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Brownlow “Brown Brownie” DeLong

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Brownlow “Brown" "Brownie” DeLong

Birth
Matthew, Morgan County, Kentucky, USA
Death
8 Dec 1964 (aged 57)
Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky, USA
Burial
Matthew, Morgan County, Kentucky, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Following from Ova O. DeLong's book: "Auxier - Delong – Brown – Allied Families"

BROWNLOW, B.L. "BROWNIE" & BESSIE (PRATER) DELONG

PAGE 69 – Brownlow Delong, born 7 May 1907, Matthew, Morgan County, Ky., died 8 December 1964, Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky and was buried in the Brown Cemetery at Matthew, Ky. Brownie was the eighth child and the sixth son of Jeff & Maggie Delong. He loved and was loved, not only by his family but by all who knew him. Moma May thought he was "kinda" special, for she always held back his favorite piece of chicken, the "pulley bone", as we called the breast bone. He liked to hunt and fish, and liked the livestock, especially horses. The thing he liked most about horses was to ride them. He never insisted on plowing, or driving the team. He could take it, or leave it. Actually Brother Rollie and I were the ones who seemed to get a kick out of driving a team, either horses, mules, cattle or a combination.

When Brownie was young he was quite a story teller. Often anything to his friends without offending one. He was never a sinful person, but never made a public confession of his faith until Popa was dying. From that point in time Brownie was a zealous student of the scriptures, and his life was a living testimony of his faith in God and his desire to live the Christian life.

At an early age Brownie went to work in the coal mines, as did three older brothers. He broke in as a trapper, then shoveled coal, then for the remainder of his long coal-mining career he was track man. While doing so he got an idea for a "flying switch". He was so enthused that he explained it in public. One of those in his audience, unknown to Brownie, drew-up the design and had it patented.

Brownie was an intermittent farmer, only when the mines were slack. On one of these occasions he helped to build a swinging bridge across Licking River. On another while he was living in the "home place" he had electricity brought to the home "place" which before had only kerosene lamps. Another contribution Brownie made to his community: When the Tarkiln Church Building burned and a new building was under construction Bownie cut and had sawed some of the linden trees on our "home place" to provide lumber for pews for the new building. By this point in time Brownie had a family, so let's back up, for in 1932 Brownie had entered into marriage to Miss Bessie, born 1 June 1910, the daughter of William F. "Uncle Bill" & Laura (Lacy) Prater. Rev. Bruce Adkins officiated. The witnesses were: Ranzie McGuire, Lottie Nickell, and Brownie's father, T. J. DeLong. Soon after the ceremony the young couple took-off on their honey-moon in a 1931 Ford belonging to yours truly. Bessie was reared by one leading, and highly respected families of the community. Her home had been one where I had spent many wonderful hours. "Uncle Bill" was lost to the "Great Epidemic of influenza" following the World War I. During those days almost every family in our community lost someone. In some families there were no-one well enough to care for the sick. We almost lost Rollie, but three of us, Popa, Estill and I suffered only light cases, and we each had our chores to take care. Popa took care of the sick at our house, Estill was at Uncle Jay's and I was feeding the livestock on our farm and Ollie Prater's farm. While at Ollie's I was asked to deliver some oranges to "Uncle Bill". This I cheerfully did and "Uncle Bill" called me his bedside and.....

PAGE 70 ...talked to me in the most loving manner. He also asked if I would deliver one-half of the oranges to his brother Jim Prater, across a third hill, from where I started from home. Of course I did so.

These were my earliest remembrance of both of these fine families, and the beginning of a life-long friend-ship. When I reined-up a favorite horse, a white horse called Charlie, front of the big white two-story house where "Uncle Jim" Prater family lived their eldest son Charley, came down the large rolling lawn to the yard gate, and as I gave him the oranges he told me that his mother had just died. "Uncle", as just used was only an expression of endearment.

Brownie and Bessie, like most people, felt the sting of the "great depression". They had their good times and their bad times. One thing they had an abundance of was friends, as was demonstrated once when their house and all belongings were burned about 2:00 in the afternoon. They had no insurance, but their neighbors came in with contributions to replace their home.

Brownie & Bessie were blessed with three children, two sons and a daughter. The eldest was lost to diphtheria at the age of five. This loss sent severe shock waves throughout our entire family. Moma and I had visited them at their home in Hardburley the week before his death and everyone thought he had a common cold. When it was diagnosed diphtheria it was too late to save him. Brownie was so hurt some thought that he would never be able to raise his head, though through the strength of their faith Brownie and Bessie persevered and reared and educated a son and a daughter, each of who have been and are a credit to our family.

From exposure for many years to slat dust Brownie became a victim to Emphysema, a disease which causes almost unbearable suffering as it restricts one's breathing thereby lessening one's supply of oxygen and throwing such a load on the heart that one finally succumbs to heart failure. This happened to Brownie, as it did to two of his brothers, Cletus and Estill. Brownie and Estill died the same year. Brownie was 57 years of age and Estill was 61. Cletus lived to be 82 years and nine months, but to my knowledge he had suffered for more than fifty years, though many of those years he had worked in spite of his pain.

Bessie has also had her share, and more, of suffering but she has bravely fought it off, as she trusted in God, and kept her family together. Her son never married, but has devoted his life to his mother.

Brownie & Bessie's children are:

James Herbert Delong, b. 14 October 1833, Williams, Ky. Died 23 September 1938, Hardburley, KY. His soul returned to God who gave and his body was lovingly interned in the Brown Cemetery, Matthew County, Ky.

Thomas Ray (or Roe?) Delong, born 1 July 1936, graduated from Morgan county High School, West Liberty, Ky. and soon thereafter sought and found employment with the International Harvester Company, Louisville, Ky. As soon as he could he purchased a new brick home in Louisville where he and Bessie still reside at 1865 Sunwood Circle. Bessie is one of the most hospitable persons I have ever known. It was our good fortune to have her and her good friend Bernadene Dulworth visit us once in San Francisco.

Joyce Lillian (Delong) Sexton, born 3 January 1941, Hardburley, Perry County, Kentucky, grew up and finished high school in Morgan County High, and entered into marriage to a wonderful young and educated man in the person of Carter Sexton. They purchased brick home next door to Bessie and Tom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brown married Bessie Prater in 1932, she was the foster dau. of William F. & Laura (Lacey) Prater. They had the following children:

1. James Herbert DeLong b. 1933, d. 1939.
2. Thomas Roe DeLong b. 1936.
3. Joyce Lillian DeLong Sexton b. 1941.
Following from Ova O. DeLong's book: "Auxier - Delong – Brown – Allied Families"

BROWNLOW, B.L. "BROWNIE" & BESSIE (PRATER) DELONG

PAGE 69 – Brownlow Delong, born 7 May 1907, Matthew, Morgan County, Ky., died 8 December 1964, Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky and was buried in the Brown Cemetery at Matthew, Ky. Brownie was the eighth child and the sixth son of Jeff & Maggie Delong. He loved and was loved, not only by his family but by all who knew him. Moma May thought he was "kinda" special, for she always held back his favorite piece of chicken, the "pulley bone", as we called the breast bone. He liked to hunt and fish, and liked the livestock, especially horses. The thing he liked most about horses was to ride them. He never insisted on plowing, or driving the team. He could take it, or leave it. Actually Brother Rollie and I were the ones who seemed to get a kick out of driving a team, either horses, mules, cattle or a combination.

When Brownie was young he was quite a story teller. Often anything to his friends without offending one. He was never a sinful person, but never made a public confession of his faith until Popa was dying. From that point in time Brownie was a zealous student of the scriptures, and his life was a living testimony of his faith in God and his desire to live the Christian life.

At an early age Brownie went to work in the coal mines, as did three older brothers. He broke in as a trapper, then shoveled coal, then for the remainder of his long coal-mining career he was track man. While doing so he got an idea for a "flying switch". He was so enthused that he explained it in public. One of those in his audience, unknown to Brownie, drew-up the design and had it patented.

Brownie was an intermittent farmer, only when the mines were slack. On one of these occasions he helped to build a swinging bridge across Licking River. On another while he was living in the "home place" he had electricity brought to the home "place" which before had only kerosene lamps. Another contribution Brownie made to his community: When the Tarkiln Church Building burned and a new building was under construction Bownie cut and had sawed some of the linden trees on our "home place" to provide lumber for pews for the new building. By this point in time Brownie had a family, so let's back up, for in 1932 Brownie had entered into marriage to Miss Bessie, born 1 June 1910, the daughter of William F. "Uncle Bill" & Laura (Lacy) Prater. Rev. Bruce Adkins officiated. The witnesses were: Ranzie McGuire, Lottie Nickell, and Brownie's father, T. J. DeLong. Soon after the ceremony the young couple took-off on their honey-moon in a 1931 Ford belonging to yours truly. Bessie was reared by one leading, and highly respected families of the community. Her home had been one where I had spent many wonderful hours. "Uncle Bill" was lost to the "Great Epidemic of influenza" following the World War I. During those days almost every family in our community lost someone. In some families there were no-one well enough to care for the sick. We almost lost Rollie, but three of us, Popa, Estill and I suffered only light cases, and we each had our chores to take care. Popa took care of the sick at our house, Estill was at Uncle Jay's and I was feeding the livestock on our farm and Ollie Prater's farm. While at Ollie's I was asked to deliver some oranges to "Uncle Bill". This I cheerfully did and "Uncle Bill" called me his bedside and.....

PAGE 70 ...talked to me in the most loving manner. He also asked if I would deliver one-half of the oranges to his brother Jim Prater, across a third hill, from where I started from home. Of course I did so.

These were my earliest remembrance of both of these fine families, and the beginning of a life-long friend-ship. When I reined-up a favorite horse, a white horse called Charlie, front of the big white two-story house where "Uncle Jim" Prater family lived their eldest son Charley, came down the large rolling lawn to the yard gate, and as I gave him the oranges he told me that his mother had just died. "Uncle", as just used was only an expression of endearment.

Brownie and Bessie, like most people, felt the sting of the "great depression". They had their good times and their bad times. One thing they had an abundance of was friends, as was demonstrated once when their house and all belongings were burned about 2:00 in the afternoon. They had no insurance, but their neighbors came in with contributions to replace their home.

Brownie & Bessie were blessed with three children, two sons and a daughter. The eldest was lost to diphtheria at the age of five. This loss sent severe shock waves throughout our entire family. Moma and I had visited them at their home in Hardburley the week before his death and everyone thought he had a common cold. When it was diagnosed diphtheria it was too late to save him. Brownie was so hurt some thought that he would never be able to raise his head, though through the strength of their faith Brownie and Bessie persevered and reared and educated a son and a daughter, each of who have been and are a credit to our family.

From exposure for many years to slat dust Brownie became a victim to Emphysema, a disease which causes almost unbearable suffering as it restricts one's breathing thereby lessening one's supply of oxygen and throwing such a load on the heart that one finally succumbs to heart failure. This happened to Brownie, as it did to two of his brothers, Cletus and Estill. Brownie and Estill died the same year. Brownie was 57 years of age and Estill was 61. Cletus lived to be 82 years and nine months, but to my knowledge he had suffered for more than fifty years, though many of those years he had worked in spite of his pain.

Bessie has also had her share, and more, of suffering but she has bravely fought it off, as she trusted in God, and kept her family together. Her son never married, but has devoted his life to his mother.

Brownie & Bessie's children are:

James Herbert Delong, b. 14 October 1833, Williams, Ky. Died 23 September 1938, Hardburley, KY. His soul returned to God who gave and his body was lovingly interned in the Brown Cemetery, Matthew County, Ky.

Thomas Ray (or Roe?) Delong, born 1 July 1936, graduated from Morgan county High School, West Liberty, Ky. and soon thereafter sought and found employment with the International Harvester Company, Louisville, Ky. As soon as he could he purchased a new brick home in Louisville where he and Bessie still reside at 1865 Sunwood Circle. Bessie is one of the most hospitable persons I have ever known. It was our good fortune to have her and her good friend Bernadene Dulworth visit us once in San Francisco.

Joyce Lillian (Delong) Sexton, born 3 January 1941, Hardburley, Perry County, Kentucky, grew up and finished high school in Morgan County High, and entered into marriage to a wonderful young and educated man in the person of Carter Sexton. They purchased brick home next door to Bessie and Tom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brown married Bessie Prater in 1932, she was the foster dau. of William F. & Laura (Lacey) Prater. They had the following children:

1. James Herbert DeLong b. 1933, d. 1939.
2. Thomas Roe DeLong b. 1936.
3. Joyce Lillian DeLong Sexton b. 1941.


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  • Created by: Roy Delong
  • Added: Dec 18, 2014
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140192669/brownlow-delong: accessed ), memorial page for Brownlow “Brown" "Brownie” DeLong (7 May 1907–8 Dec 1964), Find a Grave Memorial ID 140192669, citing Brown Cemetery, Matthew, Morgan County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Roy Delong (contributor 47471761).