Historic photos help provide information about local families

When someone reads a history book or watches a television show about a historic person there is usually a photograph of the person. People may not realize how lucky it is for them to see that photograph. True that since the start of photography in the mid 1800s most very important people were photographed and sometimes very much. Sometimes the photographs spanned several to many years. Photographs of lesser-known historical people are often scarce or might not exist at all.

In the past year or so I have become very interested in collecting, researching, and studying vintage photographs, especially when they are over 100 years old. Last fall I bought a group of old photographs in an online auction for $14.49 including shipping cost. While looking through the group I found one that was from Edmoore Michigan. It was great that back then someone wrote the man’s name on the photo. It was great to find out that the city of Edmoore was named after him. I contacted a local museum and they confirmed that it was Moore. Things still got better when I learned it was the only known photograph of the man. I sold the photograph to the museum there so Moore could go home. Another great score was when I bought 1870s photographs of Amory Houghton and his wife for less than $10. I sold them to the world known Corning Museum Of Glass for a nice amount. Houghton was the founder of Corning Glass Works, which is now Corning Incorporated.

This spring I went to a not too far away antique shop I had not visited since last fall. It was fun to find and buy amongst other items two photographs from Washington state. I could tell they were old by the style and format. The photo of Ara Long was from when Washington was still a territory. The other photograph is Ara’s husband Clark Long. His name is written on the back along with some other information. I could tell by the way he dressed and carried himself that he was an important person.

After contacting Jennifer Saunders through the Adams County Historical Society’s website she was able to provide me with this interesting information about this man of importance.

Copied from “History of the Big Bend Country” published in 1904

CLARK LONG, pioneer, Indian fighter, farmer, stock raiser, and business man, in 1903 the townsite proprietor and real estate dealer of Paha, Adams County, Washington and owns and operates a large general merchandise establishment.

Born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, May 9, 1854, he received his first educational training in a primitive combination log and stone school house in his native county. Later on his parents removed to Iowa, where Clark received a little more schooling, but the greater part of his ample education has been gained by hard service in the school of experience and work. In 1876 he left home intending to go to Oregon, but finally found himself in Walla Walla, where he remained a short time then took up a homestead in Garfield County just in time to be thrown in the thickest of the cruel Nez Perce War. At an early stage of the war he joined an organization or company of about one hundred composed of his neighbors and moved against the savages as a band of cowboys. The company was in service four months, but Mr. Long left it just in time to miss the White Bury Canyon Battle, and to engage in the bloody battle of Cottonwood. Returning home he worked his farm until April 1883, when he removed to Ritzville, and there he engaged in the lumber and general merchandise business. This he followed until 1891, in which year he suffered by fire the loss of all he owned. From this great loss he did not fully recover until the year of 1900. Upon the organization of Adams County, Mr. Long was appointed probate judge of the county, which office he occupied during three terms. He was nominated for a fourth, but was unsuccessful at the polls. He was appointed United States Circuit commissioner, which office he held until 1891, at the same time acting as artesian wells commissioner for the state, an office to which he was appointed by Governor Semple. In 1900 he purchased the section of land upon which Paha now stands, and at once launched a boom of a town. This venture proved successful to such an extent as to place Mr. Long among the well-to-do businessmen of the county. Ever since this time he has worked hard and unceasingly for the good of this town and Adams County.

In 1875 occurred the marriage of Clark Long to Ara A. Saint, daughter of Joseph and Malinda (Price) Saint. Mrs. Long’s father was a native of Indiana and her mother of Pennsylvania. Her brothers and sisters are Elizabeth, Malissie, Catharine, Lott and John.

Politically, Mr. Long is Lincoln Republican, and is active in local affairs of his party, and is a recognized party leader.

Clark Long comes of one of the oldest American families, the history of which is one of interest and romance. His father and mother were John and Betsy (Perrin) Long, natives of Pennsylvania, the father of Scotch descent and the mother of English parentage. They removed to Iowa in 1865, spent the remainder of their lives in Grundy County. The father was a mechanic and bridge builder, and a number of the bridges of his locality that were destroyed by the confederate during the Civil War were built by him. His grandfather Elias Long, came to America in the early days, served as an officer during the Revolutionary War, and died about 1857. Our subject’s maternal great-grandfather was Lord Perrin who came to the colony of Massachusetts in the Mayflower and settled in Connecticut. His son, Calvin Perrin served under Commodore Perry during the war of 1912, and died about 1876. 1898 and 1892, respectively, were the years in which Clark Long’s father and mother passed away. They were parents of six children, not including the son who is the subject of this sketch. They are Perrin, George W., Elias, Sarah, married to Ellis Girton, Spokane and Charles and Ezra, who died while young.

Mr. and Mrs. Long are the parents of twelve children, Calvin, John C., Leona M., George W., Maud P., Walter L., Hazel, Eva, Joseph, Grace, and two who died in infancy, Fred and Leonard.

I know I am very lucky to be the caretaker of these great photographs.

Anyone that has historic photographs or important documents can help history by recording and sharing them. Most communities have historical societies that love to get new members and new knowledge.

Some cities and counties now have a page on Facebook where the members can upload and share photographs. Authors of history books are always looking for unpublished photos and love it when the owners of photos give permission to use their photograph in a book.

I enjoy hearing from other historians and collectors and can be reached at: [email protected].