John and Susanna lived and are buried on Lititz Hess Homestead tract. John built the stone house c. 1778 but probably spent his last years in the log house. John's large inventory of Mar 5, 1778 included window glass, stone hammer and shoemaker tools. He and his eldest son, Christian (generation 4), paid a militia fine for not serving in the Revolutionary War. In 1775 John owned the bulk of the 200 original tract since he bought his younger bother's land when he (Christian) moved to Virginia. Susanna signed her name only with an X mark on legal papers.
As reported by Irvin David Hess, "Little has been found in the records about John, except what is reported in the Will and estate settlement of his Uncle Christian Hess who died about 1794. In this Settlement record, Deed Records Lancaster Co., Pa. BK. "I", Vol. 3, Pgs. 30-31, nine children sign with their husbands for the share of Christian's estate bequested them as descendants of John."
Susanna's father, Henry Landis, probably was born in 1700 in Switzerland or Germany, came to the New World as a young boy c.1717, and lived with his first wife in Hammer Creek, just west of Cocalico Creek, Warwick Twp. (Deed X-1-164, Lanc. Co. Court House.) Jacob Hess lived just southwest a few miles. After Henry's first wife, Veronica, died c 1752 he remarried and moved to Manheim Twp. with his 11 children 1 yr. to 22 yrs. c.1752. . . perhaps he moved to leave behind the memories associated with the sad loss of his first wife.
old Hershey Mennonite Cem.
old Hershey Mennonite Cem.