Updates

DEARMONT HALL HISTORY

Update: June 3, 2005

I had a great phone conversation with a very nice Debbie Reed of West Virginia, after an initial email from her husband Jeff. Debbie's family lived in Dearmont Hall from about 1965-1975. She has promised to document some of her life there for this website. She's told me some of the stories, and I guarantee it will be an interesting and important addition to the history of Dearmont Hall. (I also guaranteed her that I wouldn't let her forget to do it. Morrie )

DERMONT BURYING GROUND / LOST MOUNTAIN TENANTS

Update: June 3, 2005

We have obtained copies of deed documents recorded in Fauquier County, VA, which documented leases of George Washington's Lost Mountain properties in 1769 and 1774. From the land descriptions in those documents, we have plotted a fairly accurate image of where lots 13-19 were located. (Click here to see it) Tenants on those lots were John Dyer, William Donaldson, John Glascock, Thomas Lloyd, and John Deel Clyman. James Dearmont took over Thomas Lloyd's lease on lot 1778 and lived there until he died in 1786, as noted below.

We have spoken with some very helpful property owners in the area, and have located one private graveyard in the immediate vicinity. We are collecting information that will help us make the best use of our time - and not waste the time of property owners - when we are finally able to visit the area.

Update: April 2, 2005
We recently have had some correspondence from researchers of the Wright family (William Wright and wife Elizabeth Lloyd Wright) of Fauquier County, VA. At the times of their deaths, William and Elizabeth Wright apparently lived on the same lot (lot 17, originally leased to Thomas Lloyd by George Washington in 1769, same lease assigned to James Dearmont in 1778) that James Dearmont had leased from George Washington until he died in 1786. The Wright family records say that William Wright was buried in the "Dermonte" or "Dermonts" burying ground in 1806, and that his wife Elizabeth was buried in that same named burying ground in 1830.

It's likely that there were other Dermonts living with or near James Dearmont, but the Wright familly's reference to the Dermont burying ground makes it likely that there are Dermonts buried on the property that was George Washington's Lot 17 in Fauquier County. This is on our list for more research. The general location is just south of the Loudoun/Fauquier county line, southwest of Upperville.

The 1786 list of tenants on George Washington's 20 lots in Fauquier/Loudoun counties has been uploaded. It is an image found in the Papers of George Washington [click here to see it].

MISCELLANEOUS

Update: May 8, 2004
Significant additions to the information in this update are transcriptions of the wills of Michael Dermont, Sr [114] and Michael Dearmont [522]. There is also interesting information added for James Dermont/Dearmont [269], who witnessed 5 leases of George Washington in 1774, to tenants in Fauquier Co, VA. (We are presently showing James as a son of Michael, Jr, but at this point that is speculation.)

We are still working to resolve some of the recollections of Washington Strother Dearmont [215] and some Dearmont family history published by the DeArmond family and Cartmell.

In our attempt to resolve whether Michael Dermont, Sr (mentioned by neither DeArmond or Cartmell) was our ancestor, we have found a tax list reference showing that a Michael Dermont paid taxes assessed to William Dermont/Dearmont [500]. Assuming no contradictory information is found, this links our known family history back to Michael Dermont, Sr [114], which dates the family's presence in America back to at least the year 1712.

Information in the file now implies that there were 3 Michael Dermonts prior to William: (1) Michael Dermont, Sr, (2) Michael Dermont, Jr, and (3) one we're tentatively calling Michael3. Michael3 [1604] would have been the chain carrier in two 1743 land surveys where the survey witness was Michael, Jr. For the time being we are assuming that Michael3 was the son of Michael, Jr, and that he was the father of William [500] and John (Uncle Johnny) [598] Dermont. With this assumption, we are showing Michael, Jr to be the father of Michael3 [1604], James [269], and Peter [610] .

With help from Dan Luttrell, a descendant of Richard Luttrell, Esq, we have plotted the 1724-1725 Stafford County land grants of Michael Dermont, Sr, and have a pretty accurate plot [click here to see it] showing the locations of those and of nearly all his surrounding neighbors. Dan Luttrell attended Boyce Elementary and Clarke County High Schools. His 4th grade teacher was Charles Daniel Rixey Dearmont.

We are still looking for information concerning the sale, in 1754-55, of a significant amount of that land by Michael, Jr and his wife Martha, to John Mauzy. Disposition of much of that land, as well as land given away in Michael Sr's will is documented, but the reason or circumstances concerning the sale to Mauzy are still a mystery and possibly important to our family history.

Seeking Information on the Dermont/Dearmont, and Related Families of Virginia: 17th-18th Century