Now that I am retired I am planning to travel to areas of the country where my ancestors lived to do research, but I never realized it would be so much fun. In April I found an event in Virginia that led us to our Long Family ancestors near Charlottesville. My paternal grandfather, Adelbert Long Dewees, was raised on an estate called East Belmont near Keswick, Virginia. His mother, Margaret Long Dewees, had died at the age of 28 after giving birth to Adelbert’s brother in 1902. The two boys were then raised by their grandparents, Isaac and Elizabeth Long, and Margaret’s three maiden sisters while their father practiced law in Chicago. I had always wanted to see East Belmont and on the internet I found my chance: a one day charity event Historic Horse Farm Tour which included East Belmont. We flew to Virginia then spent three fantastic days researching that branch of my family. Day 1 June 18, 2010
10 AM Albemarle Historical Society: I had called a week earlier and talked to the Librarian so when we arrived here she had materials ready for us. East Belmont sales over the years. Color Photos of the house and books with mentions. Index of marriages showed RA & Margaret applied for their marriage license on Dec. 31, 1896. Book from Grace Episcopal Cemetery listed all the Long family members buried there with dates (helped on hard to read tombstones). Info sheet on Jefferson School for boys. I left photos of East Belmont in 1913 and AL Dewees as student at Boys School for their files. 11:30 AM We went to the Jefferson Madison Regional Library basement to see newspaper microfilms dating back to 1893. Since I knew the exact death dates, it was fairly fast to find obits for Margaret(1902), Isaac (1915) and Elizabeth (1912). Pages of the newspaper were missing from early 1897, so could not look for RA & Margaret’s wedding announcement from January 2nd.
2:00 PM Next we went to Albemarle County Courthouse Historical Records Room. Searched marriage index for Dec. 31, 1896 to find location of RA & Mgt’s marriage license. Searched Deed Book Indexes to find several transactions for Isaac & E. Long’s 1879 purchase then later sale of East Belmont in 1921. Basic Will of Isaac Long and multiple Chancery Cases involving Adelbert Long Dewees and Carroll Fontaine Dewees. Luckily there was a researcher there who guided me to the books I needed, then Jim lifted the giant canvas books to xerox the pages I needed. There is definitely a learning curve to genealogy research in the field. Genealogical Heaven for me! MA
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