Sacramento County
Biographies
LEONIDAS HAMLIN LANDIS
L. H. LANDIS.–A
worthy pioneer whose record for substantial accomplishment will long be
treasured in the memory of those who delight to honor the pathfinders in
history, was the late L. H. Landis, a native of Ohio, who arrived at
Marysville, Cal., on New Year’s day, 1857, the third son of Samuel Landis, who
was born in Pennsylvania in 1804 and moved to Virginia in 1829. Four years
later, he migrated to Ohio, and in 1858 he followed his son to California, and
together in 1864 they took up their residence at Nicolaus
and engaged in farming In 1828, Samuel Landis had
married Miss Hannah Fairchild, who was born at Pittsburgh in 1808.
In 1872 L. H.
Landis married Miss Lovicy O. Smith, who was born in
1841 in Indiana, and came to California
in 1870, traveling eleven days on the railroad.
Mr. Landis farmed extensively in Sutter County
until 1885, when he and his family returned East to Bloomington,
Ill., where he continued farming for three
years. They then came back to California,
arriving at Orangevale early in 1889. Four children were born to this worthy
couple. Frances E. Is living on the old
home place in Orangevale, where she has long been active
in community affairs. Harry S., born in
1875, is at home, engaged in ranching.
He has a son, Dick Mason, born April 5, 1914. Charles W., two years the
junior of Harry, was graduated from the University of California a civil
engineer, and resides at Oakland. Anthony L. Landis,
born in 1879, is a rancher, and is also living at home.
When L. H. Landis
removed to Orangevale, two families were residing
permanently in the vicinity, and they were named Carmichael and Thompson; but
both have long since moved away. The
Landis family are referred to nowadays as the pioneer
settlers of Orangevale, and on this account enjoy a
unique position, being highly esteemed and honored. Mr. Landis bought twenty acres of land on Pecan
Avenue, and he and his three sons farmed together until 1905
when, the day after Christmas, 1905, he died.
Mrs. Landis passed away on May 15, 1909, survived by the four children,
who in their affectionate devotion were always a source of happiness to their
parents, and also a credit to the community.
As early as 1904,
the three brothers became prominent at Orangevale as
horse-breeders; and by subsequent purchase they acquired 2,000 acres of land,
upon which they engaged in stock-raising.
In 1906 Harry Landis made his first trip to Europe, in the interest of
his brothers, who had become horse importers; and according to all records, he
was the first Californian to go to Europe to buy horses
for importation. In 1907, he was
accompanied on his second trip by his brother, Anthony L. Landis, and together
they made a very enjoyable tour for ninety days. The following fall the Sacramento State Fair
was made much more attractive by the fine exhibit of Landis Brothers, a string
of twelve horses which captured eight blue and three red ribbons.
Late in 1907,
they sold the champion coach horse “Silesto” to R. J.
Sherwood of the Cone ranch at Red Bluff, and they also made sales to ex-Senator
Kerns of Salt Lake City for stock sent to his Santa
Rosa ranch. The
brothers Landis boasted a total of four different importations of horses
brought to America, dealing strictly
in coach and draft horses, and placed them in their large barns and
headquarters at Orangevale. The German coach horses were all bought from
H. Lubin, a member of the Reichstag and a prominent horsebreeder at Oldenberg, near Berlin,
where Mr. Landis and his brothers were wont to visit, on their return trips to Germany,
and where they were always well received. The Percheron
stock were imported from France. Altogether, over 100 head of prize stock were
imported by the Messrs. Landis and sold again to horse-breeders in Nevada,
Oregon and California.
Early in 1908 the
opening of Cardwell Colony by Landis Brothers began with the putting of some
1,000 acres on the market, their own choicest land, H. S. Landing allowing the
Carmichael Realty Company to assist in placing the sales; for, although Messrs.
Landis had for some time been selling horses on long-time terms, they saw that
the demand for horses was lessening, and they were equally sure that the land
could be sold to advantage on long terms.
The result was that H. S. Landis took over the sales and successfully
located enough people in new and attractive homes to make the experiment a
success. Nor a single piece of property
was forfeited or relinquished by the original buyer, and on the other hand, a
great many wage-earners were given a chance to buy choice acreage and hold it
as a safe investment, eventually selling, perhaps, at a handsome margin, for in
a short time the increased values were apparent. In the matter of subdividing, perhaps no better
record was ever made in California
than with the Cardwell Colony. The
Messrs. Landis developed many ranches, in each case both selling out to good
advantage and always adding to the material growth of Orangevale.
H. S. Landis was
active in nurserying in 1902, at the time of the Fair
Oaks subdivision, and he made several trips to southern California,
buying over 125,000 young citrus trees from Riverside and
the Southern California Nurseries and bringing them to northern California,
these trees being the nucleus of those making possible the citrus industry in Sacramento
County today. Messrs. Landis have also engaged, for the
past ten years, in viticulture and horticulture, and in 1922 they erected an
immense warehouse and packing plant on the home-place, with a capacity of two
carloads of choice fruit a day. This
plant is equipped throughout with modern, scientific machines for the economic
and easy handling of the fruit grown in the district. The Landis Brothers also own and operate a
stock-farm, where pure-bred Hereford and Durham
cattle for range and breeding purposes are raised. Sacramento
County may well feel proud of three
such representative sons of a worth pioneer family.
Transcribed 1-28-07
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 361-362. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Marilyn R. Pankey.