Woodbury Langdon
Encyclopedia
Woodbury Langdon was a merchant, statesman and justice from Portsmouth
, New Hampshire
. He was the brother of John Langdon
, a senator from New Hampshire.
of Henry Sherburne, a prominent local merchant. In 1765, Langdon married Sherburne's daughter Sarah, then 16, and would build and furnish a magnificent house on State Street. He is described as a large, handsome man—indeed, a contemporary recalled that the three handsomest men of that era were George Washington
, Lord Whitworth
and Woodbury Langdon.
When the Revolutionary War
broke out in 1775, Langdon sailed to London to secure considerable monies he had invested there. The attempt was unsuccessful, and two years later he left empty-handed for New York
. Upon arrival, British
Commander-in-Chief General William Howe
suspected Langdon's loyalty to the Crown
, and consequently restricted him to the city. Entreaties to release Langdon, written both by his prominent friends in England
and younger brother, John, were ignored. Nevertheless, in December of 1777 he managed to escape.
If Langdon's leanings towards American Independence were at all uncertain before his confinement in Manhattan
, they became unmistakable afterwards. In spring of 1779, he was elected as one of New Hampshire's delegates to the Continental Congress
, serving a year. In 1780, 1781 and 1785 he was re-elected, but chose to remain in New Hampshire and serve at the revolutionary capital in Exeter
, where he was a representative from 1778–1779 and a member of the executive council
from 1781-1784. In 1781, his Portsmouth home was destroyed in a fire which started in a barn where the Music Hall
now stands. He rebuilt the three-story brick mansion in 1785, called "the costliest house anywhere about," and would occupy it for the remainder of his life.
Langdon was appointed an associate justice
of the New Hampshire Superior Court
in 1782. He resigned after a year despite the legislature's repeated requests that he remain in office. In 1786, he again accepted the job, and held it until January of 1791. But on June 17, 1790, he became the first state superior court justice to be impeached. The New Hampshire House of Representatives
voted 35-29 to impeach Langdon for neglecting his duties, finding that he had failed to attend sessions of the court in outlying counties, preferring to pursue his commercial interests in Portsmouth instead. It also resented his charge that the legislature failed to provide honorable salaries for judges and interfered in court decisions, calling his conduct "...impertinent and unbecoming to his office." The trial in the state senate was first postponed, then never took place, as Langdon resigned his position on the court. In the meantime, President Washington had appointed him in December of 1790 as a commissioner to settle Revolutionary War claims. In 1796 and 1797, Langdon attempted a comeback by running for Congress
, but lost.
Governor and historian William Plumer
would recall that:
Langdon is buried in the North Cemetery at Portsmouth. His neoclassical
mansion was purchased in 1830 by a company which converted it into an inn called The Rockingham House. In 1870, it was purchased by Frank Jones, local alemaker and hotel
ier, who had it remodeled and enlarged into the city's most fashionable hotel. A fire in 1884 badly damaged the building except for Woodbury Langdon's original dining room, which was retained when the hotel was rebuilt the following year. The Rockingham Hotel
is today a condominium and restaurant.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. He was the brother of John Langdon
John Langdon
John Langdon was a politician from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and one of the first two United States senators from that state. Langdon was an early supporter of the Revolutionary War and later served in the Continental Congress...
, a senator from New Hampshire.
Biography
After attending the Latin grammar school at Portsmouth, Langdon went into the counting houseCounting house
A counting house, or compting house, literally is the building, room, office or suite in which a business firm carries on operations, particularly accounting. By a synecdoche, it has come to mean the accounting operations of a firm, however housed...
of Henry Sherburne, a prominent local merchant. In 1765, Langdon married Sherburne's daughter Sarah, then 16, and would build and furnish a magnificent house on State Street. He is described as a large, handsome man—indeed, a contemporary recalled that the three handsomest men of that era were George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, Lord Whitworth
Charles Whitworth, 1st Earl Whitworth
Charles Whitworth, 1st Earl Whitworth GCB, PC , known as The Lord Whitworth between 1800 and 1813 and as The Viscount Whitworth between 1813 and 1815, was a British diplomat and politician.-Early years:...
and Woodbury Langdon.
When the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
broke out in 1775, Langdon sailed to London to secure considerable monies he had invested there. The attempt was unsuccessful, and two years later he left empty-handed for New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Upon arrival, British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Commander-in-Chief General William Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence...
suspected Langdon's loyalty to the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
, and consequently restricted him to the city. Entreaties to release Langdon, written both by his prominent friends in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and younger brother, John, were ignored. Nevertheless, in December of 1777 he managed to escape.
If Langdon's leanings towards American Independence were at all uncertain before his confinement in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, they became unmistakable afterwards. In spring of 1779, he was elected as one of New Hampshire's delegates to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
, serving a year. In 1780, 1781 and 1785 he was re-elected, but chose to remain in New Hampshire and serve at the revolutionary capital in Exeter
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
, where he was a representative from 1778–1779 and a member of the executive council
Executive Council of New Hampshire
The Executive Council of the State of New Hampshire is the executive body of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The Executive Council advises the Governor on all matters and provides a check on the governor's power. New Hampshire is one of the few states that has an Executive Council, and is the...
from 1781-1784. In 1781, his Portsmouth home was destroyed in a fire which started in a barn where the Music Hall
The Music Hall (Portsmouth)
The Music Hall is a 906-seat theater located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the United States. Built in 1878, The Music Hall claims to be the oldest operating theater in New Hampshire and the 14th oldest in the United States. An independent venue that offers music, readings, dance, and cinema,...
now stands. He rebuilt the three-story brick mansion in 1785, called "the costliest house anywhere about," and would occupy it for the remainder of his life.
Langdon was appointed an associate justice
Associate Justice
Associate Justice or Associate Judge is the title for a member of a judicial panel who is not the Chief Justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the United States Supreme Court and some state supreme courts, and for some other courts in Commonwealth...
of the New Hampshire Superior Court
New Hampshire Superior Court
The New Hampshire Superior Court is the statewide court of general jurisdiction which provides jury trials in civil and criminal cases. There are 11 locations of the Superior Court, one for each county and two in Hillsborough County.-Jurisdiction:...
in 1782. He resigned after a year despite the legislature's repeated requests that he remain in office. In 1786, he again accepted the job, and held it until January of 1791. But on June 17, 1790, he became the first state superior court justice to be impeached. The New Hampshire House of Representatives
New Hampshire House of Representatives
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 103 districts across the state, created from divisions of the state's counties. On average, each legislator represents about 3,300...
voted 35-29 to impeach Langdon for neglecting his duties, finding that he had failed to attend sessions of the court in outlying counties, preferring to pursue his commercial interests in Portsmouth instead. It also resented his charge that the legislature failed to provide honorable salaries for judges and interfered in court decisions, calling his conduct "...impertinent and unbecoming to his office." The trial in the state senate was first postponed, then never took place, as Langdon resigned his position on the court. In the meantime, President Washington had appointed him in December of 1790 as a commissioner to settle Revolutionary War claims. In 1796 and 1797, Langdon attempted a comeback by running for Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, but lost.
Governor and historian William Plumer
William Plumer
William Plumer was an American lawyer and Baptist lay preacher from Epping, New Hampshire. Born in 1759 in Newburyport, Massachusetts, he represented New Hampshire as a Federalist in the United States Senate from June 17, 1802 to March 4, 1807...
would recall that:
- "He was a man of great independence and decision - bold, keen and sarcastic, and spoke his mind of men and measures with great freedom.....He was naturally inclined to be arbitrary and haughty, but his sense of what was right, and his pride prevented him from doing intentional evil."
Langdon is buried in the North Cemetery at Portsmouth. His neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
mansion was purchased in 1830 by a company which converted it into an inn called The Rockingham House. In 1870, it was purchased by Frank Jones, local alemaker and hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
ier, who had it remodeled and enlarged into the city's most fashionable hotel. A fire in 1884 badly damaged the building except for Woodbury Langdon's original dining room, which was retained when the hotel was rebuilt the following year. The Rockingham Hotel
Rockingham Hotel
The Rockingham Hotel is a historic hotel building in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was originally built in 1785 as a residence by Woodbury Langdon, prominent merchant and politician. Thomas Coburn converted it into a hotel which opened November 1, 1833. Frank Jones, who was, among other things,...
is today a condominium and restaurant.