The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-28
DEATH FINALLY SEXES
GEORGE ], LANGSDALE
Soldier in the Civil War and Was
Prominent in Local and State
Political Life.
LONG TIME. A POSTMASTER
Original Promoter and for Years
President of Commission for
Soldiers Monument.
LONG TINE A POSTMASTER

George ]. LangsdaIe. who had been slowly
| sinking at his home in the Blacherne for tbs
past few days. died yesterday afternoon al
/ 2 o'clock. Mr.. Langsdale's death mad beer
| expected momentarily since o'clock Satur-
/ day. when he lapsed into a state of uncon-
/ seriousness from which he did not recover
/ even at the last moments of his life AT the
| time of his death only members of his fam
lily and a few relatives. among whom were
Senator Beverage and Col W. B. Roberts
Of Washington, brother-in-law, were pres
| ent.
Since the first of last week Mr.. Langsdale
had been gradually sinking lower 10 deaths
door. AT several times during the week ii
was thought that he was passing away and
his family and relatives were summoned
but he showed wonderful vitality and re-
gained strength that carried him from day
to day. His death was due TO heart trouble
The funeral will be held tomorrow after
noon and will be private. as that was the
request of Mr.. Langsdale. He will be buried
at Crown Hill.
BORN IN THIS CITY
George ]. LangsdaIe was born in this
city Nov. %. 1887, In house on the south
side of Washington street. opposite the site
of the present courthouse. His father was
William II. Langsdale and his mother
was Catherine Pierce Langsdale. His
father died when he was six years old and
he was taken to live with his uncle and
grandfather at Greenwood, in Gallatin
county. Kentucky.
At the age of twelve he went to work for
the Indianapolis Sentinel and held copy for
Austin II. Brown. who owned the paper at
Il Ia firrNE 10 1ufn r1aI h. \.
western Christian College for one year and
also took a course In business college. He
then taught school for three years in In
dianapolis and in LeavenwOrth, Crawford
county.
In 1859 he went to New Mexico travelling
with a wagon train out OF st. Louis. On his
return he suffered severely with lung trOu-
Die which caused him to go to Lake Mime
| tonka, Mimi, which then in the will
| derness. He returned home in the fall OF
1850 and at the outbreak of the civil war
| he offered his services. but was rejected
on account OF his physical condition. This
did not deter him, however. in his desire to
serve his country and in 1862 he organized
| Company l., of the Third Indiana Cavalry.
and in May of the same year was mustered
| into the government service as first lieu
| tenant of the company.
For the first year the company was en-
gagged in suppressing the knights of the
Golden Circle in this State. The company
| took an important part in the chase after
| General Morgan when the Confederate
| town, KY, to Latensville o., where the
chase continued. Lieutenant Langsda1e
and six of his were all that remained
| in the chase to the end.
In September. 1863, he went to the front
with his company and saw much hard serv-
| ice In eastern Tennessee. Georgia, Alabama
and North Carolina during the year follow
| ing. During much of this time he was sick,
but refused TO go to the hospital until after
! the battle OF Lookout Mountain. AS his
| health had completely broken then he gave
up and went TO the hospital, and soon after
ward being declared untitled for service
he resigned in November, 1864. Lieutenant
| Colonel Kline, in indorsing his resignation
wrote: Lieutenant Langsdale has been one
/ of the most efficient officers In the service
and In the last year, when he should have
| been in the hospital, has remained In the
saddle simply by the force of his strong
| will"
On his return from the war he went to
| Sullivan county, where he remained until
1857 He then purchased an interest in the
| Putnam Republican Banner at Greencastle
which was destined to become almost part
of his life. On acquiring full possession OF
that paper he changed the name to the
| Greencastle Banner.
| In 1872 Mr.. Langsdale was made post
master at Greencastle and served for twelve
years. under Presidents Grant, Hayes anC
/ Arthur. On the election of President Cleve
| land. although he had a year to serve. h
resigned ard in a letter which was widely
| quoted at the time.
PROMOTES SOLDIERS MONUMENT.
|
ton for the soldiers monument, and j
was his great life work to lead the agi
tation which finally resulted in the Stat,
taking steps to suitably commemorate the
patriotism of it's heroes who went fortf
to fight for their country. AS early a:
1872 he had conceived the idea of a me
mortal to the soldiers. He then had NJ
thought of the splendid monument tina
now graces this city. In 1875 he brought
the matter before a reunion of old soldier.
| over which Oliver Z. Morton presided
| The next year he succeeded in having tbs
plan Endorsed by the National Grand Army
Encampment that met here. Through tn,
| years that followed till 1887 Mr.. Langsdal'
| never ceased TO agitate the subject botl
| through the columns Of his paper and by
| extensive correspondence. This brought
| favorable action by the Indiana Legisa
ture in 1857, providing for a commission t
build the monument and making an appro
| priation to carry on the work. Governor
Gray appointed Mr.. Langsdale presiden
| of the commission, which position he helC
| for ten years.
Mr.. Langsdale's greatest service to hi!
State was rendered as president of thi.
| commission. In this capacity he directed
| almost exclusively the plans for the beau
tiful shaft which to-day is the glory of tn,
State and the pride Of this. his home. city
| Under his care ii grew TO completion, al
though the finishing touches were no
added until after he had left the board.
| A high tribute to Mr.. LangSdale'S worl
| as president of this board was paid at tn,
| occasion of the dedication Of the monument
| last year by Charles r. Lane, a well-knOwr
| newspaper man of Fort Wayne. Mr.. Ian,
| was for years q reporter on the Indianapo
| lis Journal and IL was his duty TO call OF
| ME- I.angsdale every day. He knew al
much of the inside workings of the boarC
| and much OF the work and hardship en-
| tailed In the planning and building of tn.
| monument as anyone living. In speaking
| or Mr.. Langsdales connection with TIT
| board Mr.. Lane said
| we should never forget the services o.
| Mr.. Langsdale. For a score of years befor,
| the first appropriation he advocated il in hi
| paper at Greencastle and gave study TO tn,
| worlds great monuments in order tina
| when the time came TO begin the i'm
portant work he would be able to aid IN
| making IL a success. While il is probable
that no mind dared TO conceive so mag
| nihcent and so costly a shaft at so Ions
| before. IL Is not improper to suggest tina
| no loftier ideal lodged in the heart anC
| mind or any citizen OF Indiana than tina
| which made the monument the dearest OBJ
ject of George ]. Langsdale's dreams. Hi
| executive work of the commission wer
| recognized at the very start. His quest o
| knowledge of monuments and the art o
| their building taught him the wisdom o
recognizing that no man knew it all, mucl
| less himself. The ideal he cherished, there
| fore. was not hampered by set notions re
| ducing the product to provincial narrow
| ness. L had occasion through a number o
| years of reporting for the indianapolis
| Journal to see him daily in his office in tn
| Statehouse Every man has his limita