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Below is a family biography included in The History of Switzerland County, Indiana published by Weakley, Harraman & Co. in 1885. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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J. M. LONG, blacksmith, Quercus Grove, was born on the 14th of March, 1828. He is a son of Seth and Elizabeth (Chase) Long, natives of Pennsylvania and New York, respectively, of German and English descent. The Chase family sprang from three brothers who emigrated from England and located near Plymouth Rock, and from there divided, one settling in New York. John Chase afterward came to this county, and settled on land where John Vawter now lives, this in a very early day. His grandfather, Michael Long, came to Kentucky, settled at the mouth of Big Bone, and afterward moved over to the Indiana side in a very early day. Here in the county our subject’s parents Seth and Elizabeth Long, came together, married and several years later, they moved to Hardin County, Ky., where they lived two years, then returned to Indiana and bought a small farm on Goose Creek where the father died in 1843, the mother in 1848. They reared eight children: Mary A., Hannah, Ollie, Sarah, Ruth, James M., Seth and Michael. James M., our subject, was born in Hardin County, Ky. He was brought up on the farm, and at seventeen years went to learn the trade of blacksmith at Lawrenceburgh, and has since engaged in that work at Aurora, Rising San, Patriot and at other places for short periods. For several years he has plied his trade at Quercus Grove and now resides at that village. He enlisted in 1861, in the Second Indiana Battery, served three years and took part in the battles of Newtonia, Cane Hill, Moscow, Prairie De Haw, Jenkins’ Ferry, Prairie Grove, Round Grove, Cow Skin Prairie, Devil’s Backbone, Van Buren, Fort Smith and several skirmishes; was married July 3, 1851, to Nancy M. Taylor, daughter of William and Mary (Cochran) Taylor, old residents of the county. By this union there are six children living: Owen, John, Louis, Charles, Ida and Anna. Five others died in childhood. Mr. Long has served as justice of the peace, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the whole family associated with that society. Anna is the wife of Noble Houze.
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This family biography is one of 215 biographies included in The History of Switzerland County, Indiana published in 1885 by Weakley, Harraman & Co. For the complete description, click here: Switzerland County, Indiana History and Genealogy
View additional Switzerland County, Indiana family biographies here: Switzerland County, Indiana Biographies
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