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Our ancestors were Mennonite immigrants, seeking a better life not only for themselves, but for their community and broader society. They contributed to the daring experiment of an America that allows freedom of religion and expression. Generation after generation of our Landis kinfolk actively supported, developed, and pushed this American ethos. They helped create the America we enjoy today. Here is our Landis story.

Landis Roots

The Mennonite Landis’s who came to Pennsylvania were descendants of ancestors, who lived in Hirzel, Switzerland in the 16th century. Most of the Pennsylvania immigrants are believed to descend from Rudolph Landis (the brother of infamous Mennonite preacher Hans Landis, who died as a martyr in 1614).

Abraham Landis

In 1862, our 2nd-great-grandfather Abraham Hoch Landis enlisted in the 35th Ohio Infantry as an assistant surgeon. He was taken prisoner, offered unparalleled firsthand observations through his correspondence during the war, and served with incredible distinction. In 1875, Abraham moved his family to Indiana, where they resided until our grandmother’s generation.

Frederick Landis I

Our 4th-great-grandfather Frederick Landis lived in Easttown, Chester County, Pennsylvania, after emigrating from Germany in circa 1749 at the age of about ten. We struggled to verify details about his early life, but discovered his vast land ownership and possible participation in the Pennsylvania militia in the Revolutionary War.

Frederick Landis II

He served his state and country in the halls of Congress; he contributed to the American stage; his writings were pungent and his editorial quips were reprinted everywhere; he was a Republican, always progressive and political thought, and death treated him of bringing greater renown to the state of his adoption. (Quote from Frederick’s obituary.)

Philip Landis

Our 3rd-great-grandfather Philip Landis relocated his family to Ohio probably to buy and cultivate more land. In 1820, Philip purchased 160 acres of land in the Germantown Township, a true pioneer. Through his two marriages, Philip fathered at least 15 children.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Landis

Our grandmother Betsy in 1942 enlisted in the United States Naval Reserves and served in a key role with WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). She began as an ensign and proved instrumental in recruiting women throughout the Midwest to serve in the WAVES during World War II.