In the 1870 census Thomas was listed as a farmer, living in Albion and born in England. Both he and his wife’s parents were born in England. He claimed $5,100 in real estate and $1,925 in personal property. Edward, listed as Edwin, was one year old. Ten years later, in 1880, Thomas was still a farmer living in Albion.
Edward attended Southern Illinois Normal University for four years and in 1895, he came to Marion as the Superintendent of Schools where he met Mamie Bundy, a school teacher.
Professor Longbons and Mamie Bundy were married on August 13th of 1896. She was born on October 3, 1872 at 8 Mile Prairie near Carterville, Illinois. Mamie Ellen Bundy was the daughter of William H. Bundy, (1846-1938), early Marion druggist, banker and businessman, and Isabelle Warder (1848-1883) daughter of Joseph Warder and Anne T. Kirkham (1822-1890).
At the time of the 1900 census, Edward and Mamie were living in Metropolis in Massac County, Illinois. He was Superintendent of Public Schools there. They had two daughters, Belle and Elizabeth. The couple stayed in Metropolis until 1904 when they returned to Marion to live and he became a traveling salesman selling books and other educational supplies.
Edward’s father, Thomas, died in August of 1910 in Edwards County, Illinois. By this time Edward and Mamie had four daughters and one son: Belle, Elizabeth, Helen, Annie and Edward. They were living at 104 N. Vicksburg St. in a home they owned free of mortgage.
In February of 1913 their daughter Annie Louise died of scarlet fever and was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery.
The new Carnegie Library was built in 1916 and Edward served on the first library board.
In 1920, the Longbons were living in Champagne, Illinois. They had three daughters of college age and some of them attended University of Illinois at Champagne. He was a traveling salesman for Giss & Company, book publishers. In 1924 or 1925 they returned to Marion and bought a home at 514 E. Everett Street.
In the 1928-1929 Marion directory Edward and Mamie were listed at the East Everett St. address. Children present in the home were: Belle, teacher; Ed Jr., student; Elizabeth, teacher; and Helen, music teacher.
In 1930, only Helen was still living at home. Elizabeth and Belle were teaching in other towns and Edward, Jr. was probably away at school. Helen gave piano lessons in their home.
The Bank of Marion opened in 1937 as the area pulled out of the depression. Oscar Schafale told of the problems trying to get someone to be president of the new bank because the salary was so low, “no salary to speak of”, only $50 a month. Ed Longbons who had retired as a traveling salesman took the job. In 1940 his salary was still only $1200 a year; however, he had other income. He was re-elected every year after his first year at the bank’s organization. Interestingly, when Longbons died in 1944, Oscar Schafale succeeded him as president.
In the 1940 census the Longbons family still lived at their home on East Everett Street. The home was valued at $6,000. Helen was still home with her parents and lived on there after their deaths.
On February 18, 1944 Edward E. Longbons died after a short illness. He was very active in his memberships. He had served as a member of the Marion High School Board; the Christian Church, the Masonic Lodge, the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club.
Mamie Bundy Longbons died on August 12, 1961. Helen remained in the home and as her sisters retired they returned home to live with her.
Notes on the Children:
Belle Longbons was born Sept. 13, 1897, in southern Illinois, the oldest of five children born to Edward and Mamie Bundy Longbons. She died Aug. 1989 in Marion, Ill. Miss Longbons received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Illinois. At the age of 20, Miss Longbons was employed full time as a violin and orchestral instructor in Herrin. She began teaching at Murphysboro Township High School in the fall of 1923 where she remained until the summer of 1927 when she resigned in order to teach in the Champaign High School.
Belle Longbons belonged to the Marion Fortnightly Club, the Marion Women’s Club, and the Alpha Kappa chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma honorary society for teachers.
Elizabeth Longbons, 98, of Marion, passed away on Sunday, August 31, 1997, at 7:30 p.m. in Parkway Manor of Marion. She was born in Metropolis on January 25, 1899, to Edward and Mamie (Bundy) Longbons. Early in her lifetime the family moved to Marion. She attended the Marion School System and was named “Salutatorian” of her high school class. She then attended and graduated from the University of Illinois, obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree, with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Physics. During the summer months she attended Columbia University in New York City obtaining her Master’s Degree.
Elizabeth taught Chemistry and Physics for many years in the Harrisburg School System. After her retirement she returned to Marion to live with her family. Her memberships include: First Christian Church Disciples of Christ of Marion, active member in the Clio Club and the Marion Fortnightly Club, Iota Sigma Phi Honorary Chemistry Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and a very active member of the Marion Memorial Hospital Auxiliary
Helen Longbons taught many of Marion’s children to play the piano. Come Saturday morning my children were at her house for their piano lesson. Can’t get there early because you couldn’t make a sound while Miss Longbons taught the person ahead of you. When your turn came she knew immediately if you had practiced every day. And if you hadn’t . . . .
Helen got her bachelor’s degree in music at the University of Illinois in 1926. She has been active as a member, board member, and officer in many music organizations: Southern Illinois Concert Association, Illinois State Music Teachers Association, Music Teachers National Association, and the Southern Region of Music Teachers Association.
She played the organ at the Christian Church and the First Church of Christ Scientist. She and her sisters Belle and Elizabeth were honored by the Chamber of Commerce in 1980 for their achievements through the years and in 1983 Helen was named Business and Professionals Women’s “Woman of the Year.” For more than 50 years, Ms. Longbons was a member of the Marion Fortnightly Club, twice serving as president of the group.
Helen died November 9, 1999. See the post, Helen Longbons
Edward Longbons, Jr. was born Aug 28, 1906 and died in April of 1982. He had been an attorney in Chicago for many years and returned to Marion when he retired.
Of the five children, only Ed married. There were no grandchildren. Their lot at the cemetery has all five children clustered around their parents.
(Extracted from federal census records; Marion city directories; Marion City Cemetery Records; Marion Daily Republican obits; compiled by Colleen Norman)