ALLEN LONG. – The agricultural population of Union county is well known for their progressiveness and enterprise, and one of this capable number is mentioned at the head of this article and it is with pleasure that we accord to him a representation in this volume, since he is one of the builders of the county and has manifested that broad public spirit in all of his ways that makes the loyal and up-to-date man, while his sagacity and uprightness have no less been displayed.
Our subject was born in Noble county, Indiana, on May 5, 1851, being the son of Jacob and Hanna (Waybel) Long, natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and Ohio. The father was a farmer and blacksmith in Indiana until 1855, when he transferred his residence to Boone county, Iowa, and there engaged in the same occupation until 1864, when he brought his family to the Willamette valley across the dreary and dangerous plains with ox teams. The same occupations were there prosecuted until 1872, when a removal to Union county was made and he bought two hundred acres of land from the state, giving himself to its cultivation and laboring at the forge until very recently, the latter business has been retired from. Our subject, remained with his parents, laboring with his father until the age of twenty-eight had been reached, when he took a homestead three and on-half miles east from Elgin, where he has been residing since, paying attention to raising the fruits of the soil and handling stock. He now has an estate of two hundred acres well improved and is numbered with the prosperous and well-to-do men of the county.
On November 20, 1878, in Summerville, Union county, Mr. Long married Miss Permelia, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Baker) Beem, natives respectively, of Kentucky and Missouri, and to this happy union there have been born the following children: Viva and Iva, twins: the second one is dead and buried in Long cemetery: Addie, deceased: Ella, Stella, Harland, Ora and Carl. Mrs. Long was born September 3, 1861, and her parents came to Union county from Missouri in 1877 and joined the agricultural citizens of the county, laboring in that calling until the time of their death/ the mother passing away on May 28, 1882, and the father going on June 8, 1890, buried in Highland cemetery east from Elgin. Mr. Long is a member of the Masons, Elgin Lodge, No. 98. Mr. Long is one of the representative men of the county and has labored faithfully here for the advancement of the county for many years and his standing among his fellows is enviable and he has enjoys the esteem and confidence of all.