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 (1926): The Summer at the Hutchinson's in Bordentown (hour 31, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC31-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1926
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1926): The Town Fad and Scandal in Bear Lake (hour 28, clip 8)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC28-08
Dates:
Digitized: 1926
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1926): Trouble with the House Adelle was Building (hour 32, clip 10)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC32-10
Dates:
Digitized: 1926
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1926): Vic Hicks' Letter to Margaret and Her Desire to Reach Her Team (hour 26, clip 21)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC26-21
Dates:
Digitized: 1926
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1926): Wedding Plans: Adelle's House, Bridesmaids' Dresses (hour 29, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC29-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1926
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1926): Wedding Plans: Invitations, Ushers, Minister, Decorations, etc. (hour 28, clip 19)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC28-19
Dates:
Digitized: 1926
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1926): Wedding plans: Muriel (hour 28, clip 26)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC28-26
Dates:
Digitized: 1926
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927-1928): Siam: All the Holidays were an Adjustment (hour 42, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC42-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1927-1928
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927-1937): Margaret and Kenneth Tell Stories About Ants (hour 58, clip 4)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC58-04
Dates:
Digitized: 1927-1937
Found in:
Special Collections
Landon Chronicles (1927-1938): Margaret on Buffalo (hour 57, clip 15)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC57-15
Dates:
Digitized: 1927-1938
Found in:
Special Collections
Landon Chronicles (1927): Adelle Received a Letter from Mr. Luke Keddie in Bear Lake (hour 33, clip 9)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC33-09
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Kenneth and Margaret are Asked to Go to Siam in May (hour 34, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC34-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Kenneth and Margaret are Officially Appointed to Siam (hour 33, clip 8)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC33-08
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Kenneth and Margaret on Burmese Sayings (hour 58, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC58-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Special Collections
Landon Chronicles (1927): Kenneth and Margaret Prepared to Go to Siam (hour 33, clip 10)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC33-10
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Kenneth and Margaret Visited the Meadville Church (hour 34, clip 13)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC34-13
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Kenneth Bought Some Suits for Siam (hour 34, clip 6)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC34-06
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Kenneth Got Rid of Things and Margaret Saved Things (hour 29, clip 10)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC29-10
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Kenneth Visited the Passport Office (hour 34, clip 11)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC34-11
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Margaret Went to Tea with the Seminary's President's Wife (hour 34, clip 7)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC34-07
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Margaret's "Appendicitis" and Kenneth's Caregiving (hour 34, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC34-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Margaret's Birth Certificate and Passport (hour 34, clip 9)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC34-09
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Margaret's Letter: Entertaining the Clique & the Sermon Contest (hour 33, clip 6)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC33-06
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Margaret's Letter to Adelle and the Story of Ned Stonehouse (hour 33, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC33-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Margaret's Nicknames (hour 34, clip 8)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC34-08
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Mr. McShane Revealed the Plans for Blanchard Hall to Adelle (hour 33, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC33-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Ah Chuan's Baby (hour 41, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC41-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: American Minister Entertained Prince Damrong (Take 2) (hour 41, 11)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC41-11
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Dinner Parties (hour 38, clip 6)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC38-06
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Festivals, the King's Birthday, the Golden Mountain (hour 39, clip 6)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC39-06
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Furniture (hour 40, clip 6)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC40-06
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Household Matters (hour 37, clip 17)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC37-17
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: John Eakin Gave a Speech for the King (hour 37, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC37-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Kenneth and Margaret's Progress with the Language (hour 37, clip 12)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC37-12
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Kenneth Bought a China Set at an Auction (hour 37, clip 11)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC37-11
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Kenneth Got Some Tekal Buttons (hour 37, clip 5)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC37-05
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Kenneth Preached in a Church and Visited a Snake Farm (hour 37, clip 7)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC37-07
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Kenneth was Taking Margaret to See the Nurse Regularly (hour 37, clip 14)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC37-14
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Kenneth's First Time Preaching in Meadville (hour 51, clip 3)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC51-03
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Kenneth's Letters are Missing (hour 39, clip 8)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC39-08
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Language Progress (hour 37, clip 15)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC37-15
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Margaret Tried to Explain Their Life to Her Family (hour 39, clip 4)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC39-04
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Margaret's Comments of Their First Year in Siam (hour 41, clip 2)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC41-02
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Margaret's First Siamese Wedding (hour 39, clip 10)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC39-10
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Margaret's Letter Home: Ma Cham (hour 38, clip 4)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC38-04
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Margaret's Letter to Betty: Food, Clothes, a Concert (hour 40, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC40-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Margaret's Tennis Playing (hour 39, clip 7)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC39-07
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Odds and Ends (hour 36, clip 8)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC36-08
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Peggy at 1 Month, Thanksgiving, and J.J Seigle's Birth (hour 39, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC39-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Landon Chronicles (1927): Siam: Peggy's Birth (hour 38, clip 1)
Digital Record
Identifier: LC38-01
Dates:
Digitized: 1927
Found in:
Wheaton College Archives
Additional filters:
- Type
- 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 Greenhow Roper, 1819-1896 -- Correspondence. 1
- Dengue 1
- Dentistry 1
- Diaries 1
- Du Page County (Ill.) 1
- Du Page County (Ill.) -- History. 1
- DuPage Heritage Gallery -- 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 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 1
- Scarlatina 1
- Serials 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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