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

EXWf&t3# 49, 3&&
JAMES r.. LANeDoN.
On Thursday OF last week Mr.. Laugdon
believed that he was in better health than
he had been for some time previously. He
had walked from his residence on Main
street to the Montpelier National Bank, of
which he was president, three times during
the day, instead OF riding, as had been hts
custom, and had remarked that this was
more walking in one day than he had lone
before in twenty years. Mr.. Bixby, the
cashier OF the bank, was with him Thurs
day night till ten o'clock, talking over mat
ters OF business. Mr.. Langdon had not in
recent years seemed in better health and
spirits, or more interested in the projects
that were engaging his attention, and Mr..
Bixby babe him goodnight with no thought
or expectation that the duration Of his life
was numbered by hours rather than con-
tinued years. Mr.. Langdon retired for the
night with no'premonition that the sun had
set upon the last day of his existence. In
the morning his ~housekeeper received no
answer to her Opening the door
to his sleeping room and observing indica-
tions that he had arisen, and supposing
that he was in the adjoining bathroom, she
made no further inquiry at that time. Re-
peating her call to breakfast soon after, she
entered again, and, passing into the bath
room, found it vacant. Turning about, the
PROSTATE form Of Mr.. Langdon was discov-
cred upon the floor, on the back side OF the
bed. He was lying outstretched, his head
resting upon his hand, and under both a
and placed there. What had occurred is q
matter OF conjecture. The cause Of his
death is said to be apoplexy. He had ap-
parently risen in the night, and, being un-
able to regain his couch, had laid dow and
expired where he was found. About half
nQaf Hua in tho rnnrntnn Am oo,,n1 1,lyA
the jar Of a falling body, was heard in the
house by the domestics, and it is believed
that this circumstance indicates the time Of
his death.
James r. Langdon was born in Montpe-
lier, October 8, 1913. He seems to have in
management of business affairs. This ten
dency was the earliest developed character
istic OF the young man. A sketch of his
early life states that while yet in his early
teens he engaged in the purchase Of Spanish
coin in New England, which was selling at
a premium in Canada. He pursued the
business till the supply was exhausted,
reaping a lucrative profit from the traffic.
On the death of his father, the son, though
only eighteen years old, was intrusted with
the settlement OF the p%aternal estate. His
hrst business enterprise OF moment was on
the Berlin side, where are now the shops of
the Cotton Manufacturing Company. In
the mutations of time the buildings have
undergone many changes, but there, for
twenty-fiv years, he carried on what was
considered at the time, and was in fact, an
extensive Touring business. He bought the
wheat in the West and shipped it to YER
mont, converting it into -four which was
largely sold throughout New England, and
under the brand OF Berlin Mills" was ia
vorably known to the merchants of a gener.
alton ago. His shrewdness and foresight
were exhibited in making an advantagsou
contract for freight which enabled him for
a long time to meet the growing competition
of western mills. He was shrewd enough
to drop the business and unload his milling
property before the traffic became absolutely
Improbable.
He early became interested in banking.
He was the master spirit of the old Bank
of Montpelier, in the later days of its ex-
istence, before the era of national bank
ing, as he had been Of the institution un-
der the national system. During some
hitch in his business relations with the
old bank" he organized the State Bank
under the general banking laws OF Yer.
mont, which after a few years was merged in
the recognized Bank of Montpelier. A
story is told which illustrates some OF Mr..
Langdon's characteristics and his quality
as a business antagonist. During the old
rivalry of the local state banks, which were
J required to redeem their bills in specie at
their counters, Mr.. L~angdon's bank was
annoyed by the presenting of its notes, by
D6IbOub IL thO VI III lOCdl TINhl,
for specie redemption. He went quietly
at work to accumulate the notes Of the
rival institution, which began to marvel al
the a" circulation " its currency was achiev.
ing. When Mr.. Langdon had boarded a
very large sum of these notes, exceeding in
amount the specie reserve of any bank in
the state at that time, he paralyzed the
belligerent m~oney-lender by presenting the
boarded notes for redemption. These he
held over the head of the troublesome rival
as a pledge of peace and good beha gior. II
is needless to say there was a permanent
truce TO hostilities. When the Bank Of
Montpelier closed its business, in 1865, &c
begin operations under the national sys
tenn, Mr.. Langdon agreed with its directors
to redeem its notes for a certain sum. I'm
der the laws the statute OF limitations APP
piled to the state ban notes, and when
this had run they were valueless, but Mr.
Langdon faithfully redeemed every note o.
the Bank OF Montpelier that had been pre-
scented. When Mr.. William Caldwell died
not many years ago, among his effects wat
found a sum of money in these notes. which
had 'outlawed, but were promptly re
deemed. Within the p Asst year a note o.
that bank has been presented and a current
note of the United States given in exchange
Mr.. Langdon was interested in the con
struction OF the Vermont Central railroad
and assisted in procuring subscriptions tC
the stock for that enterprise to the extent
OF a million and a half Of dollars. In the
troublesome times Of the road, when Il
needed funds, he became its banker ant
financial manager, and by his personal as
sistance and successful fnanciering pulled
it through a perilous crisis. He had FOL
many years been the chairman OF the reor