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LONG, John C.,
Hotel Proprietor.
John C. Long, of the firm of Long
Brothers, proprietors of the hotel of that
name, is not only well and favorably
known locally, but also has a national
reputation as a heavy athlete in this country
and Canada, as from 1884 to 1914 Mr.
Long was a regular attendant at all the
old Scottish games, winning many prizes
in the heavyweight throwing competitions.
In these competitions Mr. Long
competed with many of the best athletes in
this country and Canada, and was suc-
cessful in capturing the laurels from his
adversaries. An open challenge was
issued at one time to any man in the
world to compete in throwing a fifty-six
pound weight the greatest distance with
one hand from a given mark, for a thousand
dollars a side, but found no man
who would accept the challenge.
The careers of Mr. Long and brother,
Timothy J. Long, who has been associ-
ated with him for many years, offer a
notable example of what may be accomplished
by those who have ambition and
a will to accomplish, that brooks no obstacle
in the path to their goal. Mr.
Long owes his success to no favor of
friend or fortune, but his success is the
fruit and just reward of arduous labor
and plans well laid.
Michael Long, father of John C. Long,
was born in County Cork, Ireland, a
maritime county in the Province of
Munster, and the southmost and largest
of the Irish counties; it is hilly with a
great variety of surface ; the coast is
bold and rocky and there are many isles
on the coast. He came from a family of
farmers, who had pursued their vocation
in the same parish for many generations.
They were honest, industrious, clean-
living people, who bequeathed to their
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descendants an honorable name, good
mentality and a splendid physical endowment,
attributes that insure success
in whatever calling is pursued. At about
the age of twenty-three, Michael Long
emigrated to the United States and
located in the State of Connecticut, securing
employment on the farm of George
Woodruff in Farmington. He was thrifty
and prudent, capable and energetic, and
in due course of time accumulated suffi-
cient capital to purchase a farm of his
own on the outskirts of Farmington,
where he engaged in dairying and truck
gardening, from which he received sub-
stantial returns, and he so continued until
his death which occurred in the year 1881,
aged fifty-two years. In saving the
requisite amount for the purchase of the
land he had the cooperation of his wife,
Margaret (Donahue) Long, who prior to
her marriage was employed in the home
of George Woodruff in Farmington.
They were the parents of nine children
Dennis, deceased; Michael, Jr., deceased;
Johanna, deceased; John C, of this
review ; Nellie, deceased ; Jeremiah, de-
ceased, married Mary E. Conlin and left
one daughter, Margaret ; Daniel, de-
ceased ; Timothy J., born January 23,
1871, partner of John C. ; Mary A., who
became the wife of Barney L. McGurk,
and they are the parents of two children
Mary Margaret and Bernard L.
John C. Long was born in Farmington,
Connecticut, November 19, 1861. He
grew to manhood on the home farm, and
his youth was passed in a similar man-
ner to that of other boys reared in a
rural environment. When not attending
the district school he assisted with the
work of the farm and later delivered milk
to his father's customers in the city, all
of which work tended to strengthen and
improve his physical condition and bet-
ter qualify him for the activities of life.
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