902
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
army in a Virginia regiment and when the
war was over returned to his native county,
where he continued active in business until
his death. He married his cousin, Susan
E., daughter of Philip Long, and sister of
Captain Powell Long, of the Frederick
county, Virginia, state militia. Isaac Long,
a son of Michael and Susan E. (Long) Long,
served in a Virginia regiment of the Confed-
erate army in charge of a hospital corps at
Keswick, Albemarle county, Virginia.
Gideon Lee Long, son of Michael and Susan E. (Long) Long, was born on the old Long homestead, in Page county, Virginia, eight miles from Luray. He pursued ad- vanced courses for two years at the Poly- technic Institute, Newmarket, Virginia, and for one year at Virginia Military Institute, at Lexington. He then returned to the farm and for many years devoted his life to the management of his large estate, that for two centuries has been in the Long name. He is a true type of the Virginia gentleman farmer, courteous, genial and hospitable, progressive and modern in his methods, political and religious views broad-minded and liberal.
Mr. Long married (first) Amanda Vir- ginia, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Allen) Spangler. She died September 15, 1907. He married (second) September 4, 1912, Annie, daughter of Judge J. W. Malone, of Quincy, Florida. Children : Michael Allen, born on the old homestead, November 23. 1890; Rob- ert Edward, born on the homestead. Janu- ary 10, 1898; Thomas Bayard, born in Luray, January 11, 1905.
Frank H. Couch. Incumbent of high fra- ternal office, Frank H. Couch, a native of Hampton, Virginia, is at this time a resident of the city, the greater part of his earlier business career having been passed in asso- ciation with the Newport News Shipbuild- ing Company. Son of a veteran of the Civil war. Mr. Couch is himself a veteran of the Spanish-American war, and as an officer of Company D, Fourth Virginia Volunteer Regiment, saw much strenuous service in the conflict that gave to Manila and Santi- ago more than geographical distinction. Prominent fraternally, he is also closely identified with religious work, and in ofiflcial positions aids in planning the activities of the Hampton Civic Improvement League and vigorously strives for their realization.
Frank H. Couch is a son of Villiam Couch,
born at Church Falls, province of Quebec,
Canada, in 1837. As a young man of twen-
ty-four years William Couch enlisted as a
soldier in Battery C, Thirty-ninth Regiment
New York Light Artillery, at the beginning
of the Civil war. He was wounded in the
action before Richmond, and was placed in
the national hospital at Gatewoods Corner.
One of his nurses at this time, and the one
whose ministrations seemed to him most
tender and angelic, was Emma Smith, and
in the midst of all the suffering and inisery
of war there grew and flourished a romance
of beauty and sweetness. When strength
and health returned William Couch made
his nurse his bride, and after receiving his
discharge from the service made his home
in Hampton, Virginia, where he made
photography his occupation. He was suc-
cessful in business and in Hampton kept his
home until his death in 1907, aged seventy
years. He was a member of the Grand
Army of the Republic, held the Knights
Templar degree in the Masonic order, and
also affiliated with the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows. In politics a loyal Demo-
crat, his church was the Methodist Epis-
copal, of which he was an earnest and life-
long member. William and Emma (Smith)
Couch were the parents of: Frank H., of
whom further; Louise, born January i,
1868; married, July 13, 1896, Christopher
Ethelbert Cheyne, born in 1867, and has
children : Ethelbert, born May 26, 1898,
Emily, born June 13, 1901, and Marian, born
February 6, 1909.
Frank H. Couch, only son of William and Emma (Smith) Couch, was born in Hamp- ton, Virginia, in 1866, and after studying in the Sims-Eaton School and the Model School, entered the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, whence he was graduated in the class of 1888. For a time after leaving school he read law, never, however, advanc- ing into practice of this profession, and sub- sequently was employed by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company. For nineteen years he remained with this concern, deputy in one of the important offices of the com- pany, his term of service with the Newport News Shipbuilding Company marked by capable effort and efficient administration of a diflicult office.
When war with Spain was declared he was first lieutenant of Company D, Fourth
