Marin-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....De Long, Francis 1808 - 
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Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. Publishers (1880)

  Francis De Long. Whose portrait will be found in the body of this work, was
born in the town of Cornwall, Addison county, Vermont, January 10, 1808, and is
the son of Aaron and Sylvia Bingham De Long. He remained in his native town
until he was seventeen years of age, at which time he went to the adjoining town
of Shoreham for the purpose of learning the tanner's and shoemaker's trade. He
returned to Cornwall at the end of two years, and remained there until he was
twenty-one years old. He then went to another neighboring town, Bridport, and,
in partnership with Ahira Scovel, began the business of tanning leather and
working it up into stock. He remained here for six years. In the Fall of 1836 he
started for Illinois, but his wife falling ill, they stopped at Lockport, New
York, where he finally concluded to locate. He at once engaged in his business,
and remained for fourteen years. May 1, 1850, he sailed for California, coming
via the Isthmus, and arrived in San Francisco July 15th of that year. He at once
engaged in the grocery business in company with his brother, James De Long, and
Wm. McNeil, under the firm name of De Long, McNeil & Co. In May, 1851, they were
burned out; soon after the same parties, under the same firm name, engaged in
the hardware business and continued until May, 1857. His brother James, however,
returned home and died in 1853. In November, 1856, in company with Joseph B.
Sweetser, he purchased the Novato ranch, where he has ever since been located.
This partnership continued to exist until January 1, 1879, when Mr. De Long, by
the purchase of Mr. Sweetser's interest, became the sole owner of the tract. It
now contains fifteen thousand acres. On this place there is the most extensive
orchard in this State, and probably in the United States; a full description of
which will be found in the body of this work. He is a genial gentleman, and
although seventy-two years of age, is hale and hearty, and as full of business
and energy as he was at thirty. He married Miss Eliza Gale, a native of Addison
county, Vermont, January 28, 1830. She died in Bridport, Vermont, October 7,
1834, leaving one daughter, Mary Eliza, born June 21, 1831, who died in
Lockport, New York, May 17, 1847. He was married a second time to Mrs. Esther
Sampson, a native of Vermont, September 22, 1835. She died October 5, 1836, at
Lockport, New York. He was married a third time to Miss Dorcas A. Coye, a native
of Homer, Cortland county, New York, August 24, 1842. She died October 12, 1847,
at Lockport, New York. She left one child, Frank Coye, born October 10, 1843,
who is presently engaged with his father in the management of the Novato ranch.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA;
INCLUDING ITS
Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography;
TOGETHER WITH
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish
and American Pioneers;

A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a
Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County;

Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San
Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships;

Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent
Settlers and Representative Men;
ALSO
An Historical Sketch of the State of California,
In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag

ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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