Woodbury Langdon

Woodbury Langdon (painting by John Singleton Copley )

Woodbury Langdon (* 1739 in Portsmouth , New Hampshire Colony , †  January 13, 1805 ) was an American politician . In 1779 he was a delegate for New Hampshire to the Continental Congress .

Career

Woodbury Langdon was the older brother of John Langdon (1741-1819), who was among other things governor of New Hampshire and who also represented this state in the US Senate . He attended the public schools in his home country and then worked in commerce. When the revolution broke out , he went to London to save his investments there. This earned him the accusation of traitor back home. Two years later he returned to America after the failure of the attempt to protect his economic interests. He wanted to enter New York City, which was then controlled by the British . He was denied this by the British military commander, who viewed him as a supporter of the American movement. In December 1777 he therefore returned to New Hampshire. There he actually joined the American cause. He served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1778 and 1779, and represented his state in the Continental Congress in 1779. Between 1781 and 1784 he was a member of New Hampshire's Executive Council .

Langdon was a judge at New Hampshire Superior Court from 1786 to 1791 . Impeachment proceedings were initiated against him for abuse of office. Before making a decision, he resigned from his judicial office. Thanks to the mediation of his brother, he received the post of Federal Commissioner for Claims from the Revolutionary Era. In the following years he ran for Congress several times without success . Professionally, he worked in the investment industry until his death. He died on January 13, 1805 in his hometown of Portsmouth.

Web links

• Woodbury Langdon in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Woodbury Langdon in the database of Find a Grave (English)