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LANGDON, John, statesman, born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 25 June,
1741; died there, 18 September, 1819, after receiving a common school education
entered a .counting-house and became a successful merchant. in 1774, with John
Sullivan and others, he participated in the removal of the armament and military
stores from Fort William and Mary in Portsmouth harbor. He was elected a
delegate to the Continental congress in 1775, but resigned in June, 1776, to
become navy agent. In 1777, while he was Speaker of the New Hampshire assembly,
when means were wanted to support a regiment. Langdon gave all his money,
pledged his plate, and subscribed the proceeds of 70 hogsheads of tobacco for
the purpose of equipping the brigade with which General John Stark subsequently
defeated the Hessians at Bennington. Langdon participated in this battle, and
was in command of a volunteer company at Saratoga, and in Rhode Island. In 1779
he was continental agent in New Hampshire, and president of the State
convention.
He was again a delegate to congress in 1783, was repeatedly a member of the
legislature and its speaker, and in 1787 a delegate to the convention that
framed the constitution of the United States. In March, 1788, he became governor
of New Hampshire, and in 1789 he was elected United States senator, holding
office till 1801, and was chosen president of the senate in order that the
electoral votes for president of the United States might be counted. A president
of the senate had therefore a legal existence before there was either a
president or a vice president of the United States. He was a Republican in
politics and acted with Jefferson, who, on assuming office in 1801, offered him
the post of secretary of the navy, which he declined. From 1805 till 1812, with
[he exception of two years, he was governor of New Hampshire, and in 1812 the
Republican congressional caucus offered him the nomination for the office of
vice president of the United States, which he declined on the score of age and
infirmities, passing the remainder of his life in retirement.
