LANDIS House Ringoes, New Jersey

My sixth great-grandfather Heinrich Hirt LANDIS built a stone house around 1750 near Ringoes, East Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Still standing as a residence it has a historic sign in front. It is at 1064 Old York Road, Ringo's Tavern is at 1084, now State Route 179. The town of Ringoes is on John Ringo Road the town and tavern founder, now County Road 579, about 15 miles northwest of Trenton, New Jersey and 12 miles west of Princeton University.

Most of these images of the Landis House were supplied in 2005 by Kat a Find-A-Grave Contributor of Monmouth, New Jersey. Nadine Holder has black and white photos on her web site.

The marker says: "Built about 1750 by Henry Landis, local saddler. Lafayette, stayed here while being treated by Dr. Gershom Craven."

From The Brethren Encyclopedia (1984), page 722: Heinrich Hirt Landes, 1716-1809, member of the Brethren in colonial America. Heinrich Landes was the son of Johann Heinrich and Elizabeth Hirt Landes, among the first Brethren baptised in (1723) America. After learning the saddler's trade in Germantown, Pa, in 1737 he married Elizabeth Naas (1717-53), daughter of Johannes and Margaret Naas. They settled in Ringoes, NJ, where his well-known saddlery attracted customers from as far away as New York. In 1750 he built a house, still standing (1981), which was used for church services; it was noted in the annals of the Revolutionary War. Heinrich and Elizabeth Landes had ten children; following Elizabeth's death, Heinrich married Catherine Graff (b. 1734), to whom fourteen children were born. Landes was known as a "just and good man and much loved by his neighbors." Donald F. Durnbaugh "Colonial America" (1967) 55, 210; J. P. Snell, "History of Hunterdon and Somerset Cos." (1881) 352, 355; G. S. Mott, "The First Century of Hunterdon Co," New Jersey Historical Society Proceedings, 2nd series 5 (1877-79) 73-74; J. W. Lequear, "Traditions of Hunterdon" (1957) 15; C. W. Larison, "Old Landis House," Flemington News )17 Aug 1905); H. G. Schmidt, "Rural Hunterdon" (1946) 229, 239.

From The Brethren Encyclopedia (1984), page 723: The Landis House [1064 Old York Rd, Ringoes] The story-and-a-half stone house with a gambrel roof built by Heinrich Landes at Ringoes, NJ, about 1750 has become a registered national historic landmark. It is said to have been used by George Washington as a temporary headquarters following the battle of Monmouth (1778). The French military figure Marquis de Lafayette was also a visitor. He once fell ill and spent several days in the house recuperating, attended by a physician named Gershom Graves. The house was also used as a prison for English soldiers. The original hasps and locks are still to be seen in the basement stonework. According to a local historian, Landes was much respected by his neighbors. "Though religiously opposed to wars and fightings, and consequently taking no part in the Revolution, he was a favorite of Washington, who, when in the neighborhood, would stop at this house; and when but taking observations, would walk up to him and pat him familiarly on the back, and call him a good fellow, or something of that sort." DFD J. W. Lequear, Traditions of Hunterdon, (1957), page 15.

The lower photo shows what looks like 2 rows of openings above the windows. Perhaps for either wooden porch rafters or rifle port holes to repel both Indians and British Soldiers?

1910 postcard of the Landis House from both Katherine Schaefer, a descendant of Henry, and Michael Burdge.

• Also seen on page 13 of the East Amwell Township, New Jersey municipal assessment web page.
• Listed on page 4 of the Rolling Hills Girl Scout "Walking In George Washington's Foot Steps" Tour below Ringo's Tavern, which was mentioned in George Washington's papers. They state: "The tavern of John Ringo was a busy place in colonial times. It was a natural stopping place on the road between Philadelphia and New York and about 4 miles from Coryell’s Ferry. As early as 1766, the tavern was a meeting place for the Son's Of Liberty, a secret faction who wanted to rid the colonies of the British. The house is a private residence now and has a historical marker in the front."

Al Calderone, not related of Italian descent, a former resident of the Landis House emailed: "It has gorgeous old growth pumkin pine flooring, hand hewn beams and yes, the shakle holder holes for the prisoners in the walls of the basement were still visible when I lived there for a brief time during 1985-86. It was a wonderful experience and I will never forget the wonderful memories of living there." and " I did have the honor of living in that grand house for about a year in 1985-86. It was a lovely experience. The house was charming with its original pumpkin pine flooring and hand hewn exposed bearm timbers. we used the hearth quite regularly which just added to the charm. The basement looked like a dungeon and although the shakles and chains had been long removed you could see where the holes were. The grounds were open and some old trees stll remained although none from the original period."

Internet Links

• Dilts Graveyard daughter Rebecca LANDIS RUNYAN buried here, with husband John RUNYAN, and John Ringo who started the town called Ringoes before it became Amwell.
• Landis Family Burying Ground, I assume was later called Dilt's Graveyard above.
• Hunterdon County, New Jersey GenWeb
• Brethren List postings on the Landis House: August 3, 2005 my posting, and August 2, 2005 Michael Burdge,
• The East Amwell Township web page states Lafayette recuperated at the LANDIS House from the famous Revolutionary War 1777 winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
• Nadine Holder posting
• Nadine Holder LANDIS web page

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