Biography of William a Lang
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Biography of William A Lang Version 2.0 Charles O Brantigan MD 2253 Downing St Denver, Colorado 80205 Note that this is an evolving research document Copyright 2007 Lang Biography Version 2.0 Page 1 Lang Biography Version 2.0 Page 2 William A Lang William Lang is recognized as one of Denver's best residential architects of all times. During a brief career in Denver, lasting less than a decade, he built hundreds of buildings, many of which are still standing. Most of them are recognized by the general public today as distinguished. He won an award for energy efficiency of his designs 83 years after his death2. His physical appearance was striking, as shown by his only known photograph published during the height of his career 3. He was 5'8" tall, weighing 155 pounds4 with red hair, red whiskers and blue eyes which had a penetrating quality. His dental work was gold, and his gold capped incisor must have been striking. He dressed well and wore monogrammed shirts5. With a well established reputation, he was recognized by the community and was a good friend of Mayor McMurtry6. Unusual for architects of the time, he was listed in Mrs. Crawford Hill's Social Register of 18927. His rise to fame was meteoric as was the slide to personal disaster that ended his life. William A. Lang was born in Chillicothe, Union Township, Ross County, Ohio on September 23, 18468. His parents, Abraham (born on 14 April 1822 in Boston, Erie County, New York, died on 21 Nov 83 age 61 y 7 mo 7d)9 and Elizabeth (Elizabeth S Elmore, born 15 December 1825 according to family Bible, died 13 December 1895), were married on 12 November 1844 in Columbus, Ohio by John Miley, minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church10,11. Abraham and Elizabeth had many children and tended to move from place to place, settling in rural western Illinois before the Civil War, and probably before 185812. The Lang family lived in rural Illinois from about 1858 to 1876. In 1860 the Langs lived in Brookville, and, according the census, they owned property worth $230013. In the 1860s they moved into the next county, living in Oregon, Illinois. Their children included William, born in 1846, Sarah, born in 1848, Elizabeth, born in 1850, David Elmore, born on July 15, 1851 in 1. Copied from application for pension. 2. RMN 10 May 1980 p8h. 3. WABN I (12) no page number (1890) This cameo picture appeared along with that of his partner, Marshall Pugh. 4. Height and weight figures also reported on physical examination by Dr. Luse, March 1897. 5. La Salle County Coroners Logbook, August 1897. 6. Lang Obit RMN 1897. 7. Hill, Agnes Leonard, The Colorado blue book 1892, p 176 "Lang, Mr. Mrs. W 1638 Washington av." 8. His obituary in the Denver Post lists his birth date as 1846. The 1850 census lists him as 4 years old. He registered his Civil War discharge papers with the county Clerk of Ogle County, Illinois on March 23, 1872, and this is the source of the precise date of birth and town of birth. 9. Abraham Lang obituary, Boone County News 29 November 1883. 10. FHL Film No 285,143 Franklin Co, Ohio Marriages Vol 4 1835-46 p175, record 53, Columbus City Directory 1845/46. 11. Copy of marriage license from Abraham Lang pension files. 12. Not listed in the Census for Ogle County in 1860 but listed there in 1870. However there is a court case in Ogle County filed March 1858 listing Abraham V Lang as the defendant. Also according to the 1860 census Mary was born in 1854 in Ohio and John was born in 1859 in Illinois, so they came to Illinois before 1859 and after 1854. 13. Lee county records are in disarray, but have been searched. See Hinckley report of 27 May 1995. Nothing found. Lang Biography Version 2.0 Page 1 Columbus, Ohio14, Elmer, born in 1855 in Ohio, Mary, 185415 or 185716 in Ohio, John, 186317 or 185918, in Illinois, Frank, 1863 in Illinois, Fred, 25 December 1867, and Albert Leon, born 1 October 1869 in Illinois19. Abraham saw service twice during the Civil War. On 11 September 1861 he enlisted in Company I of the First Regiment of Illinois Light Artillery (Rogers Company) from Daysville, Ogle County, Illinois20 as a shoemaker. The company was mustered into Federal Service on 10 February 1862, and fought at Shiloh Church two months later21. His discharge occupation was "artificer," or someone who prepares the ammunition. His service was short, as he was hospitalized for an accidental self inflicted gunshot wound to the left foot on 26 May 1862 during the Federal siege of Corinth, Mississippi. This accident occurred just three days before General Beauregard evacuated his 50 000 troops from the city before a hostile shot was fired22. He was discharged on 25 August 1862 with chronic osteomyelitis. He enlisted again on 30 January 1864 from Dixon, Illinois, this time in Company G of the Second Illinois Light Artillery ("Lowell's Regiment") as a harnessmaker. Service was again brief, and he was reported absent sick on 2 July 1864. He spent much of July, September and October of that year in the hospital in Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis had been occupied by the Union Army Under Gen Halleck in June 186223) and was discharged from the US General Hospital in Quincy, Illinois on 24 February 1865. He returned to Oregon, Illinois. The medical officer's report noted that he suffered from a gunshot wound to the left foot with fractured metatarsals, loss of teeth, hemorrhoids and debility from age [note age was 57]24 This information is in conflict with the Illinois Adjutant General's report which says Abraham enlisted on 13 Jan 1864, was mustered on 22 Feb 1864 and was discharged on 24 Feb 1865 with disability25. He first applied for a pension in 1865. At that time he reported that he was living in Scott, Ogle County, Illinois and that his post office was in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois. He was noted to be 5'8" or 5'10" tall, fair complected with light hair and blue eyes. William Lang, at the age of 18, enlisted one month after his father as a recruit in Battery G of the Second Regiment of the Illinois Light Infantry26 on February 14. DE Lang obit. 15. 1860 Federal Census. 16. Find ref. 17. Find ref. 18. 1860 Federal Census. 19. Leon was listed in the 1870 census and was never seen again. The Lang family Bible (copies provided by David Lang of Chicago in 1993) lists Albert Leon born 1 October 1869, so Leon must be the same as Albert Leon. Albert Leon Lang was living in Seattle when brother David Elmore Lang died in 1927 according to DE Lang obituary. 20. Daysville is just south of Oregon, Illinois. 21. On March 1, 1862, the company was ordered to Benton Barracks, Missouri, and, from there to Pittsburgh Landing, Tennessee. There it was assigned to the Army of Tennessee. It served in that army until July, 1862. The unit was engaged in the battle of Shiloh between April 6-7, 1862 and then participated in the Siege of Corinth where Abraham was injured. Detailed information from John F Walter, Institute for Civil War Research. 22. Williams, TH, The history of American wars, AA Knopf, NY 1981 p 271. 23. Williams, TH, The history of American wars, AA Knopf, NY 1981. 24. The story of his military service is abstracted from his military record. 25. Illinois Adjutant General's Report 1867. 26. Company G, Second Illinois Light Infantry did not leave a regimental history, but Barnickel recreated one in 1998. Lang Biography Version 2.0 Page 2 22, 1864, at Oregon, Ill, serving as a saddler 27. Lowell's Regiment was quite active during William Lang's service, participating in many engagements, but sustaining only 2 battlefield related deaths and 25 deaths from disease and other non-battlefield related causes. Following the close of hostilities the company served garrison duty at a number of locations in Alabama. The company was returned to Montgomery Alabama on September 1, 1865 and was mustered out of Federal service there on September 4, 1865 and disbanded28. William Lang was mustered out as a private.29 William Lang probably returned to Ogle County with his family at the close of the War. His father billed Ezra Light for his services in January 1866. He was certainly in Ogle County in February 1871, even though we have been unable to find him in the 1870 census, as a summons was successfully served on him on 17 February 1871 in a case involving his father30. He filed his discharge papers with the county clerk there on March 23 187231. He and his father bought land from John and Harriet Westover on 24 February 1873 in Oregon. He was sued on 13 November 1874 for failure to pay a debt. The summons was served on 7 • Lang, Abram V pirvate aged 44 5’8” tall with light hair, blue eyes. He was a saddler born in New York. Enlisted 30 Jan 1864 in Dixon Illinois for 1 year by Capt Eustace. He was mustered by Capt Eustace in Dixon, Illinois on 22 February 1864. He was living in Oregon, Ogle County Illinois. Discharged for disability 24 Feb 1865. • Lang, William A Enlisted for 3 years as a private on 22 February 1864 in Dixon, Illinois. He was enlisted and mustered by Capt Eustace.