NORTHERN NEW YORK
Genealogical and family history of northern New York: a record of the achievements of her people and the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation.
New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co. 1910.
LANSING
The Lansing family of Copenhagen, Lewis county, New York, descend from representatives of two distinct nationalities, English and Dutch, and date to almost the earliest settlements of America by emigrants from these two nations. Have these webpages helped you?
HOME
The paternal line Lansing dates to about the year 1650, in New Amsterdam; the maternal line, CORNWELL, to the Puritan settlement of Massachusetts Bay Colony prior to 1633. Representatives of both families have served in every was fought on American soil since these dates, and the doors of every patriotic order in the land, that bases membership upon colonial residence or military service, open wide for the admission of a Lansing or a Cornwell.
The Lansing descent is in direct male line, the present being the ninth generation [this pub in 1910]. The Cornwell descent was in direct male succession for six generations. In the seventh generation Almira Smith Cornwell married William J. Lansing of the eighth generation of Lansings. The maternal antedates the paternal line in America about twenty years.
The children and grandchildren of the above marriage bring the descent down to the present family in Copehnhage, N.Y. and the year 1910.
(I) William Cornwell, born in England, emigrated to America prior to the year 1633. How much earlier cannot be stated; the earliest record of him is on the records of the church in Roxbury, Mass., where he and his wife Joan joined the church in 1633. In 1638 he removed to Hartford, Conn., where his name stands third on a list of the early inhabitants, and in February, 1639, he is recorded as sergeant-at-arms of the general court. William Cornwell was one of the seventy-seven soldiers (forty-eight of whom were of Hartford and vicinity) who nearly exterminated the Pequot Indian tribe at Mystic, Conn. In 1650 he removed to Middletown, Conn., where he onwed a tract of land containing twelve hundred acres. In 1654 he was deputy to the general court from Middletown; in 1664 deputy and constable, and in 1665 again deputy. He died in Middletown, Feb. 21, 1678.
(II) John, son of William Cornwell, was a sergeant in the militia at Middletown.
(III) Benjamin, son of John Cornwell, was born in 1688, died in 1754. He was one of the fourteen volunteers who went with the colonial forces of the British army from Middletown for the invasion of Canada, during the war with France. He was an exceedinly wealthy man for his day, leaving an estate inventoried at nine thousand pounds.
(IV) Cornelius, son of Benjamin Cornwell, was born in 1722; was a lieutenant of militia and served in the French and Indian war; was at the siege of Quebec under General Wolfe.
(V) Ashbel, son of Lieut. Cornelius Cornwell, was born at Middletown, Conn., in 1754. He was a private in the revolutionary army; fought at Bunker Hill; served with Arnold in the expedition against Montreal; was captain in the war of 1812 and marched with his Middletown company to Sacketts Harbor, New York.
(VI) Ashbel (2), son of Captain Ashbel (1) Cornwell, was born in Middletown, Conn., in 1784, died July 24, 1868, at Broadalbin, New York.
(VII) Almira Smith, daughter of Ashbel (2) Cornwell, was born in Broadalbin, N.Y., Aug. 12, 1819, died Aug. 16, 1892, at Johnstown, New York. Jan. 20, 1842, she married (first) William J. Lansing; married (second) John D. Loud, of Copenhagen, N.Y.; married (third) James Newton, of Broadalbin, N.Y.
The name Lansing has had various spellings, the most common of which is here used. The founder of the Lansing family in America was Gerrit Frederick Lansing, son of Frederick Lansing of Hassel, province of Overyssel, Holland. Gerrit Frederick Lansing came to America with his three sons and three daughters, landing at New Amsterdam, about 1650, Peter Stuyvesant then being govenor under the authority of the Dutch government. He was later of Rensselsaerwyck (Albany), where the family acquire large holdings of land, a great deal of it yet in the family. [this was pub. in 1910]. From the first settlement to the present they have been a prominent and wealthy family, large landowners, patriotic soldiers, and gifted professional men, shrewd and capable in business. Fifteen years after New York passed from the Dutch to the English, prior to Oct. 3, 1679, he died in Albany. His children, all born in Holland were:
Gerrit.
Hendric G.
Johannes.
Altje.
Gysbertje.
Hiletje.
(II) Hendrick G., son of the founder, was born in Holland (at Hassel it is believed). He married and had:
Libitje.
Jacob H.
Hendrick (2).
Alida.
Maria.
(III) Jacob H., son of Hendrick G. Lansing, married, Sept. 27, 1710, Helena, daughter of Frans Janse and Alida Pruyn.
Children:
Alida.
Hendrick.
Elizabeth.
Franciscus.
Gerrit.
Jacob J.
Anntje.
Johannes.
Abraham.
Isaac.
(IV) Hendrick, son of Jacob H. and Helena (Pruyn) Lansing, was baptized Dec. 1, 1703; he married Feb. 23, 1735, Annetje, daughter of Isaac Onderdink and his wife Mayke Van Nes.
Children;
Lena.
Isaac.
Jacob.
Mayke.
He married (second) 1749, Anna, daughter of Abraham and Nettie Onderdonk.
Child:
Abraham.
(V) Jacob, son of Hendrick and Annetje (Onderdonk) Lansing, was baptized April 4, 1742. He married about 1763, Maria, baptized Oct. 19, 1744, daughter of Johannes and Helena (Fonda) Onderdirk.
Children:
Annatie.
Maria.
Elizabeth.
Elizabeth (2).
William.
(VI) William, son of Jacob and Maria (Onderdirk) Lansing, was born May 12, 1774, died Jan. 23, 1853. He married Alida Fonda, born March 28, 1775, died March 10, 1858; both are buried at Mayfield, New York.
Children:
Jacobv W.
Henietta.
Abram Fonda.
Isaac W.
Maria.
Douw Fonda.
Sarah Ann.
William.
(VII) Jacob W., eldest son of William and Alida (Fonda) Lansing, was born in Mayfield, New York, Sept. 7, 1795, died Nov. 5, 1848. He married Helena Wynkoop, born Jan. 13, 1794, died Dec. 23, 1843. They are both buried in Mayfield, N.Y.
Children:
John W.
Alida M.
William J.
Abraham J.
Isaac J.
Harriet A.
Sarah J.
Jacob N.
Douw J.
James W.
(VIII) William J., third child and second son of Jacob W. and Helena (Wynkoop) Lansing, was born in Johnstown, New York, Aug. 6, 1818, died in Chamtion, New York, wehre he is buried, Jan. 29, 1864. He was a successful manufacturer of carriages and wagons, a man of quiet dispotisiotn, and sterling integrity. His religiou faith was that of his forefathers and he was an exemplary member of the Dutch Reformed Church. He was a Whig politically, and when slavery became the rock upon which parties split, he joined the ranks of the Abolitionists, connected himself with the young but powerful Republican party, casting his vote for the first presidential candidate of that party, John C. Freeman, and depositing his last ballot for Abraham Lincoln.
He married, May 1, 1842, Almira Smith, daughter of Ashbel Cornwall (see Cornwall VI and VII).
Children:
1. Charles Henry, born in Johnstown, N.Y., May 20, 1843.
2. Jacob W., born in Johnstown, April 14, 1845, died in Milton, California, Dec. 1907.
3. William Lewis, born at Deer River, N.Y., May 29, 1847.
4. Gerrit Smith, born at Denmark, N.Y., Aug. 3, 1849.
5. James Albert, born in Montague, N.Y., Oct. 17, 1851.
6. Edward Cornwall, born in Montague, N.Y., Sept. 2, 1853, died June 26, 1863.
7. Francis Place, see forward.
8. Eugene Warn, born in Chamption, N.Y., Aug. 26, 1857.
9. Douglass Wright, born Feb. 7, 1860.
(IX) Francis Place, seventh son of William J. and Almira Smith (Cornwall) Lansing, was born in Copenhagen, Lewis county, New York, Aug. 2, 1855. When he was still an infant the family removed to Champion, Jefferson county, N.Y., where they remained until the death of the father, William J. Lansing, in 1864, when they returned to Copenhagen. Francis P. obtained his early education in the Copenhagen schools. His stepfather, John D. Loud, was a manufacturer of furniture and coffins in Copenhagen, and when the lad reached the age of fourteen he took him into his employ. He was given an opportunity to learn the business in all its detail, and on the death of Mr. Loud, March 17, 1877, Mr. Lansing succeeded him as sole proprietor, continuing as such at the present [1910] date. Under his able, skillful management, the business has prospered and expanded, new departments have been added, calling for increased space, until it has grown to be one of the largest of its kind in the county. Outside of his stated business, he has many interests. He was one of the promoters of the Carthage & Copenhagen Railroad, and has been secretary of the company since organization to the present time. This road connects with the great New York Central System and has proved an important factor in the development of the section it traverses. He has always taken active interest in public affairs of the village, served as president of the village corporation, and for five years was town clerk of the town of Denmark, in which Copenhagen is situated.
Politically he is a Republican. He is deeply interested in extension and improvement of our Inland Waterway and the preservation of the forests of New York state. He is not only interested, but is thoroughly informed on these subjects and all others affecting the interests and developments of Northern New York.
He is a member of the Congregational church of Copenhage, with which he has been connected all his mature life. For thirty-two years he has served as trustee and for several years as superintendent of the Sunday school. His family are also connected with this church. He is connected with the leading fraternal orders of his town; was made a Master Mason of Orient Lodge, No. 238, Free and Accepted Masons, in 1882; is a charter member of Copenhagen Lodge, No. 891, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Copenhagen Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. The same sterling qualities that have made for success in his private business are freely employed for the benefit of these outside interests. His energy and good judgment are used freely for the public good.
He married, Feb. 12, 1878, Harriet Rebecca Reed, of Natural Bridge, Jefferson county, N.Y., born May 6, 1856, daughter of Charles and Ann (Johnson) Reed, granddaughter of Archibald and Helen (Barr) Johnson, who were born in Scotland and became early settlers in Lewis county. Archibald Johnson was a rope maker and operated the first rope walk in Lewis county.
Children of Francis P. and Harriet Rebecca (Reed) Lansing:
1. Helena Ball, born July 17, 1880.
2. Archibald Johnson, July 24, 1882, died in infancy.
3. Ethel May, Dec. 31, 1886.
4. Stanley Cornwell, Aug. 1, 1895, died Sept. 26, 1897.
Please let us know in the Guestook.
[ Read / Sign my guestbook ] Get a free Guestbook
Jane's Site with over 2000 free databases!
These records (NNY) are part of her website.