Powers of Attorney recorded in the Amite County record books clearly define Elizabeth GERMANY as the mother of John Land. Estate papers of her father, James Germany, include a citation for Elizabeth and her husband Nathan Land to appear in court to settle the estate. Thus, Elizabeth (Germany) and Nathan Land are clearly established as John's parents. (Inherent is the assumption that all of James Germany's heirs are his children.) John's birthdate based on data in the 1850 and 1860 census is 1841-1842. The 1850 census was taken in November and lists his age as 9. The 1860 census was taken in June and lists his age as 18. Although census records are notorious for having incorrect age information reported, these two census records would suggest that John Land was born between June and November of 1841, with the 1850 census in November being taken after his 9th birthday and the 1860 census in June being taken before his 19th birthday. The 1850 census with his mother as head of household gives his birthplace as Amite County, MS.
Residence
The 1850 census explicitly states that John was born in Amite County, MS. Records for his father go back to the early days of the county (~1816) and John appears there in 1850 and 1860. It looks like he never left the area. He lived with his mother in 1850 but she must have died before the next census because he lives with his uncle, Robert, in the 1860 census. In the 1850 census Elizabeth Land and her brother Robert live next to each other.
Spouse/Children
John died when he was still young, with no heirs of closer kin than cousins, so it appears he never married and died childless.
Census Records
MS 1850
p. 74, L3, household #322/322, Amite County
head of household: Elizabeth Land
Elizabeth, 32, Amite Co., MS
John, 9, Amite Co., MS
John Huff, 68, NC
MS 1860
p. 178, L26, household #214/214, Amite County
head of household: Robert Germany
Robert, 61, GA
Caroline, 45, ME
Elizabeth Norwood, 18, LA
Harriet Germany, 18, MS
Mary Ann, 12, MS
John, 9, MS
William, 3, MS
Frank R. (Robinson? Robertson?), 31, MS
John Land, 18, MS
Death/Burial
John LAND appears in the 1860 census with his uncle Robert. Papers in the deed books of Amite County, MS, indicate John was dead by 1866. I need to get the estate papers from the courthouse to determine a more accurate date. Many records in the record books of Amite County are related to the settlement of his estate as cousins on his GERMANY side completed paperwork. (See the page dedicated to the estate of John W. Land.)
References
A * indicates a book is part of my private collection.
Crabb, Martha L. Over the Mountain: A Narrative History of the BEAN, SELMAN, and GERMANY Families. 1990, Baltimore: Gateway PressInc.
This book is available from the author at 414 Floyd Ave. Dumas, TX 79029. It is also part of the collection at the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne, IN. *
Estate Papers of James Germany (Amite County, MS, courthouse file #3678).
