Back to
the Landon Family Research Group Home PageBriefly, the "six Landon brothers" are usually listed as:
1. John Landon (usually spelled Langdon but most often found among the "six brothers"): b. 1619 England; settled at Farmington, CT; d. there in 1689; often given as the forefather of ALL of the earliest American Landons but without proof from records.
2. James Landon (the elder) : b. England; served in King Phillips War; paid a fine at Boston in Jan 1668; in 1670 was member of First Baptist Church, Charleston, MA; had lands at Swansea and Lynn, MA; land at Bristol, RI in 1680; d. 12 Oct 1692, will at Suffolk Co, MA. His wife was Elizabeth, mentioned by name in the will (copy in JOL pps 15, 16); they had five children but no names are given in his will. Perhaps Joseph Landon of Bristol was his son. He was a brother of David Landon.
3. David Landon: d. 1725; brother of James the elder.
4. Joseph Landon: b. probably in England; perhaps one of the six children of James of Bristol; in King Phillips War in 1675; NEHGR says he married "his cousin of New Bristol in 1688"; at Bristol, Plymouth Colony (now RI), 1688/89 when census was taken there, no children listed but children could have been born later; d. 1715, Bristol, RI
5. Danial Landon: b. in England, possibly brother of Nathan Landon; his wife was Ann _____ (said to be Ann Lobdell, dau of Isaac and Martha Ward Lobdell); was in King Phillips War where he was badly injured; received a soldier's grant of land at Bristol, RI; was there when census was taken in 1688/89 listed with wife and 7 children; Had births of 3 children on the Bristol Records -- Mercy 1682, Martha 1683 and James 1685. Children added by many researchers, but not proven were Lydia Lendell and Ann Lendell who are mentioned in the will of Isaac Lobdell; because of the time period in when they lived, these could very well be the parents of Daniel Landon (b. about 1690s) who married Dorothy Holdredge.
6. Nathan Landon: b. 1644 in England (age given on tombstone which reads "Here lyes ye body of Nathan Landon aged 54 years died March ye 9th 1718); d. at Southold, LI. Married Hannah Bishop whose tombstone reads "Here lyeth ye body of Hannah Landon wife to Nathan Landon aged 30 years decd Fabuary ye 26 1701"
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7. James Landon: probably son of one of the above; married Mary Vail and lived at Southold, LI. Mary's tombstone at Southold, LI reads,"Here lyes ye body of Mrs Mary Landon wife to James Landon Decd August ye 28 1722 in ye (blank) year of her age". Abstract of the will of James Landon reads (Lib 13, 314) "will of Sept 11, 1738, cordwainer, names son James who is to have house and lands in Litchfield, CT, minor son John, son Joseph, son Daniel, son David, son Nathan, daus Mary, Rachel, Lydia and Anne; wife Mary, brother John Vail; proved March 26, 1738/39." Taken from Southold Estates in New York Surrogates Office. page 38 of ANCIENT LONG ISLAND EPITAPHS FROM THE TOWNS OF SOUTHOLD. . . , by Edward D. Harris, pub 1903.
8. Thomas Landon: b. about 1610/20 in England; d. at New Milford, CT. Had brother, Henry Landon/Landol of New Haven, CT.
First of all, I was interested in Publishing dates. I wanted to see what published material was available to the next author of any published work. Authors tend to feed on each other.
Next, I looked carefully to see how the "fact" was given as to source. I preferred a full copy of the original but when this was not there, I decided that wording such as "Will, probated (date)" etc would be considered a good source. Even if they did not tell where the record was kept, I believe nobody would simply make up such a thing However, if an exact birth, marriage, or death date was given but no source mentioned, I had to assume the author had access to either some published source (but failed to give the name of the record), or he may have had a Bible, a letter or access to some other family record. And after 70 or more years, that record may no longer exist.
PUBLISHED BOOKS AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES
NOTE: When LFR (LANDON FAMILY RESEARCH) is mentioned, it is to show in which issue the book or article was mentioned.
NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RECORD NEGHR began in 1847 (all issues with Landon citations placed together here until 1894)
1855
-NEHGR, Vol 9. p.175: Benj. Landon's Funeral Sermon
1862
-NEHGR, Vol 16 p.143, 144: Grantees in 1733 of Naragansett Twp (earned in Dec 1675 apparently during King Phillips War) Seven Twps: Buxton, ME; Princeton, MA; Amherst, NH; Gofftown, NH; Bedford, NH; Templeton, MA; and Gorham, ME. Of Boston: "James Lendal's Heirs and "Benj. Landon, for his Father, David"
1863
-NEHGR, Vol 17 p. 212: Tobias Landon of Portsmouth, NH
1868
-NEHGR, Vol 22 p. 45: James Landon
1873
-NEHGR, Vol 27 p. 102: Charles G. Landon, Dir., NE Soc in NY 1874
-NEHGR, Vol 28, p.59 and Vol 34, p. 405 1874 -NEGHR, Vol 28, p.59:
1874
-NEGBR, Vol 28, ppgs 24-27 (1913): "Refugees from Long Island to Conn", by Lucy Debois Akerly, a Landon descendant.
1875
-NEHGR, Vol 29, p. 237: Judge Edward R. Landon's eulogy for Judge Smith.
1877
-NEHGR, Vol 31, p. 52: Jemima Landon
1880
-NEHGR, Vol 34, p. 405, 406: Census Bristol, RI
1883
-NEHGR, Vol 37, p. 183: David Landon p. 375: Daniel Landon
1885
-NEHGR, Vol 39, p. 76, p. 381, 382: David Landon
1889
-NEHGR, Vol 43. p. 267: David Landon
1894
-NEHGR, Vol 48, p. 20: Salmon Records
ALL THE FOLLOWING HAVE LANDONS MENTIONED
1841: FARMINGTON, by Noah Porter
1845: GENEALOGICAL REGISTER OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF LITCHFIELD, CT . . . by George C. Woodruff, pub 1845 -lists family of Daniel and Martha -David's will transcribed on p.139 -Daniel and Chloe on p. 110, 111 -Abner and Eunice - copy of will on p. 117
1850: INSCRIPTIONS ON THE GRAVE STONES IN THE GRAVE YARDS OF NORTHAMPTON, CT . . by Thomas Bridgman, pub. 1850.
1850: VITAL RECORDS OF HULL, MA, by Thomas Baldwin
1860/62: SAVAGE: A GENEALOGICAL DICTIONARY OF THE FIRST SETTLERS OF NEW ENGLAND SHOWING THREE GENERATIONS OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE MAY 1699 ON THE BASIS OF FARMER'S REGISTER, by James Savage, pub 1861, 1862
1882: HISTORY OF NEW MILFORD AND BRIDGEWATER, CT, by Samuel Orcutt, pub 1882
1893: ANNALS OF PORTSMOUTH, NH, by Adams
1893: THE ANCESTORS OF BENJ. HARRISON, PRESIDENT OF THE USA 1880-1893, by Charles P. Keith, pub 1893
1886: INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE OLD BURYING GROUND, LYNN, MA, by John T. Moulton: has "Mrs. Mary Langdon" 1668 - 1732
1893: HISTORY OF HINGHAM, MA
1900: THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON, CT, by Richard Anson Wheeler
1900: DESCENDANTS OF REV. WILLIAM NOYES, by LaVerne Noyes (Has three generations of the Landon/Holdredge families)
1904: HISTORY OF ANCIENT WETHERSFIELD, CT, by S.W. Adams & Henry Stiles
1907: SIMON LOBDELL 1646 OF MILFORD, CT; NICHOLAS LOBDELL 1653 OF HINGHAM, MA
1907: PROBATE RECORDS OF THE PROVINCE OF NY
1913: (Pennsylvania . . . title?). by James Jordan
1913: REFUGEES OF 1776 FROM LI TO CT, by Frederick Mather
1919: SALISBURY, CT
1928: JOL --LANDON GENEALOGY, THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH HOME AND ANCESTRY, WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE DESCENDANTS OF JAMES AND MARY VAILL LANDON IN AMERICA, by James Orville Landon, pub in 1928
1930s: BOSTON TRANSCRIPT: Newspaper Genealogy Columns -BOSTON TRANSCRIPT: 10-19-1936
1931: HISTORY OF SOUTHOLD LI, ITS FIRST CENTURY, by Rev. Epher Whitaker (LFR 1993, p.45)
1934: THE FAMILY OF ELISHA COOKE, by Florence Cooke Newberry
1935: GMNJ, Article about the ancestors of Alf Landon (click here to view)
1937: GENEALOGY OF THE VAIL FAMILY, by William Penn Vail, 1937
1939: BOSTON HERALD, (30 July) "Landon Family", by Kate Landon
1940s: HARTFORD TIMES: Newspaper Genealogy Columns -HARTFORD TIMES, 17 Apr 1943
1943: FTC: FARMINGTON TOWN CLERKS 1645-1940, by Mabel S. Hurlburt, pub 1943. LANGDON is mentioned on the following pages: 15, 30, 51, 76, 79, 83, 321, 322, 356 and perhaps others I may have missed.
1945: EARLY REHOBOTH, MASSACHUSETTS, (3 Vols) by Richard LeBaron Bowen, pub 1945
1954: STROUSE: LANDON, by Leah Landon Strouse and _____ Smith, pub in 1954; (descendants of Laban Landon of NJ family)
1975: COLONIAL GENEALOGIES
1978: MAYNARD MIRES: A SHORT HISTORY OF THE LANDON FAMILY
1979: TRUMAN LANDON: GENEALOGY OF OLIVER LANDON, HIS ANCESTORS AND DESCENDANTS, by Truman Landon, 1979
1979: ALINE HORNADAY: Aline Hornaday, "The Landons of Ontario", CANADIAN GENEALOGIST, Vol 1, No 1 (Jan 1979) (NOTE: I never had to search in vain for her sources; always clearly stated and always fascinating.
1982: FARMINGTON IN CONNECTICUT, by Christopher P. Beckford, pub 1982 1983: GILSON 1987: DESCENDANTS OF JOHN EVANS AND MERCY LANDON EVANS, by Betty Brassington, published 1987
1988: JOY LEHMAN 1991: WAYNE MILLER
1991: JLJ: Judy Jacobson, SOUTHOLD CONNECTIONS, HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF NORTHEASTERN LONG ISLAND, pub. 1991.
1992: CHAPMAN: BRISTOL RHODE ISLAND'S EARLY SETTLERS, by Dorothy Chapman Saunders PhD, pub 1992
LFR: LANDON FAMILY RESEARCH, newsletter begun Oct 1992 Obviously every issue was about Landons
1992
1993
1994 p. 66 says Allen Landon md. Nancy Roberts; children
1995
1996
1997
1998
NEW ENGLAND MARRIAGES PRIOR TO 1700
PLYMOUTH COLONY RECORDS, Vol VI, pp. 94, 59, dated 7 July 1682.
SOMERSET CO, MARYLAND MARRIAGE RECORDS 1796-1871
HISTORY OF ORANGE CO, NY, by Ruttenber and Clark, Landon is mentioned on p. 589 and 592-593 and 771
NY HISTORICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN, Vol 3, p.93
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
THE SHOEMAKER BOOK, by William Blair, p. 642/3
THE HISTORY OF BRISTOL, RI, THE STORY OF THE MOUNT HOPE LANDS, by Willfred H. Munro, p.79 (LFR 1994 p.62)
EARLY RHODE ISLAND, by William B. Weeden, p. 162 (LFR 1994, p.62) -Daniel Landon's will
GENEALOGIES OF CONNECTICUT FAMILIES
GENEALOGICAL GUIDE TO EARLY SETTLERS
Salmon Records, 1894
OLD FAMILIES OF SALISBURY AND AMESBURY, MA, by Hoyt
ENGLISH CONVICTS IN COLONIAL AMERICA, Vol I, (p.161, Isaac Landon to America in 1772)
EMMIGRANTS FROM ENGLAND 1773 - 1776, (p. 144; Thomas Landon, age 24, to Maryland 1775)
Burke: AMERICAN FAMILIES OF BRITISH ANCESTRY, says Nathan Landon, left England in 1670 (LFR 1994 p. 15)
MAYFLOWER DESCENDANT, Vol 6, p.198
SOUTHOLD TOWN RECORDS: Libers B, D, E -Inscriptions in cemetery at Southold: ("Copied 1925")
SOUTHOLD LAND RECORDS: -p.83: -- Landon bought land of Edward Petty on 20 Nov 1668/1688 -Bill of Sale, 4 June 1711
BODGE: SOLDIERS IN KING PHILIP'S WAR, by George M. Bodge
MARRIAGE RECORDS BEFORE 1699, by William M. Clemens
THE LANDONS AND THEIR NAME, pub by Genealogical and Historical Sketches (LFR 1993, p.45)
LISTS OF IMMIGRANTS TO AMERICA 1600 - 17--, by James Hotten (LFR 1993, p.46)
EARLY CONNECTICUT MARRIAGES
WALTER WINAN'S BOOKLET: The #= his reference number Many years ago I received (from Evelyn Worley) a copy of his booklet that very meticulously gave every source of every bit of information he used. Some names had a list of 6 or more sources. Unfortunately, Evelyn didn't send along his list of sources!
TL: Truman Landon, 1979, author of ANCESTORS . . . OLIVER LANDON, pub 194-.
JOL -- LANDON GENEALOGY, by James Orville Landon, pub in 1928
JOL, p.8 quotes from: NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES, by William Richard Cutler, A.M. Vol I, p.401 (Truman Landon, 1979, p.45 has more of it. Xerox of this follows.) "There came to Massachusetts just before King Phillips' War, from Herefordshire, England, six persons bearing the name of Landon. They are supposed to have been brothers . . ."
King Phillip's War was in 1675. Lasted 14 months. NEHGR published the entire history of "Soldiers in King Phillip's War" by Rev. ____ Bodge. It ran for years from 1883 for about eight years!
"The Landons of Ontario", CANADIAN GENEALOGIST, Vol 1, No 1 (Jan 1979) (NOTE: I never had to search in vain for her sources; always clearly stated and always fascinating.
I place her article at the head of published material that I have seen. She shows very complete documentation and her conclusions are clearly stated and logical.
Rather than copy each of the Six Landon "Brothers" material into their separate files, I will simply put it all here.
p.4 -"NATHAN LANDON was a shoemaker and his nephew (JAMES) followed the same trade."
-"Their descendants who remained in New York State claimed common origin in Herefordshire with a Virginia Landon family which emigrated to the colonies in the eighteenth century."
-"The Credenhill Landons loyally served the Stewart kings, Cavaliers; where New England Landons were Puritans."
-"It is likely that the publication of President William Henry Harrison's descent from the Herefordshire family accounts for the suggestion." p.5 -quotes from THE KING'S FRIENDS, by Wallace Brown
-"James' (Son of James and Mary Vaile Landon) Salisbury farm, on the banks of Non-Cook Pond, was ominously known as 'Tory Hill'. It was large, being one mile square."
-Some difference of opinion whether James of Tory Hill died in CT or went with sons to Ontario. (I hadn't realized this before. BJB) (p.20 Footnotes: "Mrs. Ethel Byers, Brockville, Ont, is the authority for James' flight to Canada. Unfortunately there is no record of him or Sarah in the Canadian material.")
-She gives excellent background history of difficult times between Loyalists and Patriots before and during Rev. War -- a period of such horror that most American history books chose to ignore it.
-p.20, 21: Footnotes: nice list of books on Loyalist/Patriot struggle
p.10 -She gently reproves the early Landon researchers lack of documentation and proof: "In 1936, Miss Kate Landon . . . I will try to disentangle these six Landons as far as possible."
-(the elder) "James Landon appears fairly often on Plymouth Colony and Mass Bay records (as follows):
-fined 20 shillings -member of 1st Baptist Ch
-Oath of Allegiance
-property owner of New Bristol
-Boston taxpayer -testator (Aha! the 1692 James) She suggests James (the elder) was related to Joseph and Daniel.
p.10 -Joseph Landon: on 1688/89 Census; -quotes Kate Landon that he married Joanna Shote and says "if so, he may be son of James (the elder)."
p. 10,11 John Landon:
-"Several John Landons seem to have been condensed into one on Miss Landon's list which apparently includes persons spelling the name LANGDON."
Here are all the Johns: 1. John LANGDON and brothers, Philip and Edward "ancestors of the NH Langdons. This John bought a house at Boston; served in King P War (NOTE: I am afraid I don't see how she made this distinction -- of just which John served in the War.) She says this Langdon family was "probably unrelated"; they originated in Boston and eventually settled in New Hampshire.
-"cites NEHGR, Vol 30, p.30, 109, 309 . . . These three Langdons really WERE brothers, as record evidence shows." (p.20) p.20: "I believe he (David) and the Boston John langdon should certainly be removed from consideration as related to the Bristol group of Landons."
2. John LANGDON: a butcher of Boston; he is perhaps the one whose epitaph is in Copps Hill Cem.
3. John LANDON: witnessed a deed from King Phillip; "probably related to the Bristol group."
p.11 DAVID LANDON (shouldn't this be LANGDON?): "probably son of Benjamin and grandson of John Langdon, the sailmaker.. . was fence viewer in Boston; probably the one who took the Oath of Allegiance; died in 1726 leaving 8 children.
p.11 DANIEL LANDON: "Possible that Nathan and Daniel on Miss Landon's list were, in fact, brothers." Mentions the following: -in King P War
-New Bristol in 1681
-Census there 1688/89
-"deed evidence shows that Daniel married Ann, daughter of Isaac and Martha (Ward) Lobdell of Hull." (WHAT DEED?)
-the source for Daniel and Nathan possibly being brothers probably originated with Lucy Dubois Akerley "who had access to family papers" perhaps now lost except for these early historians who took the time to publish them. "Her views deserve respect, even though I can find no documentation for them and she cites none."
p.12 -quotes Wayland Jefferson who mentions "unpublished records" no longer to be found.
-She divides them into THREE groups: BOSTON: Benjamin, David and the Langdons of MA and NH NEW BRISTOL: Daniel and James (the elder?) SOUTHOLD: Nathan
-"A James Landon was living in Nathan's household in the 1698 Southold census."
Pps. 20-23: Hornaday footnotes and bibliography
-"cites NEHGR, Vol 30, p.30, 109, 309 . . . These three Langdons really WERE brothers, as record evidence shows."
The 1928 full length published genealogy about the descendants of James and Mary Vaile Landon who first lived at Southold, LI, NY. But the first 20 or more pages are devoted to trying to show who the Landon ancestors from Europe may have been.
He brings up the "six brothers" and tries to give what he has gathered together about them. Some of the comments and sources seem confusing. Did JOL himself feel slightly confused about these "six brothers" as well -- I believe he did. He worked for 20 years and died before it was published. But he faithfully saved every scrap of information from every source about these possible ancestors. Unfortunately, he did not always tell who had given him the scraps of information. Even this would have helped the rest of us sort it all out.
His daughter published the book after his death and that is an excellent thing she did. One fulltime researcher had died and noboby published his work as written -- Cleo Gordon Landon, a retired lawyer at Minneapolis, MN. But JOL must have received a copy of his material and spent 20 more years on the project.
What were the sources JOL used?
1. G.G. Landon of Minneapolis I have copies of two letters he wrote to Landons all across the US.
2. C.L. Jones and C. Hoyt Landon of New York City
3. Like the rest of us, JOL contacted all of his close and distant relatives. They shared copies of Bibles, old letters, official documents, etc. I got the impression from somewhere that a Boardman relative underwrote the expense of publishing the book and that is why there is a Boardman genealogy in it as well.
4. I can't see evidence that he used Census or Military records.
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