Franklin Landers was born in 1825 in Morgan County, Indiana, and began his career as a schoolteacher in 1846. He later engaged in mercantile activities and stock raising in Indiana, demonstrating early entrepreneurial skills. Landers served in the State Senate from 1860 to 1864 and transitioned to the dry-goods business in Indianapolis by 1865. He later became involved in the pork-packing industry and held a congressional position from 1875 to 1877. Despite an initial retirement from politics, Landers remained active in public service and farming until his death in 1901.

Franklin Landers's political identity is marked by his steadfast advocacy for currency inflation while vehemently opposing the national banking system, revealing a deeply localized economic philosophy. His agrarian background and confidence in farming knowledge underscore a unique ideological positioning within the Democratic Party. Landers's initial retirement announcement, followed by a reversal, suggests an ideologically agile approach to his political career. His colorful rhetoric, such as the quip about the smell of a hog, adds a distinctive personal touch to his public persona.