I concur with nord's misidentification suggestion. The rifle pictured as a "Long" is most likely not a product of Joseph Long, especially considering that the infamous and almost always-present football shaped sideplate is missing. A brief look in Seller's American Gunsmiths reveals the possibility that this gun is a product of Dauphin County, particularly John Shell (if this is a "JS" signature), but I would not rule this out as an early Ohio rifle. It could also be signed "TS." Feel free to disagree, but it does not look like a classic Union/Snyder County rifle.
Where did Long live and work? Cooper's Kentucky Rifle and Me contains the basic details about Joe Long. He was born in Penn Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania on September 18, 1799. At the time of his birth, present day Union and Snyder Counties were part of then Northumberland County. Long family genealogy reveals that Long was most likely born in present day Snyder County (which between 1813 and 1855 would have been part of Union County). Long's birthplace is located south of the town of New Berlin, Union County, Pennsylvania. Cooper points out that around 1819, Long's family moved to White Deer Township, Union County, Pennsylvania. White Deer is located west of present day Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. At the time of his family's move, it would appear that Long was likely completing his apprenticeship.
Who was Long's teacher and who were his business associates? Several early references claim that Joe Long worked with Samuel Morrison in Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania and possibly apprenticed under William Fillman, a gunsmith located in Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. This is still possible as the Long and Morrison sideplates (and other features) are nearly identical. Rather than working together as apprentices, I tend to believe (and perhaps incorrectly) that Long and Morrison worked together at one point. Early references mention the fact that there are rifles signed "Long and Morrison." I have never seen a rifle with both names, but it is quite possible that Long and Morrison worked together at one point. Based on Long's proximity to New Berlin, Union County, Pennsylvania, I believe that Long and Morrison may have both apprenticed in New Berlin under Samuel Baum, Sr. Samuel Baum, Jr. would have been apprenticing at the same time and based on recent theories, Samuel Baum, Sr. operated a gun factory in New Berlin and this area would have served as a perfect place to learn the trade, in light of the concentration of gunsmiths in this small town, which served as the county seat of Union County between 1813 and 1855 and was an industrial hub of early cottage industry production. We may never know the exact details on Long's apprenticeship, but we do know that as early as 1826, Long was listed as a gunsmith in Adamsburg (now Beaver Springs, Snyder County, Pennsylvania). Long later moved northwest of Beaver Springs, Snyder County, Pennsylvania (as recorded in the 1832 tax assessment). He continued his career in this location, in close proximity to the Specht family of gunsmiths, who worked in Beavertown, Snyder County, Pennsylvania.
What else do we know? Long held several public offices in Snyder County, including Justice of the Peace. Many early deeds from Snyder County, Pennsylvania, include Long's signature (identically matching the signature on his rifles) as a witness. He was actively involved in the community and church. At least two sons learned the gunsmith trade, but were not nearly as successful as their father. One son Jesse, signed his rifles "JL" like his father but they are not nearly as graceful as his father's product. A Joe Long rifle that "does not quite look right" may be a Jesse Long and caution should be exercised in identifying the gun as a Joe Long. Other family members practiced the trade, including William Long (perhaps a brother), as well as George Long (a nephew). Long died May 8, 1872.
