John Landon, a merchant, Richwood, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, November 26, 1838. His grandfather, Cyre Landon, was a Pennsylvanian, who, with his family, came to Ohio in 1821, and located in Marion County.  James Landon, the father of our subject, married Rebecca Cochran, and was a life-long farmer in Marion and Delaware Counties.  Our subject was brought up in Delaware County, receiving the advantage of a district school education, and in school, as on the farm, he was characterized by his industrious habits.  He followed farming until 1863, when, finding a farmer's life not congenial to his taste, he engaged as a clerk in a hardware store in Marion for one year, since which time he has been engaged in mercantile pursuits.  When he concluded to go into business, he entered the store of Mr. Kling at Marion, to learn the methods of mercantile business and proved himself to be an apt scholar.  In 1864, he began business in Richwood, with a capital of $300, and from that small start he has risen, step by step, through his industry and perseverance, until now he occupies a place in the front rank of the substantial business men of the county.  He employs a large number of assistants, who are under perfect discipline, and has the duties of the store systematized to a degree seldom seen except in the largest metropolitan establishments.  In fact, the arrangement and display of his stock cannot be bettered.  He is a thorough advertiser, and for years did his own advertising, preparing his circulars at night and having them scattered broadcast in the morning, offering inducements that would flock his store with customers.  By offering special inducements to farmers for their produce, he succeeded in abolishing the huckster trade in a circuit of several miles around the town, much to the satisfaction of the people and other merchants.  He was the first merchant to ship goods to the town by rail.  In 1867, he married Abbie Gast, daughter of Christian Gast, the founder of the village of Prospect, Marion Co., Ohio.  By this marriage, one child was born, viz., Eddie B.  The family are all members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Langdon has been an Elder and Sabbath School Superintendent.  He is a Republican in politics.