Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Long, Samuel
LONG, SAMUEL (1638–1683), speaker of the House of Assembly at Jamaica, born in 1638, was second son of Timothy Long (1610–1691), and was grandson of John Long (d. 1630) of Netheravon, Wiltshire. His mother, Jane, was only daughter of Oliver Brunsell, vicar of Wroughton in the same county (Burke, Landed Gentry, 7th edit. ii. 1133). He served as lieutenant in Colonel Edward D'Oyley's regiment, in the expedition, under Penn and Venables, which conquered Jamaica in 1655, and was appointed secretary to Cromwell's commissioners. He received large grants of land in Jamaica, and by 1661 was clerk of the House of Assembly (Cal. State Papers, Col. Ser., Amer., and the West Indies, 1661–8, p. 47). In November 1664 he was charged with treason by Sir Thomas Whetstone, acting on behalf of the king, before the governor, council, and assembly. He had, it was alleged, in May of that year caused himself to be unlawfully elected speaker of the assembly, and had later contrived illegally his appointment as clerk, and he had caused to be passed orders and votes with intention to seize the legislative power into his own hands, including an act for the establishment of a particular treasury of the island, with himself as treasurer, into which all the king's revenue was to be paid, and from which no moneys could be issued without order from the assembly. He had, moreover, it was said, done his utmost to 'infuse his traitorous principles' into the members. A warrant for his apprehension was issued, but popular feeling favoured Long, and no further steps were taken (ib. 1661–8, pp. 251, 277, 287). Long had in fact made a bold attempt to reform existing financial abuses. In 1671 he was acting as judge for the parishes of Clarendon and St. Elizabeth (ib. 1669–74, p. 251). He was elected to the assembly as member for Clarendon in January 1672, having then acquired the rank of captain, and on 1 Feb. following was chosen speaker on the nomination of the governor (ib. pp. 314, 326, 331). In May 1673, and again in February 1674, he was returned member for St. Katherine, and was reappointed speaker (ib. pp. 489, 554–5). On 14 Aug. 1674, being then colonel, he was sworn of the council and appointed chief justice (ib. p. 603). Long died on 28 June 1683, and was buried in the cathedral in St. Katherine's parish (Archer, Mon. Inscriptions of British West Indies, p. 53). By his wife, Elizabeth (who remarried John Towers, rector of Swaffham Bulbeck, Cambridgeshire, and died 1710), he had, with three daughters (of whom the eldest, Elizabeth, born 1670, married, first, Henry Lowe of Goadby Marwood, Leicestershire, and, secondly, Henry Smallwood), three sons, one of whom, Charles, born in 1679, alone survived. He was seated at Longville, Jamaica, and was a member of council and colonel of horse. Ultimately he came to England, settled at Hurts Hall, Saxmundham, Suffolk, became in 1716 M.P. for Dunwich, and died on 8 May 1723.
[Sharpe's Peerage, s.v. 'Farnborough;' authorities cited.]