We are researching Hans Jacob Landis, married, perhaps, to Anna Witmer.
1667 Hans Jacob Landis has been reported as a son of Hans Heinrich Landis [1]. Other reported ancestries are documented in the research notes.
1671 Ann Witmer was born 1671. [2]
Jacob Landis married Anna, possibly the sister of Benjamin Witmer. [3] [4]
1709 Hans Jacob Landis, perhaps this one, lived at Immelhäuserhof, Baden, Germany in 1709 [5].
1717 Jacob Landis lived at Steinsfurton April 26. [6]
1717 Three ships arrived in Philadelphia with Mennonite passengers. [7] [8] 68. Jacob Landis, age 50, died 1730, East Lampeter Twp, Lancaster County, Wife Anna Witmer, has been named as likely being on one of the ships. [9] [10] [11].
1717-1722 "With the Hersheys and Hostetters also came Jacob Landis, and his family, who applied for a tract of land near his brethren, April 8 1717, but on March 1722 he with his family moved farther east and began to acquire extensive acres from the London Company on both sides of what is now known as The Old Road adjacent to the Bare and other lands which became the center of the Mellinger church activities. Benjamin Landis, who was born in Switzerland and was the only son of Jacob Landis, was early ordained a minister in the Mennonite Church. He with Martin Bare who owned the adjoining lands was one of the first ministers forming Mellingers congregation and will be frequently mentioned in this work" [12].
1722 Tobias Collet and others of London granted land to Jacob Landus of Strasburg Twp, Chester County, Pennsylvania. The tract of 200 acres was adjacent to land of Benjamin Witmer and Jacob Kendrick. Deed dated March 13 (this deed is cited by 1760 Deed WW-124). [13] [14] [15]. The land was between the Lincoln Highway and the Old Philadelphia Turnpike [16].
1722 Jacob Landis, perhaps this one, bought 150 acres with Ulrich Howry in Lampeter Township and Jacob took the south half and sold the 75 acres to Andrew Schultz in March 1722 [17]. I seek documentation corresponding to this.
1718-22 Jacob was taxed at Conestoga Township (in what is now Lampeter Township) from 1718 to 1722. In 1718, Jacob Landis was taxed at Lampeter Township as Jacob Landis next to Benjamin Witmer and near Felix Landis and next to Isaac Frederick. In 1721, John Jacob Landis was taxed. In 1724, Jacob Landis and son were taxed. The son taxed with him in 1724 could be Hans Landis (1696-1756) who was the only other married Landis living there at the time [18] [19].
1725 Anna Barbara Witmer Landis died on January 1 at Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was buried at Mellinger Mennonite Cemetery, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Anna Barbara Witmer Landis was born in November, 1671. [20] [21]
Anna was the first born child of Ulrich Witmer (b.1633, d.1685) and Barbara Ebbe (b.1643, d.?). Her parents were an Anti-Baptist family.
At the time of her birth this part of Steinsfurt, Germany was actually part of Switzerland. Some records suggest her ancestors used Widmer as their sir name.
Anna married the Mennonite Jacob Landis about 1688 in Zurich, Switzerland. Jacob knew her family growing up as he lived on a farm in the neighborhood.
Jacob's family immigrated during 1717 and then in 1722 they bought farm land in Lancaster Co., PA and relocated one last time.
The rest of Anna & Jacob's lives were spent on their farm of 200 acres on both sides of what is now know as "The Old Road".
Their son Benjamin was the first Mennonite preacher in the area and where they lived became the center of the Mellinger church activities.
1730 Jacob Landis died at Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The inventory was filed on February 2, 1730 at Lancaster and included 100 acres of land. Jacob's his son Benjamin later received a land patent for this 100 acre tract. [22]
1730 Hans Jakob Landis died on December 2 at East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was buried at Mellinger Mennonite Cemetery, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Hans Jakob Landis was born on January 7, 1667. [23] [24]
Jacob was a descendant of the 1614 Martyr, Hans Landis of Canton, Zurich, Hirzel, Switzerland. At the time of his birth this part of Steinsfurt, Germany was actually part of Switzerland.
The Mennonite Jacob Landis married Anna Witmer about 1688 in Zurich, Switzerland. Jacob knew her family growing up as he lived on a farm in the neighborhood.
Jacob's family immigrated during 1717 and then in 1722 they bought farm land in Lancaster Co., PA and relocated one last time.
The rest of Anna & Jacob's lives were spent on their farm of 200 acres on both sides of what is now know as "The Old Road".
Their son Benjamin was the first Mennonite preacher in the area and where they lived became the center of the Mellinger church activities.
Note: Find a Grave contributor, 3Gees (FaG #49338963) suggests the following:
I recently purchased the book, A Combined Landis/Landes Genealogy Report of the Descendants of Hans Landis and Katharina Schinz. I agree that Hans Jacob Landis was a descendant of the 1614 Martyr, Hans Landis. However, his parents are not the ones who are linked to this memorial page.
1739 Although Jacob Landis was not living there, his land in Lampeter was referred to as Jacob Landis' land adjacent to Isaac Frederick's land. [25] I seek documentation corresponding to this.
1746 Jacob Landis' land in Lampeter Township in 1746 was next to Benedict Witmer near Felix Landus. [26] I seek documentation corresponding to this.
1747 Land of Jacob Landis [perhaps a son of this Jacob born c 1694 and died c 1722] in Lampeter was reportedly occupied by Christian Landis and in a deed it states that it was formerly Jacob Landis' land adjacent to Isaac Frederick's land. The Christian that was living on his land in 1747 could be his [Jacob born c 1694] son. [27] I seek documentation corresponding to this. Andrew Selderick sold land to Durs Buckwalter by deed dated February 26. The tract was "Beginning at a post being a corner of the Land formerly belonging to Christian Landus thence North by West by the Land called the London Company's Land one hundred & sixty one perches thence South by East by the same Land two hundred and thirty perches to a Post thence West by South by the land formerly belonging to Cott John Evans six perches to a hickory thence North by East by the land formerly in the Possession of Isaac Frederick twenty perches to a post thence West by South by the land of the said Isaac Frederick and Land formerly in possession of Isaac Hendricks one hundred fifty perches to the place of beginning containing two hundred acres". [28]
1760 Theodorus Buckwalter of Lancaster County and wife Barbara, late Barbara Landus one of the daughters and Heirs at Law of Jacob Landus late of Strasburgh Township, sold their part of Jacob's estate to Benjamin Landis. Dated April 4. The land had been granted to Jacob Landus on March 13-14, 1722. Jacob Landis died intestate with issue Benjamin Landis, Barbara the wife of Theodorus Buckwalter and Anna (deceased) the wife of Henry Tinckey. [29]
Research Notes:
Mennonite card file: [30]
There is uncertainty about the parents of this Hans Jacob Landis, with some hypotheses noted below. We do not know which, if any, is correct.
Rudolph Landis [31] and Christine Metzler have been tentatively reported as the parents of Jacob Landis, who married Anna Witmer. [32].
Hans Jacob Landis [33], son of Hans Heinrich Landis and Magdalena Polier, and Verena Schneider have been reported as the parents of Jacob Landis, who married Anna Witmer [34].
Hans Heinrich Landis [35]and Barbara Buehler have been reported as the parents of Jacob Landis, who married Anna Witmer. [36] [37]
Hans Heinrich Landis, born 1641, has been been reported as the father of Jacob Landis, who married Anna Witmer, as we show here. [38].
The following notes could be for a son, Christian [39]:
Christian Landis, born c 1717, died 1771, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. In the inventory of Felix Landis of Lampeter Township dated January 9, 1739 it showed that Christian Landis was in debt to Felix Landis 3 pounds and 10 shillings. It was money probably used to buy 300 acres on Swatara Creek in Lebanon Township, Lancaster County which Christian warranted on 9 Aug 1738. He apparently did not live on his land in Lebanon Township as he is not found in tax records there although he was mentioned as still owning land there in deeds of 1754 and 1763. He never patented the land and it was eventually patented partly by John Miller on 5 Oct 1809 and part by Abraham Fernsler on 3 Feb 1864. He was living on land which had formerly been Jacob Landis' land next to Isaac Frederick in Lampeter Township on 6 Feb 1747 when Durs Buckwalter bought land next to him from Andrew Selderick [40]. In 1718 Isaac Frederick was taxed next to Jacob Landis (Jr.) in Lampeter Township. Christian surveyed land on Spring Lick Tract in Augusta County (now Greenbrier County, West Virginia), Virginia on 6 Oct 1751.
1730 Jacob Landis died at Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The inventory was filed on February 2, 1730 in Lancaster County and included 100 acres of land. This 100 acres later was patented by his son Benjamin [Eleanore J. Fulton and Barbara K. Mylin. An Index to the Will Books and Intestate Records of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania 1729-1850, Vol. 1 (1994):83].
Research Notes:
Several Researchers name Henry Landis, spouse of Fronica Groff, as a son of this couple. We seek evidence to clarify this hypothesis.
[1] Samuel E. Wenger and Werner Baumann, A Combined Landis/Landes Genealogy Report of the Descendants of Hans Landis and Katharina Schinz (Akron, Pa.: 2005), 40, person 1.3.4a.8.6.3.
[2] Lawrence Berger-Knorr, The Relations of Milton Snavely Hershey (2005), 15, [GoogleBooks].
[3] Jane Evans Best, "Swiss Origins of Groff, Hess, Weber, Landis, and Oberholtzer Families," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (April, 1990), 9-25, at 23, person LS 3265.
[4] Ira David Landis, The Landis Family Book, Section I (1950), 1, [HathiTrust].
[5] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis H, [Website].
[6] Jane Evans Best, "Swiss Origins of Groff, Hess, Weber, Landis, and Oberholtzer Families," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (April, 1990), 9-25, at 23, person LS 3265.
[7] Ralph B. Strassburger, William J. Hinke, ed., Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1 (1934, Pennsylvania German Society), xvii, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[8] Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. 3 (1852), 29, [HathiTrust].
[9] Richard Warren Davis, "Swiss and German Mennonite Immigrants from the Palatine, 1704-1717," Mennonite Family History 13 (1994), 9-16, at 15.
[10] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis H, [Website].
[11] Ira David Landis, The Landis Family Book, Section I (1950), 1, [HathiTrust].
[12] Martin G. Weaver, Mennonites of Lancaster Conference (1931), 42.
[13] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed WW-118 to 120, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[14] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed WW-120 to 123, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[15] Martin H. Brackbill, "Family Data in some Pennsylvania Land Patents, 1762-1764," National Genealogical Society Quarterly 68 (1980), 83-94, at 89.
[16] Ira David Landis, The Landis Family Book, Section I (1950), 1, [HathiTrust].
[17] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis H, [Website].
[18] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis H, [Website].
[19] H. Frank Eshleman, "Assessment Lists and Other Documents of Lancaster County Prior to the year 1729," Historical Papers and Addresses of the Lancaster County Historical Society 21, No.7 (1916), 155-194, at 163, 168, 171, 174, 191, [HathiTrust].
[20] Find A Grave Memorial 67090737, [FindAGrave].
[21] Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[22] Jane Evans Best, "Swiss Origins of Groff, Hess, Weber, Landis, and Oberholtzer Families," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (April, 1990), 9-25, at 23, person LS 3265.
[23] Find A Grave Memorial 35906373, [FindAGrave].
[24] Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[25] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis H, [Website].
[26] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis H, [Website].
[27] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis H.1, [Website].
[28] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed B-483, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[29] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed WW-124 to 126, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[30] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[31] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Rudolph Landis, married to Christine Metzler, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[32] Jane Evans Best, "Swiss Origins of Groff, Hess, Weber, Landis, and Oberholtzer Families," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (April, 1990), 9-25, at 22, person LS326.
[33] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Jacob Landis, married to Verena Schneider, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[34] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis D.891 and H, [Website].
[35] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Hans Heinrich Landis, married to Barbara Buehler, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[36] S. Michael Wilcox, "Landis Families of Canton Zurich, Switzerland," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 18 (January 1995), 13-19, at 15, person LS1250.
[37] Lawrence Berger-Knorr, The Relations of Milton Snavely Hershey (2005), 17, person 114, [GoogleBooks].
[38] Samuel E. Wenger and Werner Baumann, A Combined Landis/Landes Genealogy Report of the Descendants of Hans Landis and Katharina Schinz (Akron, Pa.: 2005), 40, person 1.3.4a.8.6.3.
[39] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Landis H11, [Website].
[40] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book B, 483-483, [483], [FHLCatalog].