Landon, Margaret, 1903-1993.
Person
Biographical Statement
Margaret Landon (September 7, 1903 – December 4, 1993) was an American writer who became famous for Anna and the King of Siam, her 1944 novel of the life of Anna Leonowens. Her book on Leonowens was published in 1944 and became an instant bestseller. It eventually sold over a million copies and was published in more than twenty languages. In 1950, Mrs. Landon sold the musical play rights to Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammenstein II, who created the musical The King and I from her book. A later work, Never Dies the Dream, about her own experiences, appeared in 1949.
Born as Margaret Dorothea Mortenson to Anenus Duabus "A.D." and Adelle Mortensen in Somers, Wisconsin, she was one of three daughters in a devout Methodist family. The family moved to Evanston, Illinois, where she graduated from Evanston Township High School in 1921. She attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, graduating in 1925. She taught school for a year, then married Kenneth Landon, who she knew from Wheaton, and in 1927 they signed up as Presbyterian missionaries to Thailand. Between 1927-1937, in addition to having three children, Margaret Schoeherr, Carol Pearson, and William, while also running a mission school in Trang, Landon read extensively about the country. During her readings, she learned about Leonowens. When the family returned to America in 1937, she soon began writing articles and then began researching material for a book on Leonowens. The family moved to Washington, D.C. in 1942 when her husband joined the United States Department of State as an expert adviser on Southeast Asia. In 1947, Kenneth authored "Southeast Asia, Crossroad of Religion," subsequently reprinted in 1969 and 1974. He also wrote "The Chinese in Thailand" and "Siam in Transition." Her 4th child, Kenneth, Jr., was born in Washington, D.C. He followed the lead of his parents and took up writing about his own field of interest, releasing a weighty (904 pages) tome, "God of Glory: The Promise of Relationship" in 1992. Margaret Landon was married sixty-seven years. She died in Alexandria, Virginia, December 4, 1993, aged 90, leaving 13 grandchildren and twenty-five great grandchildren. One of her great grandchildren is also a writer. Mrs. Landon is interred in Wheaton Cemetery in Illinois.
Citation:
Author: Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections staffCitation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_LandonFound in 573 Collections and/or Records:
Landon Chronicles (1917-1921): Margaret Had a Good French Education in High School (hour 16, clip 13)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-13
Dates:
Digitized: 1917-1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917-1921): Margaret's Time in High School (hour 16, clip 11)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-11
Dates:
Digitized: 1917-1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917-1938): Margaret on How Her Dream of Writing Began (brief reprise) (hour 74, clip 7)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC74-07
Dates:
Digitized: 1917-1938
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Children Put on Cinderella for Anenus Duabus' Birthday (hour 16, clip 5)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-05
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret Had Restrictions (hour 16, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret Helped Write the School Song (hour 16, clip 9)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-09
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret Put on a Program of Hiawatha (hour 16, clip 4)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-04
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret Wanted to Be an Actress (hour 16, clip 7)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-07
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret Was Addicted to Reading (hour 16, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret Was Very Busy (hour 16, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret's 8th Grade Graduation and the Following Summer (hour 16, clip 10)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-10
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret's Diary Entries from May 17, 22, and 24 of 1917 (hour 15, clip 12)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC15-12
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret's Journal entries from January 1917 (hour 15, clip 13)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC15-13
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Margaret's Journal Entries (hour 16, clip 8)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-08
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1917): Someone in Evanston is Held Up (hour 16, clip 6)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-06
Dates:
Digitized: 1917
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1918-1921): Adelle Was Very Hospitable (hour 18, clip 6)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC18-06
Dates:
Digitized: 1918-1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1918): John Aiken Cut Out the Work with the Chinese in Siam (hour 33, clip 4)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC33-04
Dates:
Digitized: 1918
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1918): Margaret Recalls the Great Flu Epidemic (hour 20, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC20-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1918
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1919-1920): Margaret Was Told She Had the Gift of Words (hour 16, clip 12)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-12
Dates:
Digitized: 1919-1920
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1920): Margaret Went to Camp After Her Junior Year (hour 16, clip 14)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-14
Dates:
Digitized: 1920
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921-1923): Margaret Dated Various People (hour 18, clip 13)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC18-13
Dates:
Digitized: 1921-1923
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921-1923): The Guys Margaret Went on Dates With (hour 19, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC19-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1921-1923
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Anenus Duabus Had His First Stroke (hour 18, clip 9)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC18-09
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Anenus Duabus Mortenson's Health (hour 19, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC19-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Letter from Margaret's Grandmother (hour 13, clip 7)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC13-07
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret and Her Friends were Serenaded Late at Night (hour 18, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC18-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret and Some Friends Went to Adelle's Birthday Dinner (hour 18, clip 10)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC18-10
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret Decides to Go to Wheaton (hour 16, clip 15)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC16-15
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret Got to Room With a Junior Her Freshman Year (hour 17, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC17-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret Had Her Tonsils Removed (hour 18, clip 8)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC18-08
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret Was Invited to Spend the Night with Lois (hour 18, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC18-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret's Beginnings at Wheaton (hour 17, clip 4)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC17-04
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret's Friendship with Lois McShane and Their Group (hour 18, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC18-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1921): Margaret's Parents Bribed Her to Go to Wheaton College (hour 17, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC17-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1921
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922-1923): Kenneth's Pranks on His Roommate Wesley Ingels (hour 21, clip 11)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC21-11
Dates:
Digitized: 1922-1923
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922-1923): Margaret Didn't Get the Grades She Deserved (hour 21, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC21-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1922-1923
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922-1923): Margaret's First Note from Kenneth (hour 19, clip 15)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC19-15
Dates:
Digitized: 1922-1923
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922-1924): Kenneth Recalls Miss Elsie Dow, the English Professor (hour 21, clip 06)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC21-06
Dates:
Digitized: 1922-1924
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922-1924): Kenneth's Decision to Become a Minister (hour 22, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC22-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1922-1924
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922-1924): Literary Societies That Kenneth and Margaret were Part Of (hour 20, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC20-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1922-1924
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922): Anenus Duabus Went Back to Work (hour 25, clip 9)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC25-09
Dates:
Digitized: 1922
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922): First Date that Margaret Mentioned Kenneth (hour 19, clip 16)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC19-16
Dates:
Digitized: 1922
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922): First Impressions Between Margaret and Kenneth (hour 19, clip 5)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC19-05
Dates:
Digitized: 1922
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922): Kenneth's Adjustment to Wheaton After His Wayward Youth (hour 21, clip 9)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC21-09
Dates:
Digitized: 1922
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922): Margaret and Kenneth First Meet (hour 19, clip 4)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC19-04
Dates:
Digitized: 1922
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922): Margaret Went On a Boat Trip Across Lake Michigan (hour 19, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC19-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1922
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922): Margaret's Expenses (hour 19, clip 9)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC19-09
Dates:
Digitized: 1922
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1922): The Summer the Cottage was Built (hour 25, clip 8)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC25-08
Dates:
Digitized: 1922
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1923): Adelle Sold the House and Moved to 610 Irving (hour 20, clip 10)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC20-10
Dates:
Digitized: 1923
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1923): Anenus Duabus Mortenson's Symptoms (hour 20, clip 11)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC20-11
Dates:
Digitized: 1923
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Additional filters:
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- Digital Record 568
- Unprocessed Material 3
- Collection 2
- Subject
- Basketball. 7
- Death. 7
- Marriage. 7
- King and I (Motion picture) 4
- Missionaries -- Thailand. 4
- Thailand -- Social life and customs. 4
- Tennis 3
- Articles. 2
- Audiotapes. 2
- Christmas. 2
- Correspondence. 2
- Football 2
- Legal documents. 2
- Photographs. 2
- Wheaton (Ill.) 2
- Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 2
- Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Buildings. 2
- Administrative Records. 1
- American University (Washington, D.C.) -- Faculty. 1
- Bangkok (Thailand) 1
- Baptism. 1
- Bradley, Dan Beach, 1804-1873 -- Correspondence. 1
- Chinese -- Thailand. 1
- Christmas trees. 1
- Cole, Edna Sarah -- Correspondence. 1
- Davenport, Mary Frances -- Correspondence. 1
- Dengue. 1
- Dentistry. 1
- Diaries. 1
- DuPage County (Ill.) 1
- DuPage County (Ill.) -- History. 1
- DuPage Heritage Gallery (Ill.) -- Archives. 1
- Financial records. 1
- Golf 1
- Ham 1
- Influenza 1
- Interviews. 1
- Knitting 1
- Landon, Kenneth Perry, 1903- -- Archives. 1
- Landon, Margaret, 1903-1993 -- Archives. 1
- Lectures. 1
- Matoon, Stephen -- Correspondence. 1
- Methodism 1
- Microfilms. 1
- Minutes (Administrative records) 1
- Missions -- China -- 1900-1944. 1
- Missions -- China. 1
- Missions -- Soviet Union. 1
- Missions -- Theory. 1
- Monsoons 1
- Negritos 1
- Organ (Musical instrument) 1
- Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) -- Clergy. 1
- Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. -- Missions. 1
- Presbyterianism 1
- Religion and culture -- Thailand. 1
- Reviews (documents) 1
- Scarlatina 1
- Serials (publications) 1
- Sermons. 1
- Softball 1
- Southeast Asia -- Politics and government -- 1945- 1
- Stout 1
- Thailand -- Courts and courtiers. 1
- Thailand -- Description and travel. 1
- Thailand -- Religion. 1
- Theses. 1
- Videotapes. 1
- Volleyball 1
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