Amanuensis Monday: Elizabeth Long letter discussing Longs of Lycoming, PA, Pt 1/3

I wanted to start writing the history of my great grandfather Harry Howard Long, but I had to stop. I was looking at a source citation that referred to a letter written by his sister to my mother. In the letter, there were a few nuggets about great grandfather's Long relatives and a brief mention of the Marvin family. So, I decided to pause and transcribe the letter. The original letter was three pages, so I will share the letter in three posts.

Letter from Elizabeth Long to Penny Brown Geiszler, 9 October 1976;
digital image held in 2010 by Devon Lee.

Here is the transcription of page 1:

October 9, 1976

Dear Penny:

You have been on my mind for some time especially recently. I've been trying to remind myself to get at writing and then today your letter supplied the necessary push and so here's your letter.

I'm afraid I can't give you a lot of information about my father's family. Father never alked much about his family. What data I have was obtained from father's siter Aunt Mary Lewis. I've been urging Robert to get in touch with my cousin, Mildred Long Arnold, who was in Bucyrus. The Mehrling boys have cousins there whom they visit occasionally.

Information obtained from Aunt Mary, Aug. 1921, as follow's (from Aunt Gertrude's notes)

My fathers grandparents: Robert Long born 10/7/1770 and Elizabeth born 8/11/1785

Children of Robert & Elizabeth

James, born 12/3/1802

John W, b 2/16/1805 – Lycoming Co, Penn, county seat Willamsport

William, b 11/17/1807

Robert, b 2/25/1810

Maxwell, b 7/15/1812

Margaret, b 12/17/1814

William, b 2/25/1817

Samuel, b 4/11/1819

My sister Gertrude obtained the above from Aunt Mary (orally) in August 1921. No maiden name is given for Elizabeth but another entry gives the mother's name as Jennie Watterson (she was said to be of Scotch descent).

I wonder whether Robert had two wives – perhaps Jennie was a first wife. I'm sure the name Watterson comes in somewhere or perhaps she was a second wife. There seems quite a difference in ages between Robert and Elizabeth. She would have been 17 when James was born. I wonder about two sons named William.

Father's father was John W. and he married Hannah Patterson More b 8/14/1814. Note says her mother was Jennie Patterson. Hannah was born in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Father, William Lester Long, was born in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania 1/22/1849. He died in Columbus, February 28, 1925 and was buried in New Haven, Huron Co, Ohio. You certainly must have mother's dates but here they are Sarah Angeline Young (always called “Angie”) was born in Mansfield, Ohio Aug. 28, 1855 died October 14^th 1931in Columbus buried in New Haven, Ohio. Married Sept 2 (?) 1875.

Information about my parents mostly obtained from personal knowledge. I have mother's birth certificate (late registration later rescinded)

I'll share the next installment next Monday.