LONG, EMMETT GLEN AND LENA MAE

by E.G. Long

Entry F259 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Emmett Glen and Lena Mae Long children L to R - Dan, Marsha, and Bob

Emmett Glen Long on his horse

Emmett Glen Long was born November 9,
1912, to Sadie and Emmett E. Long in
Mullen. When he was young he spent the
summers working for his Uncle Booker Long
on the Long Ranch northeast of Mullen.
Emmett graduated from Mullen High School
in 1931. That summer he worked in the hay
field and then went to Oakland, California,
looking for work. There were no jobs to be had
so he returned the following May to Mullen.
In 1932 he went back to work for Uncle
Booker and in 1933 Emmett joined the CCC
and moved to Halsey, NE. The men worked
for $30 a month. The Government sent $25
home and the men got to keep $5. After a year
of working at Halsey Emmett returned to
Mullen and helped his brother, Paul, in the
Bakery and his Dad at his liquor store. Slim
Crouse and Emmett teamed up the first of
May in 1936 and opened a Beer Parlor. The
beer Parlor was located just north of the
railroad crossing. This Beer Parlor was
complete from a Heinz Soup Kitchen to
rooster fights out behind. Slim sold his part
of the business to Mac Rayfield in 1938.
Emmett and Mac were frequently called to
the Village Board meetings to hear all the
complaints against beer parlors in general.
The County Judge would stand across the
street to see who went in the Beer Parlor and
one day told Sadie that her son was going to
hell if he didn't get out of that business. July
6, 1938, Emmett married Lena Mae Eivins.
Lena Mae was the daughter of Elsie and Ben
Eivins. There were three children born to
Emmett and Lena. Dan was born
1939, Marsha was born 1944 and
Bob 1948. Dan lives in Ann Arbor,
Mich. He and wife Kay have two children.
Erik and Krista. Dan is a Music Instructor.
Marsha teaches school in Harvard, NE. She
has two daughters. She married Brian Bod-
dye. Niki is the oldest and Kara was born
after her Dad was killed in a car wreck.
Marsha married Mel Sukup in 1977. Emmett
bought Mac's part of the business in 1940 and
managed to bring a few slot machines.
Occasionally Emmett would have to move
them into the big ice cooler out of sight. Frank
Wilde helped run the beer parlor in 1949-40.
There were often fights and it took two men
to handle the business.

In 1941 Emmett sold the Beer Parlor to Ed
Primer and went to work for Red Mecure
selling cars. When the war started in 1941 the
car manufacturers stopped making cars so
Emmett took a mail route northwest of
Mullen for Ed Zachery. Emmett carried this
route til 1950. While driving the mail route
some of the local boys always wanted to go
along and do some fishing. Don Pearson, Mac
Rayfield, Bill Johnson, Willis Wakley, Lloyd
Ginkens Jr. were few. Coyote hunting was
always a hobby along with grouse and
pheasant. While carrying the mail Emmett
had lunch at the Tom Roseberry ranch. This
made it possible for the Roseberry's to read
their mail and answer it on the same mail day.
Emmett went to work for Louis Folk in 1951
driving the tank truck. When the School
Board decided to run School Buses for
country children Emmett took the south
route in 1952. He also worked for the Mullen
Co-op. Lena Mae passed away October 21,
1961. Marsha and Bob were still at home.
Marsha attended Kearney State College and
Bob was in the Artillery in Viet Nam. Bob
died July 2, 1978 at the Veteran Hospital in
Omaha. Emmett married Betty Lou O'Brien
July 20, 1967. They live at the Ranch
southwest of Mullen.