James Anderson Long was born on August 16, 1885, in Roxboro, North Carolina. Long was president of the Roxboro Cotton Mills. He served as clerk of the Person County Exemption Board during World War I and held seats on in both the state house (1885) and state senate (1889, 1901, 1905, and 1909). He died in Roxboro (Person County) on September 3, 1941.