James, son of James & Mary

The son James of James and Mary Irwin Dutton, was on the 1850 census as age 
3.  That is the only place I have ever seen him, and that is why the 
conclusion is drawn among their descendants that James must have died young.  
These are taken from my notes.  This was one of the first records that I got 
when I first began working on family history and since I did not indicate all 
the information on either census record, I do not know if they are the same 
record, or if one is a U. S. census and another a state or county census.  
Perhaps Gerald has kept his records of this census more carefully: 

1850 U. S. Census, Walker Co, AL.  Typed from BST 881001 National Archives 
Microfilm, located in Jasper, Walker Co. AL Public Library
James DUTTON - 43 years old  - male (m)- born NC -
      farmer, can't read or write, (w Mary, 43, f, KY,
      Mary, 15, f, AL; William, 12, m, AL: Martin, 5, m,
      AL; James, 3, m, AL; Elizabeth 1/2, f, AL  1850               
      Zachariah, inmate, m, 30, AL 

1850 Walker County Census
F/N 322 James T. Dutton, age 43, born NC, farmer; Mary, 43, KY; Mary Jane, 
15, AL; William, 12, AL; Simeon, 10, AL; George W., 8, AL; Martin, 5, AL; 
James, 3, AL; Elizabeth, 1/2, AL; Zachariah, 30.

You can see that James is not on the 1860 census, which means that he would 
have died between 1850/1860 or before the age of 12 or 13.  Where Thomas F.  
was in the 1850 census is a mystery.  You would think that he wasn't born yet 
except that all his family's records (including his tombstone) show him born 
in 
Feb of 1849 and Elizabeth not born until May 1850.  So the census must have 
been taken in the late fall to have Eliz. at age 1/2.  Thomas should have 
been age 1, but then many censuses had mistakes, omissions, wrong names etc.

1860 Walker County Census:
F/N 102 Dutton, James, 52, M, Farmer, NC; Mary, 53, KY; Simeon M., 20 M, fml, 
AL;  George W., 18, M, AL; Martin A., 14, M, AL; Thomas, 10, M, AL; 
Elizabeth, 9, F, AL; Rebecca (Becky), 18, F, fml, AL

I have been wondering what inmate might have been after Zachariah's name.  
Could this have referred to the fact that he was orphaned before he reached a 
legal age and was listed at some point in Court Records???  Also in the Deed 
Book 1 from Walker Co. which was transcribed and put online, James Dutton is 
shown with 6 or 7 patents.  I assume this must have been land patents as I 
have heard this term.  Exactly what is a land patent?   I seem to be just 
full of questions lately?            Thanks,  Eula
.