James H. Long

1921 ⁶

James Hutchison Long (November 1, 1855 – June 16, 1944), better known as "Long, the Coffee Man", was a long-time business owner in Oakland.

Long was born November 1, 1855, in Pleasant Lake, Indiana to James M. Long and Sarah Reynolds (Long). He married Susie May Holton (Long) on October 29, 1884 in Saint Johns, MI. By 1886 they had come to California, where their oldest daughter, Grace, was born in San Diego. The next 3 children were born in Fresno, and their 5th child, Robert, was born in Oakland in 1896. The children were Grace M. Long (McCann), Harry H. Long, Beulah Claire Long (Williamson), James Willard Long, Robert Albert Long, Helen C. Long (Cash), and Russell Long. Susie died in 1906 after a long illness. ^1,2

About 1918, Long remarried, this time to Lena Isabel Greig (Long). They had 3 children, Margaret Long (Culshaw), Elizabeth J. Long (Booker), and Florence Lorraine "Marion" Long.

Isabel and James, c,.1935.
Courtesy Elliott family.4721 Park Blvd., January 1922 snowstorm
Courtesy Elliott family

Business

courtesy Tim Sanchez

In 1913, Long opened a coffee business at the newly opened New Oakland Free Market at 6th and Washington. ³ A few years later in 1915, he opened his own market at 11th and Washington selling a variety of foodstuffs in addition to coffee. At that point, his coffee was available at 4 stores: Long's Market, the Washington Market (11th and Washington), the New Oakland Free Market, and 964 1/2 Market St. in San Francisco. ⁴

Long moved his market from 11th and Washington to 901 Washington in 1920, ⁵ and he stopped selling at the New Oakland Free Market in 1921. ⁶ Finally, in 1926, an ad for Whitthorne and Swan's noted they were selling the remaining stock from Long's Grocery. ⁷

1913 ³1915 ⁴1920 ⁵1921 ⁶19251926 ⁷