David TTlrich Landis will be remembered as one of the most successful manufacturers of the Lebanon Valley, for the company which he headed was one of the important foundation stones of the industrial prosperity of the city and county. Jacob Landis, his father, was born in Derry township, Dauphin county, Pa., August 19, 1842, and was the son of John Landis and the husband of Lucetta Ulrich. David U. Landis was born October 28, 1872, at Lyonsville, near Palmyra, Pa., attended the public schools of Palmyra and Witmer academy, and studied for a short time at Lebanon valley college. As a boy, he had worked in his father's shoe factory, which the elder Landis had purchased from A. S. Kreider when the latter removed to Annville, Lebanon county. With his education completed, David U. Landis entered the shoe factory to make the business his life work, he and his brother, Morris D., being partners with their father under the firm style of J. Landis & Sons. After a time, however, Morris D. Landis retired from the partnership to enter the United Christian ministry, and at that time the name of the concern was changed to that of the J. Landis Shoe company, Jacob Landis continuing as senior partner of the organization until the time of his death in 1918. Until this time, David U. Landis was superintendent of the company and conducted its affairs, insofar as they were placed in his hands, with an ability that brought him the presidency of a consolidation with the G. R. Kinney Shoe Stores in 1920 and the superintendency of this branch of the G. R. Kinney company. The nationwide scope of the new organization brought Mr. Landis still further recognition in the ranks of industrial executives, and he was regarded as a man of the highest business endowments. He was also a director of the G. R. Kinney company and the Valley Trust company of Palmyra and a trustee of the Tressler Orphans' Home at Loysville, Pa. As a communicant of the Palm United Lutheran church, he was one of its trustees and financial secretary and treasurer of the Sunday school as well as being connected with the Laymen's missionary movement of the Lutheran church. His political affiliations were with the Republican party and though he was interested in the support of all movements promoting civic welfare, he never sought public office. On November 24, 1898, Mr. Landis married Mary A. Brunner, the daughter of George B, and Louisa A. (Kline) Brunner, of Palmyra, and to them was born one son, Harold Ulrich, of whom a biographical record is contained elsewhere in this work. The death of Mr. Landis occurred July 15, 1925, in New York City during a business trip to that metropolis. His loss has been au irreparable one to his community, and he was deeply mourned by business associates and the wide circle of friends he had acquired.
A History of the Lebanon Valley In Pennsylvania, Volume II. By Dr. Hiram H. Shenk. 1930. Pages 97-98.