longclark  
 
 

Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.


     CLARK LONG, pioneer, Indian fighter, farmer, stock raiser, and business man, is now 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 into 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 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 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 the town.  This venture proved successful to such an extent as to place Mr. Long among the well-to do business men of his county.  Ever since this time he has worked hard and unceasingly for the good of his town and Adams county.
     Clark Long now owns eight hundred acres of agricultural land in and near the town of Paha, a quarter section of land in Yakima county, numerous town lots, and one hundred head of horses.
     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 a Lincoln Republican, and is active in the 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, and 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 confederates 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 1812, and died about 1876.  1898 and 1902, 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.
 
 

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