James Perry Long b. 1845 d. 1924

Valentines Day, Feb 14, 1845. Isabel (Griffith) Long gave birth to a son, James Perry Long at Milledgevile, Mercer County, Pa. He Was the 2nd child born to John James and Isabel Long. James Perry would have one more sister born in Pennsylvania before the family would lose their mother in 1849 (see bio of John James Long). Before 1852 John James would remarry to Rebecca Powell and the family would migrate to Schuyler County, Illinois where other family members of John James had some years prior, settled to farm in Woodstock township. James Perry had two additional brothers born there. In 1868 the step mother, Rebecca died unexpectedly (see Rushville, Ill. newspaper). Two years later, the father, John James with his 3 sons migrated first to Montgomery County, Kansas where they briefly stayed with James Perry's sister Sarah and brother in law, David Ridings. They, then moved on west about 150 miles to Butler County, Clifford township, Kansas where John James and James Perry each homesteaded 160 acres of land (see bio of John James Long). James Perry Long married Harriet Cornelia Spencer (?), daughter of James Wilcox Spencer and Mary Ann Stevens. They lost their first 2 children, Leroy then Mary. All the following children survived to adulthood: John J., Lewis L., Margaret A., Winifred A., Esther M., and George P. Long. The book, THE HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY includes a bio and photograph of James Perry Long with a very interesting story of how in the early years, he hunted buffalo just west of Wichita, Kansas and on one occasion nearly froze to death on his return from a hunting trip. Another story of how he hauls supplies from Emporia, Kansas to his home in Butler County. A round trip of more than 100 miles. He built a "rock" house from stone he quarried locally. As we called it in later years, "the old rock house" stood until after the year 2000 when the new land owner razed it. James Perry died in his home May 19, 1924 at the age of 79 years.