Lille Belle Bradshaw

Lillie Belle Bradshaw was born Jul 4, 1866 in Tennessee or Virginia to Alexander Bradshaw and Amanda Bradshaw. She married Noah Long on Jan 1, 1888 in Hawkins County, Tennessee.

Obituary:

Pioneer Lady Laid Away

Funeral and Burial Services For Mrs. Noah Long Were Held Saturday Afternoon--Obituary Tells of Well Spent Life

Funeral services were held at 2:30 Saturday afternoon for Mrs. Noah Long, a long-time resident of Albano township, who passed away Thursday morning last at her home. The services were conducted from the home by the Rev. Ray P. Waters of San Antonio, Texas, and Judge Fred R Seely of St. John.

A very large number of relatives and friends were in attendance at the funeral service. Internment was in Neelands cemetery. There were flowers in profusion, which attested to the high standing in which this splendid pioneer setler was held in Stafford county.

The News has been unable to procure a list of pall-bearers, singers and flower girls.

The story below of the life and death of Mrs. Long was read during the funeral service:

Obituary

Mrs. Noah Long, nee Lillie Belle Bradshaw, was born July 4th, 1866, and died at her home at 8:00 o'clock Thursday September 27, 1937, aged 71 years, 2 months, and 19 days.

Mrs. Long had been in poor health for many years but was always uncomplaining and cheerful. She was taken suddenly seriously ill on Saturday and was in a semi-conscious state until her death. Yet so great was the mother love that she recognized and welcomed with a faint, fleeting smile each of her children who hastened to her bedside.

She joined the Baptist church in early childhood, walking many miles to attend. In later years she was unable to attend but used her Christian influence in home and community.

Lillie Belle Bradshaw was born not long after the closing of the Civil War, on the boundary line between Tennessee and Virginia. Her parents were Elic and Amanda Bradshaw. Her father died before her birth and her mother, when she was 16. She made her home with an aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. John Bradshaw, until her marriage in their home on January 1, 1888 to Noah Long. Mr Long's home was in Sturgonsville, Tennessee, a town 90 miles from Washington D.C.

Mr Long had come to Kansas, however, in 1886, and finding the then frontier of Stafford county to his liking, returned a year later for his bride. Soon after their marriage on the first day of the year, 1888, the young couple set out for their new home, and on February 22 arrived in Stafford county. For the first year they lived on a farm a short distance from the present home, but for over forty years Mr and Mrs. Long made this their comfortable, happy, gracious home.

Seven children were born in this home--one died in infancy. The others grew to manhood and womanhood here and went out to found homes of their own and to be a help to their community, respected, honored, forward looking citizens. Such is the influence of a good home, and good parents. The children are: Ida--Mrs. Wm. R, Goodman, Colton, Calif., for many years a teacher; George M Long, for a number of years a respected farmer of Stafford county, who died at Liberal, June 1931. Louise--Mrs. Carl Neill, Vilas, Colorado; Mollie--Mrs C.C. McCandless, St. John; Cora--Mrs. Harry Waters, St. John; Fred Long, Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Mr. Noah Long, loved and respected by all who knew him, died Aug. 29, 1933. Mrs. Long continued on in the home she and her husband had made by patient, loving effort through the years. Her daughters, Mrs. McCandless in the same yard, and Mrs. Cora Waters not far away, and the other members of the family by frequent visits, looked after her every want--and she was, as always, happy and contented.

Perhaps, by being deprived of a real home in her childhood by the early death of her parents, tended to deepen and broaden her devotion to home and family made her more eager to share her home with others; certainly her devotion and hospitality was beautiful and generous. Her daughters say of her: "She was the most unselfish of mothers"; and all--children, friends, strangers testify to her hospitality.

Tough for many years she was unable to leave the home even for short trips to town or to the neighbors, yet her kindly interest in all never ceased. Her memory was remarkable and she never failed to have a hopeful and sympathetic word for all.

She never thought of herself as a "shut in" nor did we, for her kindly spirit soured free and brought us in to share her home with her. And so Mrs. Long will be missed, not only by her immediate family and neighbors but by others to whom through her children she reached out and gathered in to share her rich motherly love.

"A mother's love--how sweet the name!

What is a mother's love?

A noble, pure, and tender flame,

Enkindled from above."