San Joaquin County
Biographies
GEORGE WASHINGTON LANGRIDGE
GEORGE WASHINGTON LANGRIDGE a
boot and shoe merchant of Stockton, was born in Lancaster, Grant County,
Wisconsin, June 11, 1856, a son of Charles and Eliza (Martin) Langridge, both
natives of Brighton, Sussex, England. The father, born about 1833, came to
America in his twentieth year, and after a year or two went to Wisconsin, where
he became a carpenter and builder. He was married in Milwaukee and afterward
settled in Lancaster, where he is still living. The mother, born about 1831, a
daughter of Thomas and Frances (Ede) Martin, also emigrated to America with
some of her relatives, and settled in Wisconsin, where her mother died at the
age of eighty-five, the father dying younger, but well advanced in years, of some
injury. Grand-uncle William Ede, a capitalist of San Francisco, is still
living, at a good age, being over sixty three. Grandparents Thomas and Frances
(Terry) Langridge, came to America in 1854, and finally settled in Lancaster,
Wisconsin, where they died about the same age, eighty-five years. The
grandfather was also a carpenter by trade, and had worked eighteen years before
coming to America for one builder in Brighton, England. G. W. Langridge, the
subject of this sketch, received the usual district-school education at the age
of fourteen, and for three years longer in the winter only. In the spring of
1874, being then in his eighteenth year, he came to California and went to work
as a “cowboy” for his grand-uncle Walter Ede, who was engaged in stock-raising
in a large way in the Sierra valley, Plumas County. After some eighteen months
spent in that healthful occupation, Mr. Langridge went east and entered
Bailey’s Commercial College in Dubuque, Iowa, from which he graduated at the
age of twenty-one. Returning to this coast he came to Stockton and filled the
position of clerk in the Yosemite House one year. He then engaged as salesman
for Cading & Bagley, clothiers, with whom he remained four years, until he
went into business on his own account. On January 18, 1880, he purchased a half
interest in a boot and shoe business at his present stand, 201 Maine street,
which has been occupied in that line for many years, and was then carried on by
George E. Weller, under the style Weller & Langridge. The business was
conducted about four years when Mr. Weller sold his interest to John Garwood,
and the firm was changed to Langridge & Garwood. January 1, 1888, Mr.
Langridge bought out his partner’s interest, and the business has since been
carried on at the old stand, by George W. Langridge as sole proprietor.
Mr. Langridge was president of a young
men’s club of sixty-five members in 1880, and they all cast their first
ballots, in the presidential campaign, for Garfield and Arthur. He is
interested in politics, but not for revenue or personal aggrandizement. Mr.
Langridge is a member of Truth Lodge, No. 55, I. O. O. F.; of Morning Star
Lodge, No. 68; of Stockton Chapter, No. 28, and of Stockton Council, F. &
A. M. He has one brother on this coast, Frederick William Langridge, born in
1868, now engaged as superintendent of a vineyard in Davisville, California.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 540-541. Lewis Pub. Co.
Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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