The Mayor's Blue Ribbon Cemetery Committee of Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Governor John Langdon

John Langdon Born 1739, Died Sept. 18, 1819.
Elizabeth Sherburne, his wife
Born 1751, Died Mar. 2, 1813.
Thomas Elwyn Esq., Born 1775, Died Mar. 22, 1816.
Elizabeth Langdon, his wife
Born Dec. 4, 1777, Died Aug. 8, 1830.
Their Children
William Octavius, Born Oct. 22, 1811, Died 1828.
Thomas Octavius, Born Oct. 22, 1811, Died Aug. 1, 1831.
Catherine ??? Born May 4, 1798, Died May 14, 1822.
Charles Henry, Born 1807, Died Jan. 1848.
Mrs. Elizabeth Barrell
Died 1823 Aged 86.
Mrs. Catherine Whipple
Born 1753, Died 1823.

John Langdon rose from modest means as the son of a farmer in Portsmouth to become a merchant, shipbuilder, Revolutionary leader, signer of the United States Constitution, and governor of New Hampshire for three-terms. He was a delegate to the Continental congress in 1775-76, elected agent of the Continental navy in 1776, and a number of ships-of-war were built under his direction, including the Raleigh, the Ranger, the America, and the Portsmouth.

The Governor John Langdon House is now a National Historic Landmark and is located at 143 Pleasant St. The home is one of Historic New England's many properties and is open to the public seasonally. George Washington visited the home in 1789 on his trip through Portsmouth.

He was strongly opposed to British rule, and had a part in the raid on Fort William and Mary in December, 1774, which was the start of the American Revolution. With John Sullivan and others, he removed the powder and military stores from Fort William and Mary to Newcastle in 1774. Later some of these were used by the American soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

His first political office was that of delegate to Congress in 1775. He was elected President of the state first in 1785, and again in 1787, 1788 and 1789. He was elected Governor in 1805 and 1810

In 1801 he was offered the position of secretary of the navy by President Jefferson, but he declined, as he did the nomination for Vice-President of the United States in 1812.

*image used with permission from Gravematter.com

*image used with permission from Gravematter.com

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