S. Lander

(All of the photos will be full size when you click on them)

Samuel Lander in 1872. He is 39. The S. Lander is the standard signature found on all of his coorespondence. It is usually preceded by the words....I remain, as ever, Yours...

I believe S. Lander (in his handwriting) will be the title of the film with the subtitle still under consideration...perhaps..."His Life and Legacy".


Rev. Samuel Lander taken in 1903. He is 70. Construction has begun on the new building in Greenwood. He has spent 32 years at Williamston at this point. He is living the last year of his life, is frail and in bad health. He will muster the strength for one last journey to Greenwood in May of the following year to set the cornerstone in place in the new tower of Greenwood Hall (now Laura Lander). He will load the entire W.F.C. faculty and student body for that train bound for Greenwood. Six weeks later he will be gone.




This is an interesting photograph. Lander's customary pose is to look away from the camera. Here's the lineup acording to the back of this photo. No date is given.

front left seated on ground - Mrs. John O. Willson - daughter of Dr. Lander, front right (on ground) - Mrs. Saul Lander, seated on left - Ms. Laura Elles, Ms. Laura Lander, Rev. Samuel Lander, Miss Hannah Keeley (Art Teacher), Standing on L - Ms. W.T. Lander, Malcom Lander, Miss Mattice (Music Teacher Head), W.T. Lander, Miss Elizabeth Alexander (Math), Clyde Harlon (Teacher)



I love this one as well. The sign reads "Faculty W.F.C. 1888" The description on the back of photo is scanned below. This is the front hall of the W.F.C. in Williamston. Museum cases line the wall on the right. A telescope is seen on the far left. A rarity from what I have seen, the Rev. John Lander is third from the left. John will later be a missionary and college President in Brazil. He was rightfully in line to become President of Lander had he not been on the mission field. Ms. Bowen also tells me that she has reliable sources that reveal that John singlehandedly introduced soccer to the country of Brazil. This picture seems to showcase all the areas of study at the college. The skelatal chart hangs in the background, the globe is there, books and other instruments. The idea was certainly to promote the quality tools W.F.C. had in order to provide an education. Another thing I love about this photo is Laura Lander on the right side of the photo playing the guitar. She is very stoic in many of the photos that I have seen of her and I found her posture interesting. Laura taught guitar at W.F.C. She was known as "Little Mother".



This is the lineup for the above 1888 photo



Student body on the steps of W.F.C. Rev. Lander is seated in the middle of the photo surrounded by his girls. I am curious to get more information about this photo. I know the videotape that Dee gave me featuring Whitey Lander describes a few of the ones here. GREAT photo!






Rev. Samuel Lander on the porch at W.F.C. with Laura next to him (I think)? Not sure who the other woman is and there is no date or label on this one. He is late in years here so we can assume it's near the turn of the century. While we were in Williamston this weekend, Dee pointed out that Samuel Lander probably never saw an automobile. He probably never owned a telephone. This was probably a good way to pass the time.


This is another remarkable photograph. This photo was published in "The Lander Story 1872 - 1922" written by Mrs. John O. Willson. It shows Rev. Samuel Lander on the walkway behind the W.F.C. in Williamston. Everyone is posed in their respective places. I love the students peering from the windows on the second floor. This is an angle of the college that you don't see very often in photos. As Dee described it this weekend, this photo is taken from the depot/railroad tracks side of the building. The street normally seen in most photos would be behind the hedges on the rear left side. There were no names, dates or descriptions associated with this photo but again, by the looks of Rev. Lander...it is probably around the turn of the century.


Dee, you are welcome to share this link with the family. I want them to be a part of the process.