My Genealogy Hound

R. A. Long, attorney at law, of Versailles, Mo., has been a resident of the town since 1888, and was born in Sonoma County, Cal., in 1861, being a son of Marcus A. and Francis (Brown) Long, who were born in Wilson County, Tenn., and Albemarle County, Va., respectively. The father was a farmer and stock-raiser, and in 1852 immigrated to California, where he still resides. R. A. Long, our subject, was reared on a farm, and received his education in the district schools and at home, being aided by his father, who was formerly a school-teacher, and had decided literary tastes, devoting a great deal of his time to newspaper work. He takes active interest in California politics, especially of Solano County, and was elected on the Democratic ticket as county assessor, by a handsome majority. He also at one time lacked one vote of being elected to the State Legislature from Lake County. After finishing his rudimentary education, R. A. Long entered the Pacific Methodist College at Santa Rosa and took a thorough classical course, graduating at the end of five years (in 1883). He received many medals in oratory, and in his junior year was elected society orator, and in his senior year received the scholarship medal over the entire school, and delivered the valedictory address, and was graduated with the degree of A. B. In 1883 he entered the law department of Vanderbilt University at Nashville, Tenn., from which institution he graduated in 1885. In 1884, while a student, he won an oratorical medal, and in 1885 represented the Vanderbilt University in the Tennessee State oratorical contest, the same year graduating with the degree of B. L. The same year he was admitted to the bar, and returned to his home in Santa Rosa, Cal., where he entered upon his practice, and in 1886 was appointed assistant district attorney of Solano County, his term of office expiring on the 1st of January, 1887. The same year he came east, and located at Kansas City, and after a short time came to Versailles. He is one of the heaviest stock holders in the Kansas City Coal Mining Co., which controls 6,000 acres of coal land, and is a one-fourth owner in the Globe Mining & Smelting Co., which controls 8,000 acres, and is its secretary. He has been a prominent member of the Southwest Missouri Immigration Association, and has also been prominently identified with the Democratic party of this congressional district, and stumped a large portion of the same in the campaign of 1888. He also took an active part in the campaign of 1886, in his native State. He expects to devote more attention in future to the practice of law in Morgan County, and gives every promise of becoming eminent in his profession, being a young man of unusual ability. His paternal great-grandfather, John Long, was born in North Carolina, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War under Gen. Washington. The maternal great-grandfather, Brazil Brown, was born in Albemarle County, Va., and also served under Gen. Washington, being colonel of a Virginia regiment. The grandfather, Benjamin H. Brown, was also born in Albemarle County, Va., and served in the War of 1812 under Gen. Jackson.