Langdon Cheves (pronounced chivis) (September 17, 1776 – June 26, 1857) was an American politician and a president of the Second Bank of the United States.
Cheves was born at Rocky River, South Carolina and died in Columbia, South Carolina. His father, Alexander, was a native of Scotland; his mother, Mary Langdon, was from Virginia. At the age of ten he went to Charleston to earn a living, and at sixteen had become confidential clerk in a large m...
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Langdon Cheves (pronounced chivis) (September 17, 1776 – June 26, 1857) was an American politician and a president of the Second Bank of the United States.
Cheves was born at Rocky River, South Carolina and died in Columbia, South Carolina. His father, Alexander, was a native of Scotland; his mother, Mary Langdon, was from Virginia. At the age of ten he went to Charleston to earn a living, and at sixteen had become confidential clerk in a large mercantile house.
In spite of the advice of his friends, who thought him "born to be a merchant," he began studying law at age 18. In 1797 he was admitted to the bar, and soon became eminent in his profession. Before 1808 his yearly income from his practice exceeded $20,000, making him wealthy for his time.
In 1806 he married Miss Mary Elizabeth Dulles, of Charleston. In 1810 he was elected to congress, along with William Lowndes and John C. Calhoun, and soon distinguished himself. His speech on the merchants' bonds in 1811 was especially...
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