John Langdon, an American statesman, born in Portsmouth, N. II., in 1739, died there, Sept. 18, 1819. He received a common school education, and entered a counting house. In 1774 he participated in the removal of the armament and military stores from Fort William and Mary in Portsmouth harbor. In 1775 he was a delegate to the continental congress, but resigned in June, 1776, on becoming navy agent. In 1777, while speaker of the New Hampshire assembly, he pledged a large portion of his property for the purpose of equipping the brigade with which Stark defeated the Hessians at Bennington. He served in command of a volunteer company at Bennington and Saratoga, and in Rhode Island. Subsequently he was a member and speaker of the state legislature, a member of the continental congress, a delegate to the convention which framed the constitution of the United States, and president of New Hampshire. In 1788 he was chosen governor of New Hampshire, and in 1789 was elected United States senator, which office he held till 1801. In politics he was a republican, and acted with Jefferson, who upon assuming office in 1801 offered him the post of secretary of the navy, which he declined.

From 1805 to 1812, with the exception of two years, he was governor of New Hampshire; and in 1812 the republican congressional caucus offered him the nomination for the office of vice president of the United States, which, on the score of age and infirmities, he declined. The remainder of his life was passed in retirement.