Martha "Ella" (Wilson) Long
Martha Ellen was born on March 28, 1855 to George and Elizabeth Jane Hughes Wilson in Elkdale, Pennsylvania.
Martha, who preferred to be called ‘Ella’, was a Quaker, a quiet, modest person, and led a life of consecrated service.
After her father died when she was 14 years old her mother, a woman of great courage and foresight, moved her nine children to the new primitive town of Columbus, Kansas.
Robert A. Long had left his Kentucky farm home at the age of twenty-two. He settled in the small town of Columbus, Kansas where he met Ella and friendship soon grew into love. They were married on December, 16, 1875.
Mr. and Mrs. Long began their married life in a 3-room cottage on the corner of the lumber yard that Mr. Long had begun in 1873. Over the next years they had three children: George Robert was born on April 24, 1877 and died on May 7, 1877; Sallie America was born on November 6, 1878; and Loula was born on January 30, 1881.
Ella’s two major interests in life were the church and her husband. Both of the Longs were extremely religious with much of their social activity revolving around the church. The Longs were members of the First Christian Church in Columbus, Kansas. Mr. Long was one of the organizers of the church in 1871 and was a charter member.
Mrs. Long preferred to be inconspicuous and did not like her good works discussed. She helped organize the beginners’ department of her church and was one of its teachers for many years. She as president of the church ladies aid society in 1895 and 1896 and later she was active in the women’s classes. She was a member of the advisory committee of the women’s council of the church at the time of her death.
Ella died on November 22, 1928 at the age of 73 in Kansas City, Missouri.