Langford, Nathaniel Pitt, 1832-1911

Variant names

Hide Profile

Nathanial Pitt Langford was born in Westmoreland, New York, in 1832; he came to St. Paul in 1854. He was cashier in the banking house of Marshall and Company in 1855, and in 1858 he became cashier of the Bank of the State of Minnesota. On June 16, 1862, Langford left St. Paul with the Northern Overland Expedition led by Captain James L. Fisk to establish a wagon road into Montana Territory. Langford settled in Bannack, Montana Territory, where he established freightage, milling, and other enterprises in partnership with other businessmen. From 1864 to 1868 he was collector of internal revenue in Montana Territory, and was instrumental in the vigilance movement to combat lawlessness in the territory.

In 1870 Langford was one of the organizers of the Washburn-Langford-Doane expedition that explored the region that would become Yellowstone National Park. From 1872 to 1877 he served as the park’s first superintendent. He also served as national bank examiner for the Pacific states and territories, 1872-1884. He returned to Minnesota and began a career as an historian of the West, authoring numerous works, including Vigilante Days and Ways (1890) and Diary of the Washburn Expedition to the Yellowstone and Firehole Rivers in the Year 1870 (1905). He served as president and member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Historical Society. He died in Ramsey County, Minnesota, October 18, 1911.

From the guide to the Nathaniel Pitt Langford and family papers., 1707-1942., (Minnesota Historical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Langford, Nathaniel Pitt, 1832-1911. Letter : to Granville Stuart / by Nathaniel Pitt Langford, 1867 Oct 1. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Victor K. Chesnut Papers, 1903-1922 MSU-Bozeman Library, Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
referencedIn Owen, W. O. (William Octavius), 1859-1947. William O. Owen papers, 1890-1930. Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
referencedIn Northern Pacific Railroad Company records, 1866-1873. Montana Historical Society Library
creatorOf Chesnut, V. K. (Victor King), 1867-1938. Victor K. Chesnut papers, 1903-1922. Montana State University (Bozeman, Mont.). Library
creatorOf Langford, Nathaniel Pitt, 1832-1911. Nathaniel Pitt Langford and family papers, 1707-1942. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Hauser, Henry Dixon, 1838-1925. Henry D. Hauser diary, 1865-1869. Montana Historical Society Library
referencedIn Bullard, Polly Caroline, 1881-1949. Remembrance of things past: the reminiscences and diary of Polly Caroline Bullard, [undated] and 1897-1911. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Taylor, James W. (James Wickes), 1819-1893. Extracts from Minnesota newspapers regarding gold mining and overland expeditions, 1862-1864. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Martin Maginnis Incoming Correspondence Transcriptions, 1964 MSU-Bozeman Library, Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
creatorOf Haines, Aubrey L. Letter, 1956. University of Idaho Library
creatorOf Bond, Frank, 1856-1940. Correspondence and report relating to maps of Louisiana and the Louisiana Purchase, undated and 1903-1904. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Coutant, Charles Griffin, b. 1840. Letters, 1897-1898. Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
creatorOf Fisk, James Liberty, 1835-1902. James Liberty Fisk and family papers, 1856-1968. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Marshall, William Rainey, 1825-1896. William R. Marshall papers, 1853-1894. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn W. O. Owen papers, 1890-1942 Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
creatorOf Nathaniel Pitt Langford and family papers., 1707-1942. Minnesota Historical Society
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bullard, Polly Caroline, 1881-1949. person
associatedWith Chesnut, V. K. (Victor King), 1867-1938. person
associatedWith Coutant, Charles Griffin, b. 1840. person
associatedWith Fisk, James Liberty, 1835-1902. person
associatedWith Haines, Aubrey L. person
associatedWith Hauser, Henry Dixon, 1838-1925. person
associatedWith Langford family. family
associatedWith Langford family. family
associatedWith Langford, Geogre 1876-1964 corporateBody
associatedWith Langford, George, 1876-1964 person
correspondedWith Maginnis, Martin, -1841-1919 person
associatedWith Marshall, William Rainey, 1825-1896. person
associatedWith Mathews, Alfred Edward, 1831-1874. person
associatedWith Owen, W. O. (William Octavius), 1859-1947. person
associatedWith Stuart, Granville, 1834-1918. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Montana
Montana
Minnesota
Subject
Banks and banking
Banks and banking
Banks and banking
Frontier and pioneer life
Frontier and pioneer life
Frontier and pioneer life
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1832

Death 1911

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6gq7kwr

Ark ID: w6gq7kwr

SNAC ID: 47747594