more information on its history and construction, click here.

I recall going with Dad to a biking event at the Velodrome (built in 1961) which might have been Jim's race. To Dad's disappointment, we all became swimmers not cyclists. But, I have to add that my brother did lose a few teeth diving into pools, too.

Dolls from 3 Generations

These are my oldest dolls---both were gifts from my grandmother Vivian Maupin Long. My Grandfather Roy Long brought the one with the purplish hat and striped skirt from France to my Grandmother Vivian after World War I (sadly, her arms and legs are no longer attached---she needs to be restored). The one in blue might be older, but Mother said Vivian bought it as a restored antique doll from some shop that was in her neighborhood---the head is German porcelain but the body is 1940's composition. Mom said Vivian loved dolls!
This doll belonged to my mother Louise Wicker Long. It's a real Depression doll with a cloth body. All of the clothes look like a child (my mother?) made them. I love the fabrics---they are so 2008!
When my father LeRoy Long returned from World War II, he brought a Japanese doll and a porcelain tea set home to me (one of the cups broke over the years).
This doll was given to me by Maupin/McKay relatives. It's a Skookum doll which was made for tourists. For more information on this type of doll, click here. The Maupins were a railroad family with relatives in Texas. I just heard on Antiques Roadshow that vendors used to come to train stations and sell "Indian" dolls and artifacts (this doll was made in a factory), so I suspect one of them brought it home after a trip to Texas.

This is all that remains of my favorite dolls---Storybook dolls---I had at least 10 of them. I'm not sure why I have Little Red Riding Hood---she wasn't a favorite of mine. I think Vivian or Lena (my step-grandmother) Long crocheted the dress for me (one of my nicknames as a child was "Little Red Riding Hood"). However the Bride doll was my favorite---she is pretty tattered, but her eyes still blink.

To read more about another doll in my collection, go to my blog "Almost a Baby Boomer" for Dec. 23.

Santa "Roy" Claus

This photo was taken of me when I was 4-5 years old---it was at a department store---probably Famous-Barr (Macy's now). But, I was about the right age for the story below that was in my "Baby Book":


According to Mom, I noticed his shoes---so despite the beard, costume and mystique of Santa, I looked at the shoes and knew who he was! The worst part was my cousins heard me. Mom said everyone (aunts and uncles) was pretty unhappy with my astute announcement. I'm not sure if the party was at Aunt Mary Long Wassmund's or Aunt Mary Walton Long's.

I'm sorry I don't have any photos of my Grandfather Roy Long as Santa Claus--maybe one of my cousins has a photo. But, here are my grandparents Vivian (Maupin) and Roy Long (with me about 18 months) I did inherit the bells that Grandpa used while playing Santa---my grandson Eli has already enjoyed playing with them.