Butler County Genealogy Trails Kansas Mary jane Robson Long-Clark Bio

BUTLER COUNTY'S EIGHTY YEARS BIOS

MARY JANE ROBSON LONG-CLARK

Mary Jane Robson, later Mrs. Mary Jane Long-Clark, was born February 18, 1838, in Bilsdale, Yorkshire,England. She was the only child of Matthew and Prudence (Coverdale) Robson. When she was thirteen years old she came with her parents to America, landing at New Orleans in 1852. The voyage was long and eventful. The ship caught fire twice, and more than one severe storm was encountered. Little Mary Jane endeared herself to the sailors, and as she was not easily frightened, she was the only person allowed on deck during these storms.

It happened that on this same ship, the family of her future husband was passengers. The Robsons made their home in Illinois, and it was there at Henepin, Ptunam County, on June 28, 1855, that Mary Jane Robson, married Robert Whatkinson Long II. Mr. Long was born at Collingham,England, and died at Dwight,Illinois, August 30, 1865.

In 1869, Mrs. Long and her father, Matthew Robson, came to Kansas, stopping at Emporia. In 1870 Mrs. Robson, with Mrs. Long’s four children, joined them in Emporia, and after a few months the two families came to El Dorado.

Mrs. Long opened a small shop in which she handled books, wall paper, stationary, the first children’s toys ever shown in El Dorado and other articles. During her first year here, Mrs. Long was appointed postmistress and served eight years.

The building which housed the post office and Mrs. Long’s shop stood the first door south of the present Powell Hardware Store, on North Main Street. At one time a tornado moved an adjoining building against it, twisting the front until the doors would not open. A panel was knocked out of one door, and for days the mail was handed in and out through that hole, which was the only exit and entrance. Later this building was moved to104 North Main Street, and enlarged to include living, dining and bed rooms, hall and kitchen and Mrs. Long lived there with her children until about 1874, when she built the two story house at the corner of South Star Street and Ash Avenue where she lived until her death.

Mrs. Long’s children are: Jane Whatkinson Robson Long, married Edward D. Stratford, and lives in El Dorado; Robert Whatkinson Long III, married Anna Hathaway and lives in Long Beach, California; Mary Elizabeth Long, married LaFayette Knowles, and lives in Oklahoma City; Matthew J. Long, married Susan Perry, and lives in El Dorado. Mrs. Long’s grandchildren are Oscar Edward and Ray Allen Stratford, El Dorado; John Robert Stratford, Wichita; Clark Stratford, Gary, Indiana; Jane Augusta Stratford, Honolulu, Hawaii, Mary Ruth Long, Long Beach, California; Lula Etta Knowles, Livermore and Ethel Knowles Lampkin, of Hobart, Oklahoma; Ernest B. Knowles; Grace Knowles Rose of Oklahoma City; Marguerite Knowles McCue, of Los Angeles, California; Susanne Elizabeth Long, El Dorado. Charles W. Stratford, a grandson, died in 1922.

Mrs. Long sold her store and on April 12, 1882, she was married to Edmund H. Clark, a widower with four sons, George, Frank, Charles and William Clark, none of whom are now living. Mr. Clark established a grocery store at104 North Main Street, which he retained until his death in 1907. Mr. Clark’s five grandchildren are Elmer, Edmond, Edward and Walter Clark, of Chicago; and Mrs. Lavina Clark Aylward of Wichita. Mrs. Clark died September 9, 1920.