William Henry Langdon was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 banker, lawyer and judge from California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

.

Biography

Langdon was born in Alameda County to William and Annie Langdon. Langdon attended local public schools, and graduated from the California State Normal School

California State Normal School

The California State Normal School was a teaching college founded on May 2, 1862, whose original campus later became both the California State University and its San Jose State University campus....

 to become a teacher, while also entering the state bar to become a lawyer in 1896. Langdon served as vice principal and principal at schools in San Leandro, Fresno, and San Francisco, eventually becoming the city's school superintendent

Superintendent (education)

In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....

 in 1902. In 1905, city voters elected Langdon as district attorney

District attorney

In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...

 of San Francisco.

A popular district attorney, Langdon was nominated by the Independence League as its choice for governor

Governor of California

The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...

 in the 1906 elections

California gubernatorial election, 1906

-General Election Results:-References:*...

. Langdon's presence as a strong third party

Third party (politics)

In a two-party system of politics, the term third party is sometimes applied to a party other than the two dominant ones. While technically the term is limited to the third largest party or third oldest party, it is common, though innumerate, shorthand for any smaller party.For instance, in the...

 candidacy won over 14 percent of the vote, proving to be a spoiler vote

Spoiler effect

The spoiler effect describes the effect a minor party candidate with little chance of winning has in a close election, when that candidate's presence in the election draws votes from a major candidate similar to them, thereby causing a candidate dissimilar to them to win the election...

 in a tight race between Democrat Theodore A. Bell

Theodore A. Bell

Theodore Arlington Bell was a Democratic politician from California.-Biography:Born in Vallejo, California, he began his political career as District Attorney of Napa County, California between 1895-1903. He served on the 58th congress from 1903 to 1905 representing the 2nd district. In the 1904...

 and Republican James Gillett

James Gillett

James Norris Gillett was an American lawyer and politician. A Republican involved in federal and state politics, Gillett was elected both a member of the U.S...

.

In 1907, one year after the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake

1906 San Francisco earthquake

The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...

, Langdon carried out the successful prosecutions both of Mayor Eugene Schmitz

Eugene Schmitz

Eugene Edward Schmitz was an American politician and the 26th mayor of San Francisco, who became notorious for his conviction by a jury on charges of corruption.-Life and career:...

 and political machine operator Abe Ruef

Abe Ruef

Abraham Rueff , known as Abe Ruef, was an American lawyer and politician...

 for bribery and extortion. After one term as district attorney, Langdon entered the world of banking, serving in a number of positions with several banks around Modesto. In 1915, Langdon reentered law, becoming a judge in the California Court of Appeals. In 1927, he was appointed as a judge to the Supreme Court of California

Supreme Court of California

The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...

, where he served the next nineteen years of his life until his death in 1939.