Francis S. “Van” Landrum was a businessman and self-taught structural engineer/land surveyor in Klamath Falls, Oregon as well as a noted amateur historian and author. He was born in Pendleton, Oregon on January 14, 1924, and at the age of three his family moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon where he lived for the rest of his life. After his high school graduation in 1941 he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps as a lieutenant and became a B-17 bomber pilot who flew 35 missions over Germany in World War II. After the war Landrum attended Oregon State University but left without graduating. He later became a registered engineer and businessman. In 1953 he founded Fremont Glass & Millwork, later Fremont Millwork, Inc., and continued to operate the family business until his retirement in 1985.
Landrum was considered an expert on Klamath Basin history, especially the Modoc War of 1872-1873. He created an extensive collection of materials about the Modoc War as well as other topics related to the history of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. From that research he wrote the book Guardhouse, Gallows and Graves: the Trial and Execution of Indian Prisoners of the Modoc Indian War by the U.S. Army, 1873 (1988) as well as several articles for historical journals. He was one of the organizers of the 1988 Modoc War Symposium. Landrum used his knowledge of surveying and history when he served as an expert witness for the state of Nevada during disputes over the boundary between Nevada and California around Lake Tahoe in the 1980s.
Landrum was active in the Klamath Falls, Oregon community serving as a founding Board member and President of the Shaw Historical Library, member of the Klamath County Museum Board, president of the Klamath Falls Rotary Club and chairing the Klamath County Roads Advisory Committee. He also served on the Oregon Geographic Names Board.
Francis S. Landrum married Patricia Schupp (born April 4, 1924) on July 27, 1947, and together they raised four children: Eloise, Colleen, Kenneth and Paul. Patricia Landrum joined Francis Landrum in many of his research activities. Francis Landrum died on June 16, 2002. Patricia Landrum died on September 7, 2008.
From the guide to the Francis S. and Patricia L. Landrum Collection, 1872-1986, (Oregon Institute of Technology Shaw Historical Library)
