Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Ink-Slinger Profiles: Ferd G. Long
Ferdinand G. Long was born in Kansas City, Missouri on August 24, 1870, according to a passport issued on August 8, 1890. In the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, he was the fourth of five children born to Adam and Rosa; they lived in Kansas City, Missouri at 1576 Central Street.
The Kansas City Times (Missouri) mentioned Long in its society pages as early as November 6, 1887, and as late as October 27, 1895. The date of his move to New York City may have been around 1896. The Los Angeles Times, on September 19, 1897, reported a notice, in The New York Herald's September 2 issue, of the marriage of Miss Leta Lillian Larkin, a stage performer, to Long.
In 1900 Long resided in Brooklyn, New York at 258 58th Street. He and his wife had a one-year-old son. The census recorded his occupation as cartoonist. One of his strips was The Twentieth Century Messenger Boy or the Misadventures of Shorty M'Nabb, which appeared in The World (New York) from August 8 to September 4, 1900. Also appearing The World was What Willie Got from October 11 to December 16, 1909.
The Longs still lived in Brooklyn but at 722 Elmore Place, in the 1910 census. The family included another son, age three. Long was busy as a newspaper artist. Some of the comic strips and panels he created, this decade, were Good Night (Idaho Statesman, 1912), Romantic Rosalind (Idaho Statesman, 1913), Tense Moments (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Indiana, 1915), When Fate Frowned (Lincoln Daily News, Nebraska, 1915), Kid Ideas (Bellingham Herald, Washington, 1916), Man and Superman (Bellingham Herald, 1916), and But on the Other Hand (New Orleans States, Louisiana, 1917).
The family of four were together, at the 1910 address, in the 1920 and 1930 censuses. On October 1, 1930, Leta passed away, according to a October 28 notice in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
Wills Filed
Long, Leta L. (Oct. 1). Estate more than $10,000. To Adam F. and John H. Long, sons, of 722 E. 22d St., each one-half residue; Georgette C. Larkin, mother, Los Aneles, Cal., $50 a month in trust for life; Ferdinand G. Long, husband, 722 E. 22d St., executor, $1.
Long passed away on January 12, 1948. The Brooklyn Eagle reported his death the following day.
Ferdinand G. Long, 77, Former Newspaper Artist, Cartoonist
Ferdinand G. Long, 77, a former newspaper artist and cartoonist, who in recent years, until illness forced his retirement, was in the advertising business, died yesterday in his home, 722 E. 22d St. For many years he was with the old Evening World.
A native of Kansas City, Mr. Long was graduated from Notre Dame University, and received an LL.B. degree from Harvard. Later he studied art. After being admitted to the bar in New York he contributed humorous drawings to newspapers and periodicals. In the 1890s he became associated with the Evening World, continuing there until 1930 with the exception of two years on the staff of the London Daily Express.
During Mr. Long's newspaper work he produced sketches on news events and also drew comic strips. Among the latter were "Mr. Peewee," [the first sustained daily comic strip -- see Hogan's Alley issue #12] "Mary Jane and the Kickums" and "Louie the Bowler." He also contributed to weekly and monthly magazines. His wife, Leta Larkin Long, died in 1930.
Two sons, Adam F. Long of the staff of the New York Times, and John H. Long, survive. There also are five grandchildren.
The funeral will be held Thursday, with a solemn mass of requiem at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of Refuge R.C. Church, Ocean and Foster Aves. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery.
Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles
