ichard² Landers (Thomas¹) was born about 1660, and died intestate in Falmouth, probably shortly before 11 Jul 1750.

The records in the Sandwich Town Hall show that: "Richard Launders and Sarah Freeman were maryed [by] justice Skeffe the 6th day of January Anno 1695/6"¹ (May. Des., 29:30, 1931). She was the daughter of Edmond² Freeman and sister of Rachel and Deborah who married her husband’s two brothers. She was born in Sandwich 6 Feb. 1662 (ibid., 14:110, 1912), and died, probably in Falmouth, 9 Feb. 1732/3. Frederick Freeman states that the death occurred in Sandwich. We have not found the date in either the Sandwich or Falmouth records, and Freeman does not give his source. Unless Sarah died while visiting relatives in Sandwich it seems likely that she died in Falmouth where her husband and children were then living.

Richard² Landers was still a minor when his father died in 1675. Unfortunately we can not find record of his guardian, nor how he received his portion of his father’s estate. Through inheritance or purchase, he evidently acquired land in the town which was established in June 1694 as Suckanessett, or Sackeneesett, which became known as Falmouth in September 1694. The town records show that he was made constable of the town 17 March 1702. This is interesting, as at that period the position of constable was considered important; one of the usual duties was to "apprehend Quakers". Since Richard Landers was an active member of the Society of Friends, the appointment speaks well of the standing he must have had in the community. His name appears in a list, dated 22 Aug. 1704, of men who had paid for their shares in the "New Purchase" adjoining to the Sandwich line (Falmouth Proprietors’ Book; Freeman’s "Annals of Falmouth": History of Cape Cod 2:434; Charles W. Jenkins, History of Falmouth, 1889, p.41).

Until 1709 the Falmouth Quakers were members of the Sandwich Monthly Meeting, the records of which show that Richard and Sarah Landers witnessed several weddings of members of their family and of other Friends (Sandwich Friends’ records – microfilm #60, p.126, passim, filmed by the Genealogical Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). Richard Landers is named as a Proprietor of Falmouth, 3 June 1712 (Freeman, op. cit., 2:439).

In 1717 Richard Landers "of West Falmouth" and his young sons, Amos and John, were appointed to dig graves in the Friends’ burying ground (Simeon L. Deyo, History of Barnstable County, 1890, p.188). Deyo shows also that Richard Landers subscribed, at a meeting in Sandwich, to the fund for building a Meeting House (ibid., p.189). In 1728 Sarah Landers witnessed the marriage of Stephen² Harper and Eliphael (Smith) Perry, widow of Edward² Perry (Edward¹).

The association of this branch of the Landers family with the Quaker Perrys, Dillinghams and Harpers, reminds us of how much we hope that some one who is prepared will undertake English research and solve the problem of relationship among the five young Perrys who lived in Sandwich in the early 1650s. Because the three sons of Thomas Landers all married daughters of Edmond² Freeman by his second wife, Margaret Perry, all those bearing the surname Landers in the third generation were Margaret’s grandchildren. Therefore this is an appropriate place to recapitulate the puzzle of the relationship, if any, of the Sandwich Perry group: 1. Margaret Perry, who would have been the eldest (if the five, or some of them, were siblings), b. ca. 1622; mar. 18 July 1651 Edmond² Freeman (Edmond¹). 2. Ezra Perry, b. ca. 1625; mar. 12 Feb. 1651/2 Elizabeth Burges. 3. Edward Perry, b. ca. 1628; mar. ca. 1653 Mary ——. The will of Edmond¹ Freeman, dated 21 June 1682 designates Edward Perry as "my son", but there is no record to suggest that the testator had a daughter Mary (see Mary Walton Ferris’ discussion of this point in her Dawes-Gates Ancestry). Still, Elizabeth, the second wife of Edmond¹ Freeman, may have had a daughter Mary by a former husband. 4. Hannah Perry, b. ca. 1630; mar. 24 June 1652 Henry² Dillingham (Edward¹). 5. Deborah Perry, b. ca. 1632; mar. 9 May 1654 Robert¹ Harper. As we pointed out in our Ezra Perry article, many writers have supposed that because Ezra Perry was named administrator of the estate of Sarah Perry in 1659 it meant that the intestate Sarah was the mother of these young Perrys. But the probate records state that Ezra Perry is allowed to be "Executor"... "there being noe other (although she hath many friends in the Country) that claimeth any interest to the Estate encase it shall bee required by any that hath better title thereto" (The Register, 115:88 & footnote, ibid., p.86, Apr 1961). For some reason those who first were confronted with this Perry problem called this Sarah Perry "a widow, of Devonshire", without giving any reference for the statement. Because of the many Freeman-Perry connections we suggest the possibility that search for these Perrys might be undertaken in Sussex.

To return to Richard Landers: at a town meeting, 30 June 1730, it was agreed and voted that the Rev. Samuel Palmer, of Middleborough, be invited to become the next minister of Falmouth, to be paid a £200 settlement at £50 per annum, and later a salary of £90 a year. Naturally, the members of the Quakers meeting considered it unfair that they should be taxed for the support of a Congregational minister, and among those who entered their protest upon the town’s book of records were Richard Landers and his sons Amos and John Landers, 17 Sept. 1731 (Freeman, op. cit., 2:445 and Jenkins, op. cit., p.68). As we have seen, the will of Joseph Landers of Sandwich, dated 1749, mentions his brother Richard Landers and the latter’s daughter Abigail.

Administration was granted 11 July 1750 to Thomas Shiverick, upon the intestate estate of Richard Landers of Falmouth, deceased. The inventory was taken by Roland Robinson, Joseph Robinson, and Joseph Bourne (Barnstable County Probates, vol. 7, p.192). Unfortunately, papers relating to the distribution of the estate have not survived.²

Children recorded in Sandwich (May. Des., 14:168).

1. This date of the marriage is clearly the correct one, as the dates immediately preceding and following this marriage show that it was originally entered with others in the order as they occurred. But it is a curious fact that the marriage is shown as follows in the Falmouth town record book: "Richard Landers and Sarah ffreeman were married the 18th day of Jenewery in the year 1697". This entry is followed by the births of their children, entered all together. It will be seen that the birth date of the first child, Abigail, is given as 20 Nov. 1698, followed by that of Amos, 5 Jun 1699 [!]. This Falmouth book was not purchased until October 1700, and the entry immediately preceding those of the Landers family group is dated 1724, while that immediately following is dated 1742. We believe that the Landers entries were not made until some years after the events occurred, and that through carelessness or faulty memory the first two dates were incorrectly recorded. In his Freeman Genealogy (2nd ed., 1875, p.34) the Rev. Frederick Freeman adds a footnote which provides more confusion; after noting the discrepancy between the marriage date at Sandwich and that at Falmouth, he says that Sarah Freeman was married by Justice Skiffe (i.e. Stephen Skiffe, justice of the peace, and representative to the General Court from Sandwich) claiming that this "strengthens the supposition that the mother of the above Sarah was a Skeffe". Apparently Mr. Freeman confused Sarah (Freeman) Landers with her sister-in-law, Sarah ——, wife of Edmond³ Freeman, whom various writers have guessed may be a Skiffe.
2. This is an appropriate place at which to express our appreciation of the help we have had from Esther B. Landers and her husband Neal H. Landers, of 43 Broad Street, Manchester, Conn. Mrs. Landers has done much research on this whole Landers family, but particularly in connection with the descendants of the above Richard² Landers, and the Quaker branch which settled in Falmouth. Mr. Landers descends from our Nicholas⁵ Landers (Prince⁴, Amos³, Richard², Thomas¹). We also wish to thank Mrs. Caroline (Wing) Thompson, a descendant of Joseph⁵ Landers (John⁴, Amos³, Richard², Thomas¹), who has supplied us with useful pieces of the Landers jig-saw puzzle.

[Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson and Maclean W. McLean, "Thomas¹ Landers of Sandwich, Mass.," NEHGR 124:49-51]

Also have marriage as 18 Jan 1697. [The American Genealogist 40, 1964]
Also have marriage as 18 Jan 1697/98. [Descendants of Edmund Freeman]

Back