Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/645

Rh Doctrines" (1794); and many sermons. In 1761, in connection with Col. Joseph Blanchard, he pre- pared and published a map of New Hampshire.

LANGDON, William Chauncy, clergyman, b. in Burlington, Vt., 19 Aug., 1831. He was gradu- ated at Transylvania university in 1850, and was adjunct professor of astronomy and chemistry in Shelby college, Ky., in 1850-'l. In May, 1851, he was appointed assistant examiner of the'U. S. pat- ent-office, and four years later he became chief examiner. In 1856 he resigned and entered on the practice of patent law, but not long afterward resolved to enter the ministry of the Episcopal church, and was made deacon in 1858, and priest in 1859. He served for a year as assistant minister in St. Andrew's church, Philadelphia, and in the autumn of 1859 went to Rome, Italy, and founded the American Episcopal church in that city, of which he was the first rector. Returning to the United States, he was rector of St. John's church, Havre de Grace, Md., from 1862 till 1866. In the general convention of 1865 he brought forward the subject of Italian Catholic reform, and was ap- pointed a member of the joint committee, and sent to Italy in this behalf in January, 1867. He vis- ited Florence, where he remained until 1873, being the agent and instrument of intercourse between the bishops and clergy of the Church of England and of the American church, and those members of the Latin churches that were inclined to reform. He was active in bringing about relations between the "Old Catholics " and the American bishops, and was present at the Old Catholic congress in 1872, in Cologne, and also at subsequent congresses in 1872, 1873, and 1874, as well as at the reunion conferences in Cologne and Bonn in 1872-'5. He founded Emmanuel church, Geneva. Switzerland. in 1873, and was in charge until 1875. He received the degree of D. D. in 1874 from Gambier college, Ohio. He returned to the United States in 1875, and accepted the rectorship of Christ church. Cain- bridge, Mass., in 1876, but toward the close of 1878 resigned, greatly broken in health. In 1883 he became rector of St. James's church, Bedford, Pa., where he now (1887) resides. Besides numerous re- ports of his special work in Europe, Dr. Langdon has published " Some Account of the Catholic Re- form Movement in the Italian Church " (London, 1868) ; " The Defects in our Practical Catholicity " (New York, 1871); "Plain Papers for Parish Priests and People " (1880-'3) ; and " The Conflict of Practice and Principle in American Church Polity " (Cambridge, 1882).

LANGDON, Woodbury, statesman, b. in Ports- mouth. N. II., in 1739; d. there, 13 Jan., 1805. He received a public-school education, engaged in mercantile pursuits, and was active in pre-Revolu- tionary movements. He was a delegate from New Hampshire to the Continental congress of 1779-80, was a member of the executive council in 1781— '4, and a judge of the supreme court of New Hamp- shire in 1782, and subsequently from 1786 till 1790. — His brother, John, statesman, b. in Portsmouth, N. EL, in December, 1739 ; d. there, 18 Sept., 1819, after receiving a common-school education entered a counting-house and became a successful merchant. In 1774, with John Sullivan and others, he partici- pated in the removal of the armament and mili- tary stores from Fort William and Mary in Ports- mouth 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 Gen. John Stark subsequently de- feated the Hessians at Bennington. Langdon participated in the battle of Stillwater, and com- manded a 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 dele- gate to congress in 1783, was repeatedly a member of the legis- lature and its speaker, and in 1787 a delegate to the convention that framed the constitu- tion of the United States. In March, 1788, he became gov- ernor of New Hamp- shire, and in 1789 he was elected U. S. sena- tor, holding office till 1801, and was chosen president of the sen- ate 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 the exception of one year, 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.

LANGELIER, Francois Charles Stanislas, Canadian statesman, b. at Sainte Rosalie. Quebec, 24 Dec. 1838. He was educated in classics at St. Hyacinthe college, and in law at Laval university, where he was graduated in 1861. He was admitted to the bar of Lower Canada in that year, and in 1863 was appointed professor of Roman law at Laval, becoming, in 1870. professor of civil law and political economy. He was elected for Mont- magny to the legislature of Quebec. 16 Dec, 1873, and for Portneuf in 1878. but was defeated in 1881. He was a member of the executive council and commissioner of crown lands of the province of Quebec from 8 March. 1878. and treasurer from March, 1879, till the resignation of the Joly minis- try in October, 1879. He was first elected to the Dominion parliament for Megan tic in 1884, and for Centre Quebec in 1887. In 1882 he was elected mayor of Quebec which office he s*ill (1887) holds.

LANGERFELDT, Theodore Otto, artist, b. in Buckeburg, Schaumburg-Lippe, Germany, 2 March, 1841. He first studied architecture at the Polytechnic school, Hanover, which gave a bias to his selection of subjects. He then passed five years in London, and removed to Boston, Mass., in 1868, where he has since resided. He paints chiefly in water-colors. One of his architectural paintings was awarded a prize at the Centennial exhibition of Philadelphia in 1876.

LANGEVIN, Jean Pierre Francois La Force, R. C. bishop, b. in Quebec. 22 September, 1821. He was educated at the Seminary of Quebec, and ordained a priest, 22 Sept., 1844. He was professor of the higher mathematics in the Seminary of