"COUNTIES OF MORGAN, MONROE & BROWN, INDIANA. HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL."
CHARLES BLANCHARD, EDITOR. CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO. PUBLISHERS. 1884.
F. A. BATTEY. F. W. TEPPLE
CLAY TOWNSHIP, MORGAN CO., INDIANA
PAGE 263
HON. FRANKLIN LANDERS was born in Morgan County, Ind., March 22, 1825. His
father, William Landers, was one of the pioneers of the New Purchase, and
here Franklin was reared a farmer and educated at the country schools.
After reaching his majority, he followed teaching a few terms, and with his
earnings therefrom, added to those from his farm labors, in company with his
brother, Washington, he opened a general store at Waverly, Ind. A few years
later, he purchased a section of land in this township, laid out the town of
Brooklyn, brought his merchandise here, and for several years sold goods,
farmed, reared and dealt in stock, and before he was of middle age, became
one of the wealthiest men in the country. He accumulated money without an
apparent effort, and spent it like a prince. Objects of charity and
benevolent institutions were the recipients of his bounty, and the poor and
the needy who knew him have every reason to bless him. He has established
no less than five churches upon his lands, and to their support has given
liberally. In 1860, he was nominated for State Senator, and defeated his
opponent, Samuel Oyler, one of the most popular men of Indiana, by a large
majority. In the Legislature, he acquitted himself with honor, and to the
satisfaction of his constituency. He favored a vigorous prosecution of the
war for the preservation of the Union; he advocated the enforcement of
military law where civil law was overthrown, and upon all questions tending
to establish the supremacy of a united government, his voice was in the
affirmative. He moved to the city of Indianapolis in 1864, where, in
company with other well-known gentlemen, he engaged in the wholesale dry
goods business, which he has since followed. He is also the head of the
firm of Landers & Co., pork packers and commission merchants, and is one of
the most extensive farmers in the State. He owns four fine farms,
aggregating 2,100 acres, in Morgan County, one of 250 acres in Marion, and
one of 160 acres in Hamilton, all of which receive his personal supervision.
He was candidate for Presidential elector on the McClellan ticket in 1864.
In 1874, he was elected to Congress, where he took rank as leader upon all
questions of finance. In 1875, the Greenback party nominated him for
Governor, but the Democratic convention before which his name was presented
for indorsement, finding the contest between Mr. Landers and the Hon. W. S.
Holman to be so warm as to preclude the possibility of harmony in the party,
both those gentlemen were withdrawn, and a compromise effected upon the Hon.
James Williams. Over his protest, Mr. Landers' friends nominated him for
Congress in 1876, and through defeated, he ran ahead of his ticket over 800,
and his candidacy added much to the strength of the Democracy, and led to
the election of Mr. Williams as Governor, and carried the State of Indiana
for Tilden and Hendricks. In 1880, he led the Democratic hosts as their
candidate for Governor, the result of which campaign is a part of the
history of our country. Mr. Landers has been twice married; first to Miss
Mary Shuffleberger, who died in 1864, leaving two children, and next to Mrs.
Martha Conduitt, by whom he has had born to him four children.
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