HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
five years old his family removed to Charles
City county. When he was fifteen, his
father died, and the care of his mother and
her younger children devolved upon him.
He had been well taught by his father, and
he now gave his nights to studying civil
engineering. He was thus occupied when
the civil war broke out. He enlisted in
Company D, Third Regiment Virginia Cav-
alry, and as captain commanded it for three
years, receiving one severe wound, and two
of minor importance. After the war, he en-
gaged in business, and at various times was
elected sheriff, treasurer, and surveyor of
Henrico county. He was elected as a Demo-
crat to the fifty-fifth congress, in 1897, and
has been re-elected to each succeeding con-
gress until the year 191 1. He married,
Kovember 20, 1869, Mattie R. Wade, of
Charles City county. His address is Rich-
mond, Virginia.
Langston, John Mercer, born in Louisa ccunty, Virginia (born a slave but emanci- pated when six years old), of mixed descent, December 14, 1829; attended common schools in Ohio ; was graduated from Ober- lin College in 1849, and from the theologi- cal department in 1852; studied law in Elyria, Ohio, was admitted to the bar in 1855, and practiced in Ohio 1855-1867; ap- pointed inspector general of the bureau of fieedmen, refugees and abandoned lands in 1868; moved to Washington, D. C, and practiced law ; dean of the law department of Howard University ; appointed and com- missioned by President Grant a member of the board of health of the District of Co- lumbia in 1871 ; appointed by President Hayes minister resident and consul general to Haiti, and charge d'afifaires to Santo Do-
mingo; elected vice-president and acting
president of Howard University in 1872;
elected president of the Virginia Iviormal
and Collegiate Institute in 1885 ; took active
part in recruiting colored troops during the
civil war ; especially the fifty-fourth and
fifty-fifth Massachusetts and Fifth Ohio
(colored) regiments; filled several township
offices in Ohio ; twice elected a member of
the council of Oberlin, and member of the
board of education for twelve years ; pre-
sented credentials as a member-elect from
Virginia to the fifty-first congress, and was
seated after contesting the election of Ed-
ward C. Venable, September 23, 1890;
served until March 3, 1891 ; declined to make
a contest in the fifty-second congress, for
which he was the Republican candidate, and
declined a renomination to the fifty-third
congress; died in Washington, D. C., No-
vember 15, 1897. He wrote, a book entitled
"From the Plantation to the National Capi-
tol," which is reviewed in William and Mary
Quarterly Historical Magazine III. p. 282.
From this it appears that Langston was-
probably descended from Gideon Langston,.
an Indian who attended the Indian School
at the college in 1754.
Lassiter, Francis Rives, born in Peters- burg, Virginia, February 18, 1866; son of Dr. Daniel W. Lassiter, of Huguenot de- scent, and Anna Rives Heath, his wife. He graduated from several academic schools, and attended the University of Virginia,. 1883-84, graduating from various of its schools, including the law, receiving the B. L. degree ; was admitted to the bar in Suf- folk county, Massachusetts, in 1887, and to the Virginia bar in 1888. He engaged in practice in Petersburg, Virginia ; member of
