It is rumored that somewhere amongst the boxes of documents stored at the Lindamood Home lies an 1819 property deed signed by the first governor of Illinois. While that document remains elusive, the "crown jewel" of the Lindamood Home is undoubtedly an 1830's painting of Joseph D. Long (1792-1875). Long was the grandfather of Lindamood Home builder Francis Marion Camp, and the great grandfather of Nellie Camp. He was born in Pennsylvania and is probably a descendant of the emigrant Christian Lang, born 1664 in Palatinate, Germany.
We arranged to have the painting shipped to New York, where it currently awaits restoration. The painting was actually in great condition for its first 175 years, but was damaged in October 2009 during the chaos of funeral arrangements for June Lindamood. The wooden frame (not shown) in which the painting is set is an 1870s Eastlake frame and not the original.
The portrait of Joseph Long is an example of work by an itinerant painter, one of many who traveled town to town in the early days of the new country, before the invention of photography. To expedite their work, many itinerant painters traveled with portraits earlier painted to completion in all aspects except for the face. The Long portrait does appear to be more than simply a face. The above circa 1870 photograph of Mr. Long, taken near the end of his life, shows him wearing a suit that looks to be a match for the one worn in the painting.
Shown above are several indentures (deeds) for land in Macon County, Illinois. Joseph Long obtained land in the Friends Creek area from the United States Government in 1836. He deeded land in the 1850s and 60s to the husbands of two of his daughters, Emily Jane (1831-1909) and Ottilia (1829-1908). The son of Samuel Camp (1829-1887) and Emily Jane is Lindamood Home builder Francis Marion Camp.
A close-up shot of Joseph D. Long's signature on one of the indentures.
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