“The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.”
The last quarter begins with entry #40 in Amy Johnson Crow’s Challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.
#40 Landon S. GOWING Discovered a Fountain of Youth
My 4th great-grandfather Landon S. GOWING was the son, likely the second, of Philip GOING and Judith POTTER. There are no actual documents that come right out and say this but I think I’m on the right track.
Philip GOING was born about 1745 or earlier as he was taxable in Goochland County, Virginia, in 1767 and 1769.1
The Reverend William Douglas (1708-1798) served as a minister of the Church of England in St. James Northam Parish, Goochland County, Virginia, from 1750-1777. In 1756 he began keeping a register book in which he recorded marriages, baptisms, and burials he performed. On page 87 of his register is an entry for the “first” child of Philip GOING and his wife Judith POTTER, a daughter named Molly born 4 March 1770 and baptized 27 May 1770. In the same reference book, there is a list of marriages that were not recorded by Rev. Douglas but were inferred by entries in the Birth Registry. The date given beside the names of the couple, unless otherwise specified, is the birth date of the first child shown in Douglas’ register. Several researchers, who overlooked the notation at the top of the list of marriages, have mistakenly used Molly’s date of birth as her parents’ date of marriage.2,3
Philip GOING and Judith POTTER were married before 1770, before their daughter was baptized. As the date is not noted in Douglas’ register, it likely didn’t take place in his parish.
From Goochland to Amherst
It may have been during the years of the American Revolutionary War (19 April 1775-14 January 1784) that Philip moved his family to Amherst County, Virginia. His signature was found on a 1785 religious petition circulated in Virginia after the Revolutionary War. An image of this document was found on the Library of Congress website as part of the “American Memory” Collection of Early Virginia Religious Petitions, a collection that has now been moved. The document is now available on the Library of Virginia website.4
Philip GOING was also found on the tax lists of Amherst County from 1782 until 18075. Amherst was formed in 1761 therefore the GOING family must have moved there from Goochland. By 1807 Nelson County was formed from about half of Amherst County. Philip is then seen in the 1810 and 1820 censuses of the new county. This time he didn’t move his family as he was living in the area of Amherst that became Nelson County.
In the earliest tax lists, Philip was the only GOING in Amherst until 1793 and 1794 when his son William is mentioned as being the second male over 16 in the household. This would suggest that William was his oldest son. The 1795 to 1798 lists continue to show 2 males over 16 in the household but the name of the second male is not listed. William is not seen again in the tax lists until 1800. This may be an indication of his having left the area for a while. Landon, the next son to show up on the tax lists, is likely the second male in the 1795 to 1798 households. Aaron appears in 1799-1800 while Samuel appears in 1801 until 1807. No further record of Aaron has been found.6,7
No other GOING/GOWEN/GOWING families were in the area at the time suggesting that William, Landon, Aaron, and Samuel are likely brothers and sons of Philip. [27 September 2022: At least a dozen DNA matches with persons who descend from Samuel have been found as well as two from Polly.]
Marriages of females by the same surname during the time were found for Polly and Milley.
◉ Polly GOING married Joseph HARVEY (also seen as HARVIE) on 18 December 1802 in Amherst County, Virginia. SW (Security/Witness): Philip GOING. Married by John Young.8
◉ Milley GOWING married Elijah FITZGERALD on 25 March 1806 in Amherst County, Virginia. SW: Saml. GOING (GOWING) and Saml. GARLAND.9
This brings the total to 4 sons and 3 daughters, still 4 short of the total white persons (13) seen in the household of Philip GOING in the 1790 census above.10
1799 Personal Property Tax List A11
Amherst County, Virginia
Landon Going 1000
Philip Going 1002
My fourth great-grandfather Landon S. GOWING was first seen on a Personal Property Tax List in 1798 and I estimate his year of birth at about 1777. This estimate works for the 1820 and 1830 censuses but Landon stopped growing older once he reached 60! In 1830 and 1840 he was enumerated in the 50-60 age group and in 1850 he was still 60 years old! Did he find a fountain of youth?
Landon marries Sally CRISP
Landon S. GOWING married Sally CRISP on 17 January 1803 in Amherst County, Virginia. Philip GOING and Samuel GARLAND were witnesses. The marriage was performed by Wm. CRAWFORD.12 Landon’s absence in the 1805 to 1807 Amherst tax lists and the 1810 census made me wonder if he may have left the area for a while. His father Philip was the only GOING in the area in 1810. William and Samuel were also missing in 1810 and 1820 and did not show up again in Nelson until 1830. Perhaps Landon went “somewhere” without his wife? Unusually, Landon and Sally were married about seven years before their first child Emmeline was born, possibly just before the 1810 census enumeration. As Landon was not a head of household, could he have been in his father’s home in 1810?
Nelson County, Virginia
Albemarle
Phillip Going
Free White Persons – Males – 10 thru 15: 1 (??)
Free White Persons – Males – 16 thru 25: 1 (Landon)
Free White Persons – Males – 45 and over: 1 (Phillip)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 10: 1 (Emmeline, d/o Sally and Landon)
Free White Persons – Females – 26 thru 44: 1 (Sally, wife of Landon)
Free White Persons – Females – 45 and over : 1 (Judith)
Number of Household Members Under 16: 2
Number of Household Members Over 25: 3
Number of Household Members: 6
Note: Landon was not found in his own household; could he be with his father Phillip as assumed above?
Following the 1810 census, two more daughters were born: Martha C. “Martissa” GOWING about 1812 in Nelson County.14 and my 3rd great-grandmother Clementine M. GOWING about 1814. Before the 1820 census was enumerated Landon went bond on the marriage of his sister-in-law Betsy CRISP to Thomas HARRISON on 10 April 1820.15
Nelson County, Virginia
Landon S. Gowing
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons – Males – 26 thru 44: 1 (Landon)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 10: 2 (Clementine and Martissa)
Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 15: 1 (Emmeline)
Free White Persons – Females – 45 and over : 1 (Sally)
Number of Persons – Engaged in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons – Under 16: 3
Free White Persons – Over 25: 2
Total Free White Persons: 5
Total All Persons – White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 5
Note: No sons listed. Sally and Landon had been married 17 years at the time of the census.
Towards the end of the 1820s Landon’s daughters were courting and marrying:
◉ Emmeline GOWING married William Dison LAWHORNE (1811-1880) on 16 June 1828 in Amherst County, Virginia17
◉ Clementine M. GOWING married Seaton Y. DEMPSEY (1803-1880) on 3 January 1829 in Amherst County, Virginia18
Landon went bond with Seaton Y. DEMPSEY and signed the 1829 document (above). The signature above is nearly identical to the one found in an 1814 chancery record (below).19
In 1830 Landon, his middle daughter Martissa, and his wife Sally were living in Amherst County near his son-in-law Seaton Y. DEMPSEY. As in 1820, the listing consistently shows that Sally was older than Landon.
Amherst County, Virginia
Landon S. Gowing
Free White Persons – Males – 50 thru 59: 1 (Landon)
Free White Persons – Females – 15 thru 19: 1 (Martissa C.)
Free White Persons – Females – 60 thru 69: 1 (Sally)
Free White Persons – Under 20: 1
Total Free White Persons: 3
Total – All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 3
Landon and Sally’s middle daughter Martha C. “Martissa” GOWING married Wyatt F. LILLY (1811-aft. 1880) on 29 May 1833 in Amherst County, Virginia.21 They moved to Caldwell County, Kentucky, after the births of their three oldest sons and before the 1840 census.
Landon is widowed before 1838
Several batches of chancery records were found concerning the estate of Landon’s father-in-law William CRISP. In one batch it appears that Landon’s wife Sally died before October 1838.22
In 1840 Landon has a younger woman with three children in his household. His daughters are all accounted for, being with their husbands in their respective households. Did Landon marry again? No marriage record was found.
Nelson County, Virginia
Name: Landon Going
Free White Persons – Males – Under 5: 1 (poss. son)
Free White Persons – Males – 10 thru 14: 1 (poss. Celia’s son Shelton Preston Ramsey)
Free White Persons – Males – 50 thru 59: 1 (Landon)
Free White Persons – Females – Under 5: 1 (poss. Celia’s daughter Sophia Ramsey)
Free White Persons – Females – 40 thru 49: 1 (poss. Celia seen in 1850)
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons – Under 20: 3
Free White Persons – 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 5
Total All Persons – Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 5
Nelson County, Virginia
Sheet 267A
HH #702-702
Landon Going M 60 Virginia (sic, age should be abt. 73)
Celia Going F 50 Virginia
Sophia Going F 17 (sic) Virginia
Landon must have stopped drinking from his fountain of youth as he aged rapidly between 1850 and 1853. Wayne B. Smith wrote in an e-mail dated 19 August 2003, “In the book Amherst County in the Revolution, Landon Gowing is mentioned in the pension application of John Massey. Landon is listed as 87 years old, the application is dated 1853.” His source is a book I have not been able to consult.25
Landon S. GOWING was not enumerated in the 1860 census which leads to the conclusion that he died after making the above declaration on 24 September 1853 and before 1860. His daughters were living at the time of the 1880 census and most likely all died during the two decades before 1900.
What happened to the woman living with Landon in 1840 and 1850? Was Sophy RAMSEY who witnessed his declaration the same person as Sophia GOING seen with him in 1850? Could she have been his daughter?
The 1850 census shed a little light on the woman with Landon in 1840 but questions remained. I worked out the identify “Celia.” In 1850 John F. CAMDEN was Landon’s neighbor. I checked for him in 1860 and found him living next door to Celia RAMSEY.
Nelson County, Virginia
Massies Mill
Celia Ramsey 71 F 0 20 b. Nelson Co., VA cannot read & write
At RootsWeb’s WorldConnect Project, I found Lilly Martin’s Gedcom file with the above note. Celia RAMSEY had two children out of wedlock: Shelton Preston Ramsey born in 1830, and Sophy (Sophia) Ramsey born in 1837. This is apparently documented in her family bible.
To wrap things up, Sophia RAMSEY married James N. BRYANT in 1854, and her mother Celia RAMSEY died in May 1870. Sophia’s age in the 1860 and 1870 census indicates that the bible entry of 1837 as her year of birth is reliable. The question remains, was Landon her father?
This Post was Updated on 2 October 2022: Missing source citations were added, images were scaled, and some corrections were made to the text and format.
© 2014–2022, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.
- Paul Heinegg, Free African Americans (https://www.freeafricanamericans.com/), “Colonial Tax Lists, Virginia personal property tax lists, Census, and Court Records for Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennesse and Virginia,” Goochland County Colonial Tithables 1756-1780, Philip Going in 1767 and 1769, citing abstracts of Library of Virginia microfilm nos. 83, frames 18, 52, 109 (http://www.freeafricanamericans.com/goochcolonial.htm : accessed 4 Oct 2014). ↩
- William Douglas, The Douglas register, being a detailed record of births, marriages + deaths together with other interesting notes, as kept by the Rev. William Douglas, from 1750-1797; an index of Goochland Wills: notes on French-Hugeunot [sic] refugees who lived in Manakin-Town (Richmond, Va.: J.W. Fergusson & Sons, 1928.), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/25436/), image 143 of 434, page 141, Potter, Judith and Philip Going 4 Mar. 1770 (same info on image 108 of 434, page 106). (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/25436/images/dvm_LocHist010582-00076-1?pId=142 : accessed 27 September 2022). ↩
- Ibid., image 203 of 434, page 141, Philip Going & Judith Potter a Daughter named Molly Mar: 4 1770. Baptized May 27 1770. p. 87 (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/25436/images/dvm_LocHist010582-00106-1?pId=202 : accessed 27 September 2022) ↩
- “Legislative Petitions Digital Collection,” index and images, Library of Virginia, citing Legislative Petitions of the General Assembly, 1776-1865, Accession Number 36121, Box 11, Folder 40, 10 December 1785, Amherst, Inhabitants: Petition. (https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma9917811855605756 : accessed 27 September 2022). Digital version available at Rosetta Repository, Accession Number 36121, Box 11, Folder 40, Filename: 06_011_040, 8 pages (http://rosetta.virginiamemory.com:1801/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE2583471 : accessed 27 September 2022). ↩
- Virginia. Commissioner of the Revenue (Amherst County), “Personal property tax lists, 1782-1851,” (browse-only images), FamilySearch Microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia, Personal property tax lists, 1782-1803, Film 2024457, DGS 7846299, and Personal property tax lists, 1804-1823, Film 2024458, DGS 7846300, misc. images in the collections. (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/775689 : accessed 8 May 2022). ↩
- Ibid., Film 2024457, DGS 7846299, Personal property tax lists, 1782-1803, image 445 of 615, 1799 PPT List A, Aaron Going 1 0 0 0, Landon Going 1 0 0 0, Philip Going 1 0 0 2. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQF-2QMF?i=444&cat=775689 : accessed 29 September 2022). ↩
- Virginia. Commissioner of the Revenue (Nelson County), “Personal property lists 1809-1845,” (browse-only images), FamilySearch Microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia, Personal property lists 1809-1845, Film 1870172, DGS 7856150, misc. images in the collections. (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/637434 : accessed 29 September 2022). ↩
- “Register of marriages, Amherst County, Virginia, 1763-1853” (browse-only images), FamilySearch, citing microfilm of original records at the Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia, Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 449 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 162, 18 Dec 1802, Joseph Harvey and Polly Going, witnesses Philip Going and S. Garland. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-NCNM?i=448&cat=680855 : accessed 29 September 2022). ↩
- Ibid., Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 480 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 193, 25 Mar 1806 Elijah Fitzgerald and Milley Gowing, witnesses Samuel Going (Gowing) and S. Garland. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9XF-NH5P?i=479&cat=680855 : accessed 29 September 2022). ↩
- Simon Newton Dexter North (1849-1924), United States Bureau of the Census, Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790 : records of the State enumerations: 1782-1785, Virginia, Archive.org (https://archive.org/details/headsoffamiliesa00nort/page/n1/mode/2up), Washington [D.C.], 1908, 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Amherst County, page 48, Going Phillip 13 whites. (https://archive.org/stream/headsoffamiliesa00nort#page/48/mode/2up/search/going : accessed 3 Oct 2014). ↩
- “Personal property tax lists, 1782-1851,” Film 2024457, DGS 7846299, Personal property tax lists, 1782-1803, image 445 of 615, 1799 PPT List A, Aaron Going 1 0 0 0, Landon Going 1 0 0 0, Philip Going 1 0 0 2. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQF-2QMF?i=444&cat=775689 : accessed 29 September 2022). ↩
- “Register of marriages, Amherst County, Virginia, 1763-1853,” Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 450 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 163, 5th entry, 17 Jan 1803 Landon Going and Sally Crisp, Philip Going and S. Garland in the column for security and witnesses. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-NZ6G?i=449 : accessed 11 January 2022). ↩
- 1810 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7613/), citing Third Census of the United States, 1810 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls, Roll 70, FHL Film 0181430, image 21, Virginia, Nelson County, Albemarle, page 694, line 7, Phillip Going (accessed 19 May 2014). ↩
- “Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1222/), citing Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, Kentucky including, Death Certificates, 1911-1965 > 1911 > Film 7016138: All Counties > image 1209 of 3309 > Death Certificate File No. 27700. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/746153:1222 : accessed 21 February 2009). The parents of the deceased were both born in Nelson County, Virginia, per the informant on this certificate of death. ↩
- “Marriage registers, 1808-1985 ; indexes to marriage registers, 1808-1985,” browse-only images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/361788), citing microfilm of original records and photocopies at the Nelson County Courthouse in Lovingston, Virginia, and photostat copies at the Virginia State Library in Richmond, Virginia. Film 32714, DGS 7724886, Marriage register 1808-1878 (photostat copies), image 216 of 402, A list of marriage licenses issued of [from] the clerk’s office, page 14, 10 Apr 1820, Thomas Harrison and Betsy Crisp, security Landon S. Gowing, married by James Boyd. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9BK-G77C?i=215&cc=2134304&cat=361788 : accessed 29 September 2022). ↩
- 1820 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7734/), citing Fourth Census of the United States, 1820 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls, NARA Roll: M33_130, image: 371, Virginia, Nelson County, page 194A, line 15, Landon S. Gowing (accessed 19 May 2014). ↩
- “Register of marriages, Amherst County, Virginia, 1763-1853,” Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 586 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 298, 7th entry, 5 Jul 1828, Dison Langhorne and Emmeline Gowing, Landon S. Gowing – father, witnesses: Robert Langhorne Jr., Robert Tinsley, Arthur B. Davies. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-NDW2?i=585 : accessed 15 May 2022). ↩
- Ibid., Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 589 of 786, Amherst County Register of marriages, page 301, entry 2, 3 Jan 1829, Seaton Y Dempsey and Clementina Gowing, security and witnesses: Landon S. Gowing, Philip Smith Sr., Ro. Tinsley. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-N8WJ : accessed 26 February 2022). ↩
- Chancery Records of Virginia, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, Local Government Records Collection, Virginia Memory (https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/), Nelson County (Va.) Chancery Causes 1808-1912, John Stevens vs. Landon Gowing, 1836-012. (http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=125-1836-012 : accessed 2014). ↩
- 1830 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8058/), citing Fifth Census of the United States, 1830 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. NARA microfilm publication M19, 201 rolls, Nara Roll M19_194, FHL Film: 0029673, Virginia, Amherst County, page 519 (double-page spread), line 12, Landon Gowing (accessed 19 Feb 2013). ↩
- “Register of marriages, Amherst County, Virginia, 1763-1853,” Film 30273, DGS 7578824, image 611 of 786, Amherst County Register of Marriages, page 323, 3rd entry, 29 May 1833, Wiatt Lily and Martha C. (Martissa) Gowing, Landon S. Gowing – father, witnesses: James Fitzgerald and Robert Tinsley. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-ND36?i=610 : accessed 15 May 2022). ↩
- Chancery Records of Virginia, Nelson County (Va.) Chancery Causes 1808-1912, Rives & Murphy vs. Thomas Harrison etc. 1839-006. (http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=125-1839-006 : accessed 2014). ↩
- 1840 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8057/), citing Sixth Census of the United States, 1840 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls, NARA Roll: M704_569, FHL Film: 0029690, Virginia, Nelson County, page 57 (double-page spread), line 25, Landon Gowing (accessed 19 May 2014). ↩
- 1850 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/), citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M432, 1009 rolls, Roll: M432_963, image 172; Virginia, Nelson County, sheet 267A, lines 27-30, household 702-702, Landon Gowing (accessed 3 October 2014). ↩
- Lenora Higginbotham Sweeny, Amherst County, Virginia In the Revolution: Including Extracts from the “Lost Order Book” 1773-1782, Southern Historical Press, 1998 ↩
- “Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900,” database and images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1995/), citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication M804, 2,670 rolls. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C., M > Marshal, Benjamin – Maxwell, William > Massay, John – Massy, Jacob > John Massey file ( images 685 to 707 of 1029) > image 689 > affidavit of Landon S. Gowing (accessed 16 May 2022). ↩
- 1860 U.S. Federal Census (index and images), Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7667/), citing Eighth Census of the United States, 1860 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls, Roll: M653_1365; Family History Library Film: 805365; Virginia, Nelson County, sheet 732, page 44, line 21, household 316-316, Celia Ramsey (accessed 29 September 2022). ↩
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Wow! you never cease to amaze me at your meticulous research skills and your detailed sleuthing abilities! I know who I’d go to for help! YOU! Thanks for another inspiring read-inspiring me to do better! H.
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Thank you Helen. It’s a two-way street. You’re posts also inspire me!
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Cathy, I always learn by reading your posts. Great to see what’s possible when digging out the right sources.
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Thank you Karen!
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My great-grandfather not only didn’t age—he got younger! I still have no record to determine when he was born.
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I know you have a different set of research records than I do, but I still hope that we both will one day find the record(s) that determines the true range between the dash. Thank you, Amy.
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You are amazing! I’m caught up in the weeds of errors in my tree and others at familysearch, where I figure well meaning folks in their haste to set a Baptismal link, throw children and parents together, willy nilly. I should just walk away, but a late High School friend got mixed up with another same surnamed family with similar given names. I’ve got McConnell’s now in my tree with 20 children where reliance on tertiary sources cemented forever, an error where a brother raised his late brother’s kids that were officially adopted by Prince Galitzin. I’m chipping away at the concrete!
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