One of the truths that we learn from genealogy is that every family has its share of heartbreak and tragedy. The Langford family is no exception. We have seen the loss of loved ones, the dissolution of families, the loss in war and the hardships of persecution. It is part of the human condition that takes its toll on all of us at different times and in different ways.
Life had to be especially tough for Temperance Palmer. Her first husband, David Mason, died in 1837 when Temperance was just 34, leaving her with a family to raise on her own. When Charles Langford entered her life, it must have seemed like a new life was beginning. When he left her to move to Iowa with children from his first marriage, she was left with two more small children to raise on her own.
It is a few years after this that the following newspaper article appeared in the Sandusky, Ohio, Daily Sanduskian:
Notice
Whereas Temperance Langford represented to me that she was a widow by the name of Mason, and under this impression I married her; and whereas I have since learned that such was not her name, but that she had a husband living, by the name of Langford; and whereas she has left my bed and board without any just cause or provocation, I do hereby forbid all persons harboring or trusting her on my account, as I will pay no debts of her contracting after this date.
Henry Thomas
Margaretta
January 31, 1850
There is an old saying the desperate times require desperate measures. Temperance was certainly desperate. It is likely that this episode ended with her move to Ingham County, Michigan. Her sons would both serve the state of Michigan well, George as a doctor and Daniel as a soldier, both in their own way saving lives.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Charles Langford's Other Family
What we know of Charles Langford, Oscar's father, has been limited by a number of factors. Chiefly, the dissolution of the family seemed to be caused by Fanny's death in 1840. Curiously, I did find Charles in the 1840 census living in North East, Erie County, Pennsylvania. There is a family unit of five total and the census at that time only listed the head of household by name. I reasoned that this was probably where they lived because I found the death notice in the Fredonia, New York, newspaper. Fredonia is only about 25 miles from North East. But some new information has come to light in the last week from another Langford descendant, Laura Bolander of Ohio.
Laura first contacted Susan Chambers, one of the other cousins I found an ancestry.com. Susan forwarded her inquiry to me. Laura believed that she was a descendant of a second family that Charles had in the years 1840 to 1845 in North East. After we shared a lot of emails and one phone call, I began to research the facts for myself. I am now convinced that Laura is right.
Here is the evidence. Dr. George Washington Langford was born in Erie County and went on to a successful career as a medical doctor, among other things, in Ingham County Michigan. When he died his death certificate said that his parents were Charles W. Langford and Temperance Palmer. A profile of Dr. Langford was written in 1891. Here is the exact source that convinced Laura, first, and then me.
PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF Ingham and Livingston Counties, MICHIGAN, Chicago, Chapman Bros. 1891, Pages 739-740:
For the past twenty-two years Dr. Langford has been known as one of the successful physicians of Ingham County and he is still prosecuting his practice at Williamston and vicinity. His father, Charles W. Langford, a miller by trade, was a resident of Pennsylvania, but spent his later years in Iowa, with his son Charles, and there died. While living in Erie County, Pa., he was married to Mrs. Temperance Mason, by whom he had two children, George W., and Daniel W., but he had several children by a previous marriage. The father of Mrs. Langford was a Mr. Palmer who was the father of three sons and two daughters.
The profile goes on:
Dr. Langford was born May 18, 1840, in Erie County, Pa., and being without a father's care since four years of age he grew up under his mother's training and she removed when he was twelve years old to Lenawee County, Mich., and here they resided until the breaking out of the war. The young man who had now just reached his majority enlisted in Company K., First regiment Michigan Infantry, and after three months' service and one year at home re-enlisted in Company I., Eighteenth Michigan Infantry and was in service during the remainder of the war. The last nine months he was held as a prisoner in Castle Morgan and three months of that time he was in the prison hospital at Cahaba, Ala.
The academic education of this gentleman was taken at Fairfield Village in his county and he afterward spent two years in college at Adrian, in which city he studied medicine with Drs. Rhynd and Allen and graduated from the medical department of the University of Ann Arbor in the spring of 1869. Besides taking the regular course he also carried on six extra "quizes." After graduation the young medical man settled in Belle Oak in May, 1869, and in September of the same year he was married on the 29th of that month to Arvilla R. Sparhawk, daughter of Noah Sparhawk a Vermonter, who removed to Ohio at an early day and finally settled in Adrian, Mich., where he resided at the time of his daughter's marriage. To the Doctor and his wife have come five bright and beautiful children, namely: Myrtie M., Theron S., Mabel E., Maud, and George W., all of whom are still under the parental roof. Theron and Myrtie are graduates of Williamston High School, Myrtie is instructor of the intermediate department at Webberville. Theron was elected president of his class before graduation and was awarded the highest scholarship of his class and on examination at the State Normal he was admitted to the junior class.
In 1872 Dr. Langford removed to Webberville where he practiced his profession until November, 1889, when he came to Williamston. He owns eighty acres of land in Ingham County and an equal number of acres in Livingston County, and has a drug store and residence at Webberville besides a home and real estate in Williamston. He is a member of the State Medical Association and is a Republican in his political views but never aspires to public office. For eleven years in succession he was Postmaster at Webberville and for the same length of time carried on a drug store there.
Dr. and Mrs. Langford are valued members of the Baptist Church and the Doctor is a Master Mason and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic holding official position in the latter organization. At Webberville he was successively Surgeon, Commander and Chaplain of the Post, and he now holds the position of Surgeon in the Post at Williamston.
Doctor Langford was alive when this profile was written and would have provided much of this detail himself. Knowing that Charles was in Clinton County with his son Charles could only have been possible if they were the same people, since these are the only Charles Langford father and son that I have ever found in Iowa.
Dr. George Washington Langford's brother Daniel W. Langford sadly died of yellow fever while being held as a prisoner by the south in the Civil War. Here is more information on him:
Langford, Daniel W. (Veteran),. Lenawee County. Enlisted in Company B, Fourth Infantry, June 20, 1861, at Adrian, for 3 years, age 25. Height 5’8”. Complexion light. Eyes dark . Hair dark. Farmer by trade. Mustered June 20, 1861. Re-enlisted December 29, 1863. Mustered January 1, 1864. Taken prisoner at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1863. Returned to company August 12, 1863. On detached service with Company B, First Infantry, by order, July 2, 1864, at Petersburg, Virginia. Married by Fourth Michigan's Chaplain John Seage on Saturday February 6, 1864, at Bealton Station, Virginia, at the residence of the bride Sarah Grove. February 10, 1865 Sarah was living in Fairfield, Lenawee County, Michigan and had a 3 month old daughter. Straggler on march and taken prisoner near Long Bridge, Virginia, June 14, 1864. Died of yellow fever at Charleston, South Carolina on October 14, 1864. Originally buried in the"Potter's Field" of the Charleston Race Course in Charleston, South Carolina. Reinterred in the National Cemetery in Beaufort, South Carolina.
There are some facts here that are troubling. George was born in May 1840, Fanny died in April 1840. Charles left this second family high and dry when he moved to Clinton County, Iowa. It is possible that the years could be off here and there, but regardless of the details, it does not improve the view of Charles as a family man.
I started this research to fill in the blanks caused by a family breakdown. I thought I had done that until last week when Laura shared her research with me and had the same goal that I did. It is only fitting that all of the Langford descendants from Charles be included in the telling of his story. As you can see above, they have stories to add.
Laura first contacted Susan Chambers, one of the other cousins I found an ancestry.com. Susan forwarded her inquiry to me. Laura believed that she was a descendant of a second family that Charles had in the years 1840 to 1845 in North East. After we shared a lot of emails and one phone call, I began to research the facts for myself. I am now convinced that Laura is right.
Here is the evidence. Dr. George Washington Langford was born in Erie County and went on to a successful career as a medical doctor, among other things, in Ingham County Michigan. When he died his death certificate said that his parents were Charles W. Langford and Temperance Palmer. A profile of Dr. Langford was written in 1891. Here is the exact source that convinced Laura, first, and then me.
PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF Ingham and Livingston Counties, MICHIGAN, Chicago, Chapman Bros. 1891, Pages 739-740:
For the past twenty-two years Dr. Langford has been known as one of the successful physicians of Ingham County and he is still prosecuting his practice at Williamston and vicinity. His father, Charles W. Langford, a miller by trade, was a resident of Pennsylvania, but spent his later years in Iowa, with his son Charles, and there died. While living in Erie County, Pa., he was married to Mrs. Temperance Mason, by whom he had two children, George W., and Daniel W., but he had several children by a previous marriage. The father of Mrs. Langford was a Mr. Palmer who was the father of three sons and two daughters.
The profile goes on:
Dr. Langford was born May 18, 1840, in Erie County, Pa., and being without a father's care since four years of age he grew up under his mother's training and she removed when he was twelve years old to Lenawee County, Mich., and here they resided until the breaking out of the war. The young man who had now just reached his majority enlisted in Company K., First regiment Michigan Infantry, and after three months' service and one year at home re-enlisted in Company I., Eighteenth Michigan Infantry and was in service during the remainder of the war. The last nine months he was held as a prisoner in Castle Morgan and three months of that time he was in the prison hospital at Cahaba, Ala.
The academic education of this gentleman was taken at Fairfield Village in his county and he afterward spent two years in college at Adrian, in which city he studied medicine with Drs. Rhynd and Allen and graduated from the medical department of the University of Ann Arbor in the spring of 1869. Besides taking the regular course he also carried on six extra "quizes." After graduation the young medical man settled in Belle Oak in May, 1869, and in September of the same year he was married on the 29th of that month to Arvilla R. Sparhawk, daughter of Noah Sparhawk a Vermonter, who removed to Ohio at an early day and finally settled in Adrian, Mich., where he resided at the time of his daughter's marriage. To the Doctor and his wife have come five bright and beautiful children, namely: Myrtie M., Theron S., Mabel E., Maud, and George W., all of whom are still under the parental roof. Theron and Myrtie are graduates of Williamston High School, Myrtie is instructor of the intermediate department at Webberville. Theron was elected president of his class before graduation and was awarded the highest scholarship of his class and on examination at the State Normal he was admitted to the junior class.
In 1872 Dr. Langford removed to Webberville where he practiced his profession until November, 1889, when he came to Williamston. He owns eighty acres of land in Ingham County and an equal number of acres in Livingston County, and has a drug store and residence at Webberville besides a home and real estate in Williamston. He is a member of the State Medical Association and is a Republican in his political views but never aspires to public office. For eleven years in succession he was Postmaster at Webberville and for the same length of time carried on a drug store there.
Dr. and Mrs. Langford are valued members of the Baptist Church and the Doctor is a Master Mason and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic holding official position in the latter organization. At Webberville he was successively Surgeon, Commander and Chaplain of the Post, and he now holds the position of Surgeon in the Post at Williamston.
Doctor Langford was alive when this profile was written and would have provided much of this detail himself. Knowing that Charles was in Clinton County with his son Charles could only have been possible if they were the same people, since these are the only Charles Langford father and son that I have ever found in Iowa.
Dr. George Washington Langford's brother Daniel W. Langford sadly died of yellow fever while being held as a prisoner by the south in the Civil War. Here is more information on him:
Langford, Daniel W. (Veteran),. Lenawee County. Enlisted in Company B, Fourth Infantry, June 20, 1861, at Adrian, for 3 years, age 25. Height 5’8”. Complexion light. Eyes dark . Hair dark. Farmer by trade. Mustered June 20, 1861. Re-enlisted December 29, 1863. Mustered January 1, 1864. Taken prisoner at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1863. Returned to company August 12, 1863. On detached service with Company B, First Infantry, by order, July 2, 1864, at Petersburg, Virginia. Married by Fourth Michigan's Chaplain John Seage on Saturday February 6, 1864, at Bealton Station, Virginia, at the residence of the bride Sarah Grove. February 10, 1865 Sarah was living in Fairfield, Lenawee County, Michigan and had a 3 month old daughter. Straggler on march and taken prisoner near Long Bridge, Virginia, June 14, 1864. Died of yellow fever at Charleston, South Carolina on October 14, 1864. Originally buried in the"Potter's Field" of the Charleston Race Course in Charleston, South Carolina. Reinterred in the National Cemetery in Beaufort, South Carolina.
There are some facts here that are troubling. George was born in May 1840, Fanny died in April 1840. Charles left this second family high and dry when he moved to Clinton County, Iowa. It is possible that the years could be off here and there, but regardless of the details, it does not improve the view of Charles as a family man.
I started this research to fill in the blanks caused by a family breakdown. I thought I had done that until last week when Laura shared her research with me and had the same goal that I did. It is only fitting that all of the Langford descendants from Charles be included in the telling of his story. As you can see above, they have stories to add.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The Langford Family in Nauvoo, Illinois and Salt Lake City, Utah
Another day, another amazing discovery in the Langford family tree.
Yesterday evening, I decided to try to look for connections in a new place. The website Familysearch.com is run by the Mormon Church and is free. I have used it many times in the past. Recently, they launched improvements to the site which make it easier to navigate. One of the areas that I had not been able to search before were family trees submitted by others. With the new navigation, I decided to take a peek. Was I ever surprised!
I have used family trees submitted by others as a derivative source. These trees are not factual, necessarily, but they are indicators that there may be facts available to support their conclusions. I use these as a signpost for directions while I pursue the primary sources that would provide necessary genealogical proof.
I found thousands of Langfords in family trees on familysearch, several that included Northrop Holderbee Langford, Oscar's great grandfather. With a name like that unusual mouthful, I was looking at a pretty good indication of a connection.
So I looked deeper and found that, on this tree, Phebe Langford, a sister to Oscar's grandfather had married Abraham Morton, a fact which I already had corroborated. What caught my eye was that Phebe Langford Morton had been buried in historic Nauvoo, Illinois, not far from where I live.
Phebe and Abraham Morton were converts to Mormonism. Historic Nauvoo, Illinois, was a stopping point for the followers of Joseph Smith as they fled persecution, before finally settling on Salt Lake City.
It turns out that the following people are related to the Langfords as descendants of Phebe Langford Morton and Abraham Morton:
Their daughter Phebe Morton, married James Angell and had at least eight children.
Phebe Morton Angell and two of her daughters, Mary Ann and Jemima, all became plural wives of Brigham Young. Mary Ann was his second wife, after his first wife died. It was Mary Ann who first approved of Brigham Young's addition of other wives and who was the mother of Brigham Young, Jr.. He had a total of 55 marriages, many of which were not conjugal. He married Phebe and Jemima on the same day in 1846 when Phebe was 59 and Jemima was 42.
Truman Osborn Angell was a son of Phebe Morton Angell, brother to Mary Ann and Jemima and brother-in-law to Brigham Young. He learned architecture while building temples in Nauvoo Illinois, Kirtland, Ohio, Logan, Utah and Manti, Utah. He refined these skills when sent by Brigham Young to study in Europe. He was instrumental within the Mormon Church as the Chief Architect. He was the moving force behind the building of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. His son Truman Osborn Angell, Jr., continued in his father's footsteps. He is credited with resolving the problem of the acoustics of that building.
Yesterday evening, I decided to try to look for connections in a new place. The website Familysearch.com is run by the Mormon Church and is free. I have used it many times in the past. Recently, they launched improvements to the site which make it easier to navigate. One of the areas that I had not been able to search before were family trees submitted by others. With the new navigation, I decided to take a peek. Was I ever surprised!
I have used family trees submitted by others as a derivative source. These trees are not factual, necessarily, but they are indicators that there may be facts available to support their conclusions. I use these as a signpost for directions while I pursue the primary sources that would provide necessary genealogical proof.
I found thousands of Langfords in family trees on familysearch, several that included Northrop Holderbee Langford, Oscar's great grandfather. With a name like that unusual mouthful, I was looking at a pretty good indication of a connection.
So I looked deeper and found that, on this tree, Phebe Langford, a sister to Oscar's grandfather had married Abraham Morton, a fact which I already had corroborated. What caught my eye was that Phebe Langford Morton had been buried in historic Nauvoo, Illinois, not far from where I live.
Phebe and Abraham Morton were converts to Mormonism. Historic Nauvoo, Illinois, was a stopping point for the followers of Joseph Smith as they fled persecution, before finally settling on Salt Lake City.
It turns out that the following people are related to the Langfords as descendants of Phebe Langford Morton and Abraham Morton:
Their daughter Phebe Morton, married James Angell and had at least eight children.
Phebe Morton Angell and two of her daughters, Mary Ann and Jemima, all became plural wives of Brigham Young. Mary Ann was his second wife, after his first wife died. It was Mary Ann who first approved of Brigham Young's addition of other wives and who was the mother of Brigham Young, Jr.. He had a total of 55 marriages, many of which were not conjugal. He married Phebe and Jemima on the same day in 1846 when Phebe was 59 and Jemima was 42.
Truman Osborn Angell was a son of Phebe Morton Angell, brother to Mary Ann and Jemima and brother-in-law to Brigham Young. He learned architecture while building temples in Nauvoo Illinois, Kirtland, Ohio, Logan, Utah and Manti, Utah. He refined these skills when sent by Brigham Young to study in Europe. He was instrumental within the Mormon Church as the Chief Architect. He was the moving force behind the building of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. His son Truman Osborn Angell, Jr., continued in his father's footsteps. He is credited with resolving the problem of the acoustics of that building.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
More from Savanna
Yesterday, April 8, 2013, I visited the public libraries in both Sabula, Iowa, and Savanna, Illinois. I also stopped at the store of Frank Fritz, from the TV show American Pickers. I also found the Mississippi Palisades State Park, the Pioneer Monument in Savanna, the location of the Indian wigwam used by the Pierce family the first night they arrived and the location of the first Pierce house which later was replaced by the Rhodes "Steamboat House."
The Sabula Public Library is very small which fits the town and is only open four hours a day. Yesterday the hours were from 9:00am to 1:00pm. I spent over two hours there and quickly learned that, although Jane Rennets Langford, Oscar's sister, can be found there in the 1860 federal census, there was no other information about her. Since Savanna is right across the river, the Sabula library has a small collection of books about its Illinois neighbor. It was here that I first saw pictures of Fidelia Langford's mother in law and father in law, Aaron Pierce and Harriet Bellows Pierce. I also learned the location of their home in Savanna, and that their daughter Mary Jane is considered the first white child born in western Illinois, and that Mary Jane married riverboat pilot Captain John Brown Rhodes. Further, that Mary Jane and Captain Rhodes built a "Steamboat House" just after the Civil War on the site of the original Pierce home, which still stands today, sort of.
Next stop was the Mississippi Palisades State Park. This was a Civilian Conservation Corps project of the New Deal era and it provides a really nice vantage point for some of the widest parts of the Mississippi River.
My next stop was the Pioneer Monument pictured here:
I also obtained a drawing of what this house looked like originally. Like many steamboat pilots' houses this one sat right on the river and had a cupola on the roof where family could watch for the approach of the boat. It also contained a two story extension on the right side that has since been removed.
I also went around the river side of the house to give you their views of the river.
Then I went to the Savanna Public Library where I was able to buy a copy of "The Story of Savanna Early Settlement 1828-1850" by Alice M. Bowen. Alice Bowen was also a descendant of the Pierce family and she clarifies some facts that have been confused in other accounts. She wrote this in 1928 as part of the 100th anniversary of Savanna. She provides charming details about the early settlers. One detail that I found exquisite was that a log was hollowed out and used as a cradle for the first Carroll County settler baby, Mary Jane Pierce.
Also at this library I was able to see some artifacts of Harriet Bellows Pierce, pictured here:
The top picture is a bonnet worn by Harriet and the bottom is a embroidery that she wore, perhaps as a shawl.
And lastly I stopped briefly at the antique mall belonging to American Pickers co-star Frank Fritz. Frank was not in but I was able to see a lot of old stuff and a lot seemed familiar from the TV show.
The Sabula Public Library is very small which fits the town and is only open four hours a day. Yesterday the hours were from 9:00am to 1:00pm. I spent over two hours there and quickly learned that, although Jane Rennets Langford, Oscar's sister, can be found there in the 1860 federal census, there was no other information about her. Since Savanna is right across the river, the Sabula library has a small collection of books about its Illinois neighbor. It was here that I first saw pictures of Fidelia Langford's mother in law and father in law, Aaron Pierce and Harriet Bellows Pierce. I also learned the location of their home in Savanna, and that their daughter Mary Jane is considered the first white child born in western Illinois, and that Mary Jane married riverboat pilot Captain John Brown Rhodes. Further, that Mary Jane and Captain Rhodes built a "Steamboat House" just after the Civil War on the site of the original Pierce home, which still stands today, sort of.
Next stop was the Mississippi Palisades State Park. This was a Civilian Conservation Corps project of the New Deal era and it provides a really nice vantage point for some of the widest parts of the Mississippi River.
My next stop was the Pioneer Monument pictured here:
The inscription reads :
"On this ground stood the Indian wigwam occupied by Aaron Pierce and his wife Harriet Bellows Pierce and their four children, November 4, 1828. The first white settlers of Savanna."
If you click on the picture and use the zoom tool you can be read it for yourself. One of their children was Lorenzo Dow Pierce, later Fidelia's husband.
Directly across the street sits the "Steamboat House", pictured below, built by Captain Rhodes on the site of the original Pierce house :
I also went around the river side of the house to give you their views of the river.
Also at this library I was able to see some artifacts of Harriet Bellows Pierce, pictured here:
And lastly I stopped briefly at the antique mall belonging to American Pickers co-star Frank Fritz. Frank was not in but I was able to see a lot of old stuff and a lot seemed familiar from the TV show.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Savanna, Illinois Pioneers
Lorenzo Dow Pierce was the son of Aaron Pierce and Harriett Bellows Pierce. Aaron Pierce is considered the founder of Savanna Illinois because he was the first white settler in western Illinois.
Below is from the City of Savanna:
Settled in 1828, and receiving its city charter from the State of Illinois in 1875, Savanna began as a river town. Savanna was originally a stopping point for steamboats during regular runs between Galena, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. The evolving transportation lines also added to Savanna's success as a growing city. Settled by true pioneers, this land offered its citizens an opportunity to begin a new life, acquire land, and a chance to accumulate wealth from the river's steamboat and barge traffic. The story of these pioneers is the same story of the thousand lured to the far west with rumors of opportunity and fortune. It was for this reason that a young pioneer from Boston, Aaron Pierce, and his wife began their long journey west. For years these unsettled pioneers searched to find a haven of peace and plenty. They enlisted the services of Vance Davidson, a kind of soldier of fortune, who told them of a beautiful valley on the bank of the Mississippi. He had discovered this area on a recent journey from Rock Island to Galena. The Pierce family, led by Mr. Davidson, traveled an old Indian trail through the deep woods in an ox-drawn covered wagon. Upon arrival they found themselves atop a lofty pinnacle of land overlooking the Mississippi (this is currently the site of the former city hospital). Below was a valley lush with burnished-gold savannas and natural beauty that would later become Savanna's downtown. Aaron housed his family in an Indian hut for temporary shelter near what is now 1018 Main Street (near the Savanna Sabula Bridge). This area had river front access, plenty of trees and was full of wildlife. Aaron took advantage of the area's natural resources and began to sell cord wood to steamboats as fuel - - a cash industry for the early settlers.
Also from the Find A Grave website we learn that Harriet Bellows Pierce was trained at a music academy in Boston and taught music lessons on the prairie.
Aaron and Harriet Pierce are buried in Savanna.The beautiful view that is described above is available from the Palisades State Park located on the bluffs of the river.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
William Rainey Marshall
The Langford family continues to provide amazing bits of American history. Today, as I worked to develop the family tree further, I came across William Rainey Marshall. He married into the Langford family with his 1854 marriage to Abigail Elliot Langford. Abigail was named after her grandmother, Abigail Elliot, and was the daughter of George Langford II and Chloe Sweeting. She would have been a niece to Charles Langford and a first cousin to Oscar Langford. Her brother was Nathanial Pitt Langford.
William Rainey Marshall was the fifth Governor of the State of Minnesota serving two terms from 1866 to 1870. He was born near Columbia Missouri, and worked his way north being caught up in the "lead rush" that brought a lot of miners to Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was at various times a lawyer, miner, surveyor, dairy farmer, banker, newspaper publisher, bank commissioner and stock raiser. He also served in the Wisconsin State Assembly before coming to Minnesota.
William volunteered to fight in the Civil War and the Dakota War and was quickly promoted to officer duties in both. He served in the Minnesota territorial legislature prior to statehood.
As Governor he repeatedly supported a black suffrage amendment which was ultimately passed. The state of Minnesota had a population surge during his time as Governor doubling to over 350,000 people. The railroad mileage quadrupled.
His politics were Republican and he organized the first convention of the Republican Party in Minnesota. His religion was Swedenborgian.
Abby Langford Marshall was the fifth First Lady of Minnesota. Marshall County Minnesota was named in his honor. He and Abby had one son, George Langford Marshall, who only lived to be 29 years old. Like many Langfords, William moved to the Pasadena, California area where he died in 1894. More information about him can be found on Wikipedia.com.
William Rainey Marshall was the fifth Governor of the State of Minnesota serving two terms from 1866 to 1870. He was born near Columbia Missouri, and worked his way north being caught up in the "lead rush" that brought a lot of miners to Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was at various times a lawyer, miner, surveyor, dairy farmer, banker, newspaper publisher, bank commissioner and stock raiser. He also served in the Wisconsin State Assembly before coming to Minnesota.
William volunteered to fight in the Civil War and the Dakota War and was quickly promoted to officer duties in both. He served in the Minnesota territorial legislature prior to statehood.
As Governor he repeatedly supported a black suffrage amendment which was ultimately passed. The state of Minnesota had a population surge during his time as Governor doubling to over 350,000 people. The railroad mileage quadrupled.
His politics were Republican and he organized the first convention of the Republican Party in Minnesota. His religion was Swedenborgian.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Judge William G. Langford and the Nez Perce Indians
I had already posted information about Judge Langford and his brief participation in the Indian wars. He interrupted his legal training to fight as a young man. I think we tend to forget the level of hostility that existed at times. I did some more research and found two more times when his professional career involved American Indians.
In April of 1879, while he was practicing law in San Francisco, he wrote the following letter from the Presidio to Brigadier General O. O. Howard, who was located at Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory. Since Vancouver was a place of his previous residence, it may be that he knew the General.
"William G. Langford writes in the interest of Timothy and his band of Indians who are settled on the Alpewa (sic) and requests in their behalf that they be protected in the treaty rights to land upon which they are settled."
The General forwarded this message with his message:
"Respectfully forward to the Adjutant General of the Army, Headquarters Military Division of the Pacific with request that this paper be referred to the Indian Bureau.
I am personally cognizant of the facts within stated and believe that prompt measures should be taken for the protection of these Indians, for any new injustice makes weight for a future war."
Apparently Timothy and his band had cooperated with the Army in some way that deserved consideration.
Judge Langford's biggest case involved the Nez Perce Indians in Idaho. It went all the way to the United States Supreme Court and ended in an Act of Congress, which did not occur until after his death in 1893.
On June 9, 1863 the United States entered a treaty with the Nez Perce Indians determining the land "reserved" for the use of the Indians within the state of Idaho. It was very specific however no surveyors were enlisted and, later, when lands went unsettled, claims were made by Langford and others that the Indians had abandoned various tracts and he attached a claim. His claim was made in the 1870s.This became a huge case for everyone involved as it was all new law.
After a series of legal skirmishes, the Indians agreed to give up the land to the government of the United States for settlement. Langford's heirs were paid $20,000 for their interest. The US also agreed to purchase two sawmills for use by the Nez Perce at a cost of $10,000 each. Surveyors were hired to determine specific boundaries of all the land in question. The Nez Perce Indians were given one million dollars to be placed to the credit of "the Nez Perce Indians of Idaho" in the Treasury of the United States, and were paid interest at five percent per annum. The total cost of this transaction was $1,668,622. And perhaps more important than anything achieved by money was the definition to the Indian land rights which no doubt was a model for future interactions with other tribes.
In April of 1879, while he was practicing law in San Francisco, he wrote the following letter from the Presidio to Brigadier General O. O. Howard, who was located at Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory. Since Vancouver was a place of his previous residence, it may be that he knew the General.
"William G. Langford writes in the interest of Timothy and his band of Indians who are settled on the Alpewa (sic) and requests in their behalf that they be protected in the treaty rights to land upon which they are settled."
The General forwarded this message with his message:
"Respectfully forward to the Adjutant General of the Army, Headquarters Military Division of the Pacific with request that this paper be referred to the Indian Bureau.
I am personally cognizant of the facts within stated and believe that prompt measures should be taken for the protection of these Indians, for any new injustice makes weight for a future war."
Apparently Timothy and his band had cooperated with the Army in some way that deserved consideration.
Judge Langford's biggest case involved the Nez Perce Indians in Idaho. It went all the way to the United States Supreme Court and ended in an Act of Congress, which did not occur until after his death in 1893.
On June 9, 1863 the United States entered a treaty with the Nez Perce Indians determining the land "reserved" for the use of the Indians within the state of Idaho. It was very specific however no surveyors were enlisted and, later, when lands went unsettled, claims were made by Langford and others that the Indians had abandoned various tracts and he attached a claim. His claim was made in the 1870s.This became a huge case for everyone involved as it was all new law.
After a series of legal skirmishes, the Indians agreed to give up the land to the government of the United States for settlement. Langford's heirs were paid $20,000 for their interest. The US also agreed to purchase two sawmills for use by the Nez Perce at a cost of $10,000 each. Surveyors were hired to determine specific boundaries of all the land in question. The Nez Perce Indians were given one million dollars to be placed to the credit of "the Nez Perce Indians of Idaho" in the Treasury of the United States, and were paid interest at five percent per annum. The total cost of this transaction was $1,668,622. And perhaps more important than anything achieved by money was the definition to the Indian land rights which no doubt was a model for future interactions with other tribes.
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