The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-09-25

cial committee and had been vice. president
Of the corporation since 1876. He was pres.
ident OF the National Car Company and a
director in the Langdon Manufacturing
Company, q transportation corporation
chartered by the state of Maine, and also In
the Ogdensburgh Transit Company.
His large interest in the Barre granite
business, covering several ~quarries and many
acres OF undsveloped granite property, was
represented by the Langdon Granite Com
pany. He was the pioneer of savings in
stitutions in Barre, the Granite Savings
Bank and Trust Company being established
under his patronage. He was heavily in
terested In the slate q~uarries Of Pouliney,
and was the proprietor OF the splendid cleo
trio light and power plant at Carver's Falls,
In which, including a dam that cost some
$4,000, he had invested a large sum. 1t
was a small Niagara, and especially en-
gagged his fondness for great enterprises.
His interests in that quarter were under
the management of Mr.. Albert futile. In
every department Of business and finance
which he entered, he was singularly sue
~cessful.
In Mr.. Woods deed of gift to the Thomas
W. Wood Collection in the Gallery Of Fine
Arts in the City of Montpelier, Mr.. Langdon
was made one OF the trustees, and was
chosen president of the board.
In politics Mr.. Langdon was a republican.
He was Montpelier's representative in the
general assembly of 1868 and SO. In 1880,
owing to some disgruntlement arising from
the local administration of the new listing
law, he transferred his legal residence to
Berlin, just across the river from Mont
pelier, where he owned a farm residence
and extensive landed property. Although
maintaining a fine residence on Main street
in this city, he has yearly, since the year
mentioned above, crossed the river on the
last day of March, and thus maintained his
legal residence in that town, though living
the greater part Of the year in Montpelier.
He was, as this incident illustrates, a man
OF strong prejudices, and, as many other in
cidents would show, a man OF equally
strong prepossessions He represented Der.
lin in the legislature OF 1892. His tastes,
however, were for affairs, rather than pol
itics, but he was always a deeply inter.
ested and patriotic observer OF the trend Of
political events.
In May, 1910, while riding horseback in
the evening, with a companion, near the
mills on the Berlin side, Mr.. Langdon's
horse was frightened by a flash OF lightning.
He was thrown down an unprotected en-
bankment and his hip severely injured.
The surgical treatment was defective, and
he was la ned for life. He sued the town
OF Berlin for damages, but settled with the
authorities by taking their agreement to
support him for life, II he should ever come
to want. This document, we understand, is
among Mr.. L%angdon's papers.
Mr.. Langdon gave a large sum of money
during his lifetime for public and private
purposes, for the church and for charity.
He had his W ideas as to what objects
should enlist his pecuniary sympathy, and
to what extent, and his conclu ,ions in this
res pect were not debatabls. In matters
charitable as well as OF business he kept his
own counsel. His left hand was not init
mately acquainted with the doings OF his
right hand, and the general public is even
less intimately and au~thoritatively informed
OF his deeds and his purposes. 80 any news
paper sketch of his life must lack precision
nnh dAfnIfAnnaA in Tnnnu - 1 - IN
which the public is naturally and reason
ably interested, and which might be neces-
sary for a just and appreciative estimate Of
his character. Rumor, however, connects
his name with certain things he was devils
ing for Montpelier; with plans for a fine
block OF buildings on:State and Main streets,
OF which the locality Of the corner store
and adjoining property on those streets,
owned by him, or which he purposed to pur-
chase, would be the center. 1t seems quite
certain that he was maturing plans for an
enterprise OF this kind. His name is also
associated with some scheme for a building
for the Young Mems Christian Association
and its adjuncts, the Library and Wood Art
Collection. What the real facts about these
enterprises may have been, or, IL they were
contemplated, how they may be affected by
his untimely taking off, time or the disclos-
ures Of the probate office may tell. Appar-
emily some muniicent projects have been
nipped in the bud by the frost Of that fatal
Friday morning. 1t is certain that a very
remarkable man has died and a very re.
markable career has ended. He was not
much swayed in life by the judgments of
his fellow men.
" Can storied urn or animated bust
Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust
Or fattery soothe the dali cold ear Of death?'
THE
Brief services were held at the house at
half past one, and the funeral was held at
two O'Clock from Bethany Church. The
edifice was crowded to its full capacity by
townspeople and distinguished citizens
from various parts Of the state. e. d.
Blackwell had charge of the services. The
bearers were j. w. Brock, II. A. Huse,
Hiram Carleton, DR.. FL. S. ~Boardman, l.. 81.
Bixby, of Montpelier, and Colonel George
T. Childs of St. Adams. The honorary
W. Hobart Of st. Adams, b. b. Smalley of
Burlington, DR.. George Nichols of North
field, III. w. Heaton, T. G. Barrows, FL. s.
Loomis and Clark King of Montpelier.
Among those from out Of town who were
present were f. C.: Smith, j.. B. Fletcher,
q. w. Writers and G. S. Forbes of st. AL
bans, and w. III. Dubois of Randolph.
Colonel K. G. Smith, president of the Gem
trail Vermont railroad. was unavoidably de-
tanned in New York.
On the casket was a single sheaf OF rip
ened wheat. The services opened with sing
ing Gathering Home" by a male quartette
composed of f. w. Bancroft, c. II. Ship
maa, II. d. Hopkins and w. 5. Smith.
Rev. DR.. Norman Seaver, the pastor, spoke
from Revelations xiv:13-"B Blessed are the
dead which die in the Lord from henceforth
yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from
their labors, and their works do follow
them" The speaker dwelt upon the fact
that death is not a calamity. Tue gate that
swings outward from this earthly life is just
as gracious and beneicient as is the gate
that swings into it. 1t is a great mistake to
speak OF one who has gone after he has, like
our friend, lived a well.rounded life, that
his dea h is a misfortune, a calamity, a disas-
ter. Such language is shallow and common.
place. DR.. Seaver beautifully elaborated
the idea that those who have wrought truly,
and conquered nobly, ne yer die. We lay
their bodies away, but their souls are for
ever marching on. Continuing, he said
And so with this man, whose folded
vestures we lay away to-day. The enter
prises which he has fostered and organized,
to which he has given his advice and
thought, they die not. he began the battle
Of life at seventeen years, and, while labor,
ing against physical disabilities, h lachieved
for himself and others such an organization