When we were young

We had our three children, had a home t hat was comfortable and life was better than it had been for several years. As I grew up in the thirthies and lived on a farm, church was one thing that did not seem important in our lives. My parents had struggled through the depression and there was not the incentive in the family to go to church. I grew up unchurched. I was determined that my children would have a church and church family to nurture and love them. Bob had an Aunt Carrie who was a staunch Presbyterian and she soon had us going to church there. I found what I was looking for all those years, a real loving, caring Christian family. We joined that church in 1949, was baptized with all three of my children. Bob had already been baptized. It made a big, big difference in our lives and the lives of our children. Those childdren are still members of the church and have served that church faithfully since they were small.

We learned how important family is to the lives of each of us. Love for one another that never changes whatever the circumstances are. As a family we did many things together. We took short trips around Indiana with our children. We took them to State Parks and things of interest that would help them appreciate the beauty of God's creation and trips that they would remember always. I would take them into a woods and point out trees and wild flowers. I remember my oldest daughter saying to her children, ask your Grandma what the name of that wild flower is. These our things they remember. Now they have Video games, computer games and they sit in the house and play their games and miss the beauty of the outdoors. We would fix a picnic lunch and go to the park so they could play and wade in the creek as I did when I was growing up. Life was much simpler through the forties and early fifties than it is now. The pace was slower and children had time to dream dreams and play and be children that they deserve to be. They should have the time to dream those dreams and time to play , to read the many books that open up a new world for them. Now it is hurry, hurry, and for what?

Raising Another Generation

My husband Bob and I were married in October, l939. We rented an apartment for $30.00 a month. Doesn't sound like very much but then it was a lot of money for us as we had a combined income of $25.00 a week. We ate a lot of hamburgers and toasted cheese sandwiches. Someone got us a sandwich toaster for a wedding present. We had to watch our pennies but money isn't that important when you are first married as you just know things will work out and some day you will have a good job and a nice car and a beautiful home. Well, let me tell you, those things don't come easy but as you work toward that goal things do become easier. The depression was not a good time to be starting out but because of the depression we were cautious about how much we spent and if we had enough money to pay for it if we lost out jobs. We also were able to buy our first home for $1,500.00 and nothing down. The banks had many properties that had been r epossed and they were trying to get rid of them. We were lucky. We did some remodeling and eleven years later we sold it for a nice profit.

Two years after we moved into the house we had our first child, Bonnie. What a delight she was to the whole family . She was the first grandchild on both sides of the family. She was the first great grandchild on the maternal side and had 3 great grandmothers. Terry our son was born four years later and we were in the hospital the day Franklin Roosevelt died. We had gone through World War ll , the rationing of many food items, gas, and to buy these items that were rationed we had our rationing books and had to have stamps for each thing we bought that was rationed. We did a lot of walking to save gas. If we wanted to go to town we didn't drive , we walked. We were healthier for it. The economy was getting better as people were being called back to work. In 1948 I found I was pregnant with our third child, Beth. It was a difficult pregnancy as I was ill most of the nine months. She was a tiny little baby but healthy. Our three children were such a blessing. God had showered His blessings on us. We came through a depression, a war, and the birth of three children. Next time I will tell you about the struggles all new parents go through raising a child.

Growing Up In Peru

I was born in Peru more years ago than I like to remember, Yet those memories are what the past is all about. As I wrote about the geneolgy of my family, I had no memories as it was a long time before I was born. You too may have ancestors as colorful and interesting as I found mine to be. I am now going to tell you about the things I do remember growing up and raising my family. I can tell you about Peru in the 1920's and until the present time. Our politicions talk about change. It comes daily in the lives of all of us. Some times that change is for the good and sometimes it turns out to be bad. We all have choices to make about how we change . Will it be a change just for me or for those whom I love and the community around me.

I remember as a very small girl the circus getting ready to leave for their summer tour. It was so exciting to watch the parade with its girls in beautiful costumes riding those hugh elephants as they lumbered down the street and then the horses strutting their stuff as they trotted by as we stood on the curb watching in awe. It was a great day in the life of Peru as at that time we had no radios or TVs. Our lives were much simpler and uncomplicated. I f someone would have told me t hat I would be typing on a computer and the message would be picked up by anyone who has my Blog add ress I would have thought they were a little crazy.

At an early age we were taught to respect our elders and we better not talk back to our parents or we would be in deep trouble. As we started to school we did as the teacher said and again we were taught to respect that teacher. Does that sound like change for the better? This story will continue as I have a lot of years to cover

The Years Go By

Daniel Albert Long , son of Daniel and Grandson of Ludwig (Lewis) Long was 11 or 12 when his father was murdered, He went to live with an Uncle who taught him the blacksmith and the gunsmith trade. Having constructed the greatest gun of his day , he also made viiolins which possessed a world wide reputation. He made 65 of these violins.

Our geneolgy line of Longs slowly made their way from Pennsylvania to Ohio and then on to Indiana. John Long, a brother to my great grandfather, David, settled near Disco in northern Miami County. Appartently David lived on the same farm as John. My grandfather, Fredrick lived there until his marriage to my grandmother Charlotte Abshire. They then moved to a farm about three miles south of Macy where they raised nine children, my Dad Thomas Long being the youngest. I am sad that we could not find the History of our family before my Dad passed on. He would have been so proud of that heritage as I am.

As I think about all of those ancestors of all of us who left homes and families in Europe and made their way to the shores of America and then slowly started West to pave the way for all future generations, we need to thank God for those brave souls--our ancestors.

The Story continues

My last article about my family heritage ended with the Indians attacking the cabin of Nickel Long . As I go through the material I am amazed at the courage and the determination of my ancestors. They suffered many hardships as they slowly moved westwward. In 1843 the first murder was committed in Jefferson County. The Long brothers were noted for their hunting and were well-known as woodsmen. Daniel did not follow hunting as much as his brothers. He married in February 1 832 and settled on a farm. He was engaged in the lumber business. He had taken up a track of land (as was the custom of the day. He built a shanty on the land and with that he had squatter's rights. A dispute had arisen between he and James Green. Daniel had first rights to the tract. Daniel was gone for a few days and when he returned to the shanty with a friend, he was shot by the Greens and his friend was so badly beatened that he died also. The Greens were both found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to four years in the penitentary. They were placed in solitary confinement at hard labor and this is unbelieveable a fine of one dollar and cost. The younger Green was killed after his release from prison by Indians as he made his way West.

A Fascinating Family

As I went through the past notes, a book published by a distant relative and other records that were found I was in awe of my ancestors and wished that my Dad had lived to know about his heritage. We will start with Niklaus Lang (Long) who was born in 1704 in Germany. He was a Hessian soldier and joined the revolutionary war in this country. As I was going through the records I also found the name of his father in Germany who was Jacob Lang and was born in 1615 and died in 1684. Nicklaus Long arrived in Philadelphia September of 1736 aboard a ship Harle from Rotterdam, then to Cowes, England . He settled in Tulpehoken Twp. Pennsylvania. When he arrived in this country he became Nickel Long. In the fall of 1756 the French and Indian Wars were causing terror among many of the settlers. Indians who had always been friendly joined the French and began raiding the settlers. In tw o years Indians killed approximately 128 settlers along that frontier. Forts were built for their protection. Fort Northkill was built. It was about a 1/2 mile from the home of Nickel Long. His home was attacked by the Indians. There were ten women and children in the cellar when they set fire to the house. Two men were killed but men from the Fort were able to drive the Indians away and put out the fire. The women and children were safe. I understand now when my Dad would take me to a "Cowboy and Indians" movie when I was a child I was scared. It is my genes!

Tribute To Bonnie

As you who knew Bonnie, you also knew that she was a Historian and an avid photographer. We have had mountains of photos to go through and sort out those who pertain to family members. I brought home another container of pictures and genealogy papers that she had worked on for years. Several years ago she gave her Dad and I books with a start on the information on both our families. She continued her search of my fathers genealogy. She hit a snag.. She found my great-grandfather , David Long but could go no farther. We checked for obituaries, birth records, marriage license but nothing, It was almost as if he never existed. We knew they had moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio and my father said they moved to Starke County. No luck there. Finally my grandson went online and found a school record of my grandfather's two brothers in Portage County. Wrong county that took time . We could not find our heritage if we could not find David's father. My Dad was the youngest in a family of nine and he was the only living child and he was born after his grandfather died. We started too late to get any information from his older siblings. Bonnie tried so very hard to find that missing link while her grandfather was alive but that didn't happen . My father died in 2 001. She didn;t find positive proof until 2006 shortly before she became ill. She had help from my third cousin in California. She came to my house one day all smiles and so happy. They had found the missing link through a DNA test. It was proof. His name was Lewis. Thanks Bonnie.