Written by great grandson Glen Long
Amanda Miller was the oldest child born to parents John T Miller (1820-1882) and Frances Combs (1822-1843). She was born in 1841 in Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. Her mother Frances, unfortunately died 2 years later in 1843 - the same year that her younger brother Jefferson John Miller (1843-1883) was born. Her father remarried two years later in 1845, to Eliza Ann Spencer. Amanda grew up as the oldest sister to seven additional half brothers and sisters.
Amanda’s father, John T, was born in Indiana. Although not known exactly, it is speculated that her mother, Frances, was born in Tennessee. It was in Washington County, Arkansas where John T and Frances’ life came together.
As a child between 1847 and 1850, Amanda, and her extended family traveled back and forth from their home in Arkansas to Bastrop, before ultimately settling in Bastrop in about 1850 at the age of 9 years old. Her father John T owned and operated a livery stable on the site of the future Bastrop Opera House.
In Bastrop on January 8, 1856 at the age of 15 years old, Amanda married a recent widower Minos M Long (1824-1901), who was 17 years her senior and only 4 years younger than her father. Minos’ first marriage had ended tragically in 1852 after only being married for two weeks to Sarah Owen. Sarah was a daughter of Volley Ann Burleson Owen, a sister to the famed Texas pioneer and statesman Edward Burleson. Minos had arrived in Bastrop about 1847 from Tennessee and found work on the plantation of one of the Hill brothers, Middleton Hill, near Smithville.
When Minos met and married Amanda, he had already started his own Bastrop livery stable business as well as a ferry over the Colorado River. On December 21, 1859, Sam Houston was inaugurated as Texas’ 7th Governor. One of Minos’ horses was chosen to pull Governor Houston’s carriage down Congress Avenue.
In about 1860, the young family including two daughters, Sarah “Fannie” Long (1857-1925) and Anna “Belle” Long (1859-1890), moved to Austin. Amanda’s father and stepmother had moved to Austin in 1854, where John T continued to operate a livery stable. A fire broke out in John T’s livery stable in the 700 block of Congress Avenue on February 4, 1858. The fire caused over $1,000 in damage and resulted in Austin creating a volunteer fire department, a first for the young, quickly growing town. Amanda’s husband Minos went on to become Austin’s Fifth Fire Chief from 1872 to 1874 and was the last chief of an Austin volunteer fire department.
Amanda and Minos’ family continued to grow after their Austin arrival, having an additional seven children, five growing to adulthood: Lillian “Della” Long (1861-1925), Howard Hugh Long (1868-1932), John T Long (1872-1907), Minos M Long Jr (1874-1906), and Frank Louis “F L” Long (1880-1951).
Amanda Long
In 1869 Minos operated a livery stable on the first floor of a two-story building at 901 Congress Avenue, while an Opera House and meeting space were located on the second floor. Amanda and Minos lived on Bois d’Arc Street (currently 7th Street) west of Congress Avenue between Colorado and Lavaca.
Amanda enjoyed being a mother and grandmother to her big family. Her children were all well-educated and participated in many piano recitals.
Amanda Miller Long died in 1903 at the age of 62, two years after the death of her devoted husband Minos. They were both celebrated as long-time Austin citizens and pioneers. Amanda is buried next to her husband Minos, her father John T Miller, and four of her children.
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