Gideon Weidman Landis

Gideon Weidman Landis was born April 16th, 1838 in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, PA on the Landis homestead 1 1/4 miles west of Cambridge. His parents were Isaac and Catharine Weidman Landis. The house was built mostly of walnut; the heavy ceiling beams were hand carved on the edges. His grandfather had lived there for years until he built on the hill and the property remained in the family until 1893. When Gideon was about 70 years old he wrote:

On Grandfather Weidman's farm, haymaking and harvesting was done with scythe and cradle. Some wheat was cut with sickle as I remember how badly I cut my hand. It was no unusual sight to see 15 to 25 people in a field at harvest time, cutting, raking, binding, and loading. Threshing was done with flails or by riding a horse around on the heads of grain. It was cleaned by winnowing or by a fan, which latter together with a corn sheller was afterward run by horsepower. The plows of today are no improvement over those of that day. My uncle John Landis manufactured plows on a large scale. He had his foundry, forge and large blacksmith shops. The "Landis Plow" had a great sale. I think the tooth harrows did better work than the spring harrows. Wheat was sown broadcast, then came the drill. I think farmers now overdo the machine business - too much expense.

Until I was about 12 years old, I got schooling only some of the winters. From Grandfather's, school was about 1 ½ miles. One winter I went 2 miles with company less than half of the way. Almost every one talked German (Lancaster County Dutch). Teaching was in English - a kind of mix-up. During this time our people moved to Hummelstown, Dauphin County. I went to school some, was on a farm two miles from town for one winter. Next followed the towpath on the canals for two years. Got to see a great deal of life. Drove an old horse. One night he fell into canal. He could not swim and was rescued with difficulty. Went to mines to get coal, then by Schuylkill Canal to Philadelphia, then by Pennsylvania Canal to Hollidaysburg - where I saw section boats taken apart, loaded on cars and taken over the mountains by inclined planes. Then load lumber, tow to Philadelphia by Pennsylvania Canal or cross the river by Columbia Bridge to Wrightsville and go by Tidewater Canal to Havre de Grace, cross to the Delaware Canal to the Delaware River and were taken up the river by tow boats. I was on all of the canals in the state.

"After that, went to Wrightsville, York Co., worked awhile in lumber yard and planing mill. Then went to trade of painting and paper hanging, also chair making when we could not work at painting. We made good chairs - all made by hand - turning by foot power. When put together they wouldn't rattle nor creak. After about 3 or 4 years, went to Shippensburg where father had moved. Worked at coach trimming then got a bench in father's jewelry store and have stuck to it all these years." (He and brother's small repair shop in Eagle Hotel in Newville since 1857.)

"Worked some time in New Brunswick NJ. When war came enlisted in Co H. 92 Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (9th Pennsylvania Cavalry) on "

Once rebel spies, posing as inspectors from Washington, had visited camp and gotten valuable information. After leaving, they were suspected and brought back. They were tried, evidence was found, both were place on a cart, ropes around their necks were fastened to the limb of a tree, the cart was driven from under them. One of the men began to climb his rope, hand over hand. A little soldier in father's company caught his feet, pulled him down and held him till he strangled. An incident at the Altamaha River (GA) (December 14, 1864) is to be found later.

This was during the March to the Sea. He (Gideon) rode all the way to Savannah and then north through South Carolina and North Carolina to the end of the War. His 5000 strong Regiment 9th Pennsylvania was part of the cavalry brigade under Gen. Judson Kilpatrick, him the soldiers called "Kill Cavalry".

Sherman's Army marched in four columns on parallel roads. Thought there were many attempts, Wheeler's and Wade Hampton's cavalry never got past Kilpatrick's cavalry which protected the marching infantry, prevented serious attack and the loss of any wagon train.

The regiment was present at the surrender of Gen. Joseph Johnston after the Battle of Bentonville and the 9th Pennsylvania Vet. Vol. Cavalry was chosen as escort to Gen. Sherman, but Sgt. Landis could not ride his horse, because of 26 boils on the the seat which normally contacted the saddle. Being held on the alert in North Carolina the regiment missed the Grand Review of Sherman's Army at Washington.

Gideon became Sergeant Major; his brother Ike was Lieutenant. Gideon in spare time between boots and saddles worked at his trade - repairing watches for the soldiers - or buying old watches and selling them again.

Both Gideon and Ike were veterans having re-enlisted in 1864. Both voted for Lincoln in '64. They were discharged several months after Johnston's surrender near Raleigh, NC, July 1865.

Mustered out, Gideon worked with his father in Shippensburg for a year. During that time he joined the church, a move partly determined by the influence of the Christian Commission during the War.

G.W. Landis' jewelry store and his work as watchmaker were renowned throughout the county. (His father, three brothers and brother in law were watchmakers as well.) He bought up old grandfather clocks, repaired the movements, refinished the sometime beautiful walnut or cherry cases and sold them at high prices ~ real antiques! Watches, clocks, jewelry, solid silver and plated ware were for sale. The business was lucrative enough to maintain the large family without going into debt.

When Gideon and Emma found they were going to have a family, they moved from the South Carlisle Street location to a permanent home on Big Spring Avenue. One descendent recalled, "How they had money to buy a three-story house on the 'best' street, no one knows, as such things were never discussed." The large front ground-floor room of the home was the jewelry store with a store door and large display window. Next to that was a lovely colonial stoop with an arched doorway leading into the living quarters. There were four rooms on the ground floor and a stairway with mahogany railings and carpeting which led to two upper stories.

Gideon's bench was just inside the large plate glass window, where choice articles were displayed and where the regulator hung - the town stopped there for the correct time, and it was a rite with many to make recognition of the friendly man at the bench. Others came in for counsel or discussion of local problems.

This house which was to be home for 98 years sheltered their eight children - George, Nellie, Mae, Clair, John, Bess, Emma and Ruth. The latter two girls died in their 20's of rheumatic fever.

One untoward happening occurred in 1896, when in the absence of Gideon, two robbers entered the store, pointed a pistol in Mrs. Landis' face. One scooped up easily carried watches and jewelry and escaped. Later they were caught, tried, convicted and sent to prison.

In the 70's, he organized an afternoon Sunday school for the colored friends, with white teachers and superintended it for years. Shortly before his death he went to Philadelphia to receive the International for fifty years attendance at Sunday School.

He took great interest in borough affairs and was member of school board, helped organize the Cemetery Association, and constantly fought the granting of licenses for the sale of liquor. Dr. Erskine of Presbyterian Church and Rev. Reed of United Presbyterian were other crusaders. He was opposing the opening of a brewery when it burned, but the distillery cooperage and bonded warehouse continued business for some time. He fought for Prohibition in Pennsylvania in 1889 but lost.

He was member of Masonic and Odd Fellow lodges, also Knights Templar, but the Church was his social club.

Also he was a member and chaplain of the Grand Army of the Republic. He attended many annual Reunions of the 9th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Cavalry.

On the fortieth Wedding Anniversary in 1907 (see photo this page), all of the children and grandchildren gathered in the upstairs parlor. Not one member of the family had died. There were eight children, five children in law and thirteen grandchildren. There were recitations, music and congratulatory speeches, and the father closed the pleasant evening with reminiscence, advice and thanks to God. The next year the circle was broken by his daughter Emma's death.

These are the eight children of Gideon and Mary Emma:

George m. Myrtle Carrothers

William; Laird; George; Richard; Dorothy

Nellie m. Rev. Will J. Shaner

Herbert; Miriam; Leland; Catharine; Bill

Mae m. J. Gary Morrow

Arthur Clair m. Bertha Rippman

Helen m. Elmer Baker; Virginia m. Peter Christie;
                            Arthur Clair Jr. m. Elizabeth C. Sydnor; Charles m. Nancy Eby;
                            Mary Marguerite

John E. m. Lillian Bower

John; Betty

Bess m. Wagner

Emma died unmarried

Ruth died unmarried

On April 16th, 1908, Gideon wrote to his brother Isaac: "This day I have passed my three score and ten mark on the journey of life. Many have been the hardships, troubles and trials I have passed on the way, but I am truly thankful that it is so well with me. My health is fairly good, have my mind, a good appetite and digestion; also enough to eat and to wear. And the Lord only knows whether by reason of strength I may attain to four-score years. I can trust him for the future".

G. W. Landis continued to work at the bench until in 1913 he was poisoned by some chemical he was using. Gangrene attacked his foot. The doctors urged amputation. This he would not permit. He said he would take his body whole to heaven. He was almost 75 years of age. Gideon held on in pain for several days while his son Clair who was in Cuba traveled to his bedside, and soon after seeing his son, which completed the family circle around him, was able to let go of this earth. The interment was made in his plot in Newville Cemetery.