Sam (Samuel) Longabaugh
Samuel Longabaugh was listed in the 1870 Nevada Census as age 27, a carpenter born in Pennsylvania. At that time he was living in the Dayton Precinct with or near his brothers Seth, age 22, a teamster; and Daniel, age 25, a quartz mill hand. The 1900 Nevada Census listed Samuel as age 63, born in November 1836 in Pennsylvania as a divorced grocer in Empire Township (Ormsby County). Living with or near him was son Seth, age 24 (born in February 1876 in Nevada), a clerk (probably in Sam's store).
In the 1910 Nevada Census Sam was listed as a 73 year old woodchopper, born in Pennsylvania, widowed, whose mother and father were also born in Pennsylvania. He lived in Franktown and living with him or nearby were his son Seth, a dairyman, age 34; Seth's wife Theodora, age 32; grandson Edward, age 7; and granddaughter Thais, age 1.
Samuel Longabaugh sold a substantial amount of land and water rights to the Virginia and Gold Hill Water Company in 1909. The land originally was purchased from William E. Price and from the Central Pacific Railroad Company. Part of the land included a lake called Price's Lake. The land appears to have been in the Ophir creek drainage area and perhaps Tahoe Meadows. Bundled with land records and correspondence documenting this transaction were deeds and notes indicating that some of the land at Tahoe Meadows was sold/transferred by Norman Biltz.
From the Ormsby County District Court we learn more about Longabauth. In Probate cases #3083, Oliver Longabaugh; and #3325, Jonathan Longabaugh, we learn that Sam served as administrator. Oliver was ½ owner of the Longabaugh & Co. business; Sam bought the assets of the estate in 1897 during probate proceedings.
There were a number of newspaper articles about Longabaugh:
Daily Nevada State Journal, Reno, Sat. April 4, 1894: Samuel Longabaugh established the first free soup kitchen in Nevada in Empire. All the hotels and restaurants had been closed several months. Sam had a general merchandise store in town and a cook so he fed runners and 1 or 2 residents of the Comstock [in his residence].
Reno Evening Gazette, Weds. May 6, 1903: Sam is down from his Ophir Creek wood camp. He has repaired his flumes and is cutting lots of wood to run down the mountain later in the season. He reports from 4-7' of snow in the hills where he is operating. He will return to his camp tomorrow.
Reno Evening Gazette, Fri. Sept. 23, 1904: Longabaugh is a candidate for Washoe County Assessor on the Democratic ticket. He was nominated at a party convention in which a separate Silver Party ticket was also filled.
Reno Evening Gazette, Tues. April 3, 1906: Sam, one of the wealthiest lumbermen of this section, wants to build an electrical generating power plant on Ophir Creek in a steep canyon. He wants the City of Reno to investigate conditions on Ophir Creek for a municipal power system.
Nevada State Journal, Thurs. Oct. 14, 1915: Refers to Longabaugh as the mayor of Ophir.
Longabaugh was also involved in two court cases. In the first, Nevada Supreme Court case #643, July 29, 1874: Samuel Longabaugh vs the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, Longabaugh sued the V&T in the 2nd Judicial District Court on May 26, 1873 to recover damages for the burning of certain cord wood. He claimed V&T employees negligently dropped and threw fire from V&T locomotives into his wood yard. In the original trial, the defendant objected to the admission of testimony of those who had seen such behavior in the past. The court's decision was not noted but apparently Longabaugh appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.
The second court case was filed in the 2nd Judicial Court for Ormsby County: Case #2272, filed Jan. 30, 1896, Agnes Longabaugh vs. Samuel Longabaugh, for divorce. Agnes and Sam were married May 15, 1873 in Carson City. At the time Agnes filed for divorce the Longabaughs had been residents of Ormsby County for [at least] two years. Agnes had been living temporarily in San Francisco for the previous 2 years.
Agnes stated that for the past 10 years Sam had treated her with extreme cruelty, approbrious [to make use of without authority or right] epithets and abuse, and had ordered her and her daughter to leave home [in 1885?]. In 1892 he did so again. In Jan. 1894 at their home in Empire, Sam ordered Agnes to leave. In Sept. 1894 he swore at and cursed her, choked her and by that time had seriously affected her nervous system and health. He had spoken of Agnes in public with extreme disrespect; anonymous letters had been sent to her telling her this and causing great mental pain and mortification.
For the past 15 years Sam had been a man of large means, worth from $25,000-$100,000 or more but Agnes was required to perform all household duties with no help, affecting her health. Agnes believed Sam had gambled away large sums of money in the last 10 years. She estimated community property in Nevada was worth $100,000-$200,000 and in California worth $10,000. A large of amount of money existed in a location unknown to Agnes. On Dec. 29, 1895 Sam told Agnes he would dispose of all his property and she would get nothing.
Their children were Olivia, age 21; Seth W., age 19; and Rudolph Lee, age 14. Olivia and Rudolph were living with Agnes in San Francisco at the time of the court action. Sam had promised to give Agnes $150/month when she left but had failed to pay more than about $300. Agnes asked for $150/month for support, her legal fees, one-half of the community property, and custody of the minor children. The divorce was granted Feb. 13, 1897. Agnes was awarded child custody, $5,000 for maintenance and support, and court and attorney fees.
[Note: the 1910 Nevada census listed Sam as widowed. A letter from Sam to James M. Leonard, Sept. 11, 1910 from Ophir says "I will arrange to see you some time and bring my wife." It is unknown if this is Agnes or a 2nd wife.]
Sam Longabaugh Records. 1879-1909. 6 folders. WATER-0001 files #039-044
SERIES: LONGABAUGH SAMUEL LONGABAUGH AND WILLIAM E. PRICE, DEEDS, LAND PATENTS, AGREEMENTS, MAP, ASSESSOR'S INVENTORY OF LONGABAUGH PROPERTY, PT. 1 1879-1882 WATER-0001 039
SERIES: LONGABAUGH SAMUEL LONGABAUGH AND WILLIAM E. PRICE, DEEDS, LAND PATENTS, AGREEMENTS, MAP, ASSESSOR'S INVENTORY OF LONGABAUGH PROPERTY, PT. 2 1893-1909/JUNE WATER-0001 040
SERIES: LONGABAUGH SAMUEL LONGABAUGH AND WILLIAM E. PRICE, DEEDS, LAND PATENTS, AGREEMENTS, MAP, ASSESSOR'S INVENTORY OF LONGABAUGH PROPERTY, PT. 3, JULY-AUG 1909 WATER-0001 041
SERIES: LONGABAUGH SAMUEL LONGABAUGH AND WILLIAM E. PRICE, DEEDS, LAND PATENTS, AGREEMENTS, MAP, ASSESSOR'S INVENTORY OF LONGABAUGH PROPERTY, PT. 4, SEPT. 1909-1901 WATER-0001 042
SERIES: LONGABAUGH SAMUEL LONGABAUGH AND WILLIAM E. PRICE, PT. 5: REGARDING NORMAN BILTZ LANDS, TAHOE MEADOWS 1879-1909 WATER-0001 043
SERIES: LONGABAUGH SAMUEL LONGABAUGH AND WILLIAM E. PRICE, PT. 6, MISC. NOTES N.D. WATER-0001 044
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