THE FAMILY OF WALTER ELLIS LANSING [JllllllllllllllllllllllOUllllOUllllllTWIJIQIHQill[QIJ]llJUIQUU!!nzn· I THE }"AMILY OF WALTER ELLIS LANSING* PRfil'ACE Several genealogists have one Gerrit Frederiskse Lansing as the progenitor of the LansinP; Family in America. Among these have been Claude G. ~ unsell, "The Lansing Family", Jonathan Pearson, '"Geneal ogies of the First Settlers of Albany" (New York) and, S. V. Talcott, "New York and New England Families". In the New York r.enealogical and Biographical RECORD . Vol. 65 (1934), pages 56-58~ and Vol. 72 (1941) pages 26~28(a), contributions by William J. Hoffman, M.E., cites convincinP: research to the effect that the name of the progenitor was r.errit Gerritse (or Gerritze) Lansing and that he died in The Netherlands, probably in 16~3, and that his wife Elizabeth Hendrickse and her six children came to Ameri~a with her 2nd husband, Wouter Albertse (van den Uythoff) in the fall of 1655. This and other documents relatizu.r to this family are attached as background information. I am taking the position that (1) Gerrit Gerritse Lansing, a baker, was the father of the six children who came to America with their mother in 1655, (2) that Gerrit Gerritse Lansing died in The Netherlands and never came to America and \3) that Wouter Albertse van den Uythoff \baker), the 2nd husband, came with (or shortly before) the mother and six children (3 boys and 3 girls ) to America. Munsell states: "The Lansing family comprise one of America's oldest and most distinguished families. The family is closely associated with the found­ ing of the first European settlements in the valley of the Upper Hudson, a.t what is now Albany. They arrived in America during the period when the manorial grants were in their early stages of development. The first manorial grant in this region was issued under authority from the Lords States-General of the Netherlands to Killian Van Rensselaer, a wealthy merch2.nt of Amsterdam, who in 1630 purchased from the Indiana the lands in the vicinity of Fort Orange (Albany) ·and founded the 1anor of Rensselaer-wyck. This trac~ contained some 700,000 acres, measuring twenty-four miles along the Hudson River, with a breadth on either bank of twenty-four miles, including t he lands comprising the counties of Albany, Columbia and Rensselaer. The first settlers for the new colony sailed from Trexel, Holland, in the ship Unity, in co r:una..~d of Jan Brower, and arrived off the mouth of the River Mauretiua \ Hudson River) on May 24, 1630." *Co~piled by Wal t er Ellis an3ing The Jiansing family, with their private goods, sailed by the ship "Gelderse Blom" i(fillj) in September, 1655. In that month a Director of the Dutch West India Company wrote to the Director General and Council of New Netherlands as follows: The invoices of the private goods shipped by this ship "Gelderse Blom" are enclosed. The free people, or passengers, coriring over in the same ship are Jevert Pieter3en and Lysbet Hendrickse (widow of Gerrit Lansing) wife of Wouter Albertsen (van den Uythoff) with her 5 children, of whom three are boys". Doc. relative to Colonial History, N.Y. Since it is stated that five children accompanied their mother to America, one might conclude that one other child may have come separately with the step-father. COAT-OF-ARMS: There are quite a number of coats-of-arms borne by families of the name Lansing (Lansinck, etc.) kn~wn in the Netherlands. 'l'he one chosen by the Lansing family in America is described in Matthews (ArmoUJ.7 and Blue Boo~ ) page 169, and Croziers (General Armory) page 83, described as: "Three increscents Azure, · two C).nd one. Crest: "Three ostrich feathers, Azure". The Lansing family became established I ·in Rensselaerwyck Colony. The immigrants I and their deacendents took an active part in the affairs of the new colony, the name appearing with great frequency throilghout civil, military and church records (Dutch Reformed Church). Kil~ian van Rensselaer, Patroon and Lord of the Manor of Renaselaerwyck, died in 1647 and the estate descended to his son, Johannes, then a minor. Brandt van Slectenhor s ~ was appointed Director to represent the young Patroon. His son, Sieur Gerrit van Slectenhor s~ married Altje Lansing, daughter of Gerrit Gerritse Lansing and Elizabeth (Lysbet) Hendr ie~:= Lansing :... .. In 1664 the Province of New Amsterdam (New Netherlands) passed into the hands of the English. The village of Beverwyck was renamed Albany in honor of the Duke of York and Albany, but, in 1673 the Province reverted to the Dutch and the name of Albany was changed to Williamstadt. In 1674 the English again secured control and the name Williamstadt was changed back to Albany. In 1683 the Province was divided into regular English shires, or counties. The English Government, however, recognized the rights of the van Rensselaers to the Manor of Rensselaerwyck and Governor Donegan issued to the heirs of Killian van Rensselaer a Patent confirming the original grant, with the exception of those lands comprising the City of Albany. Stephan van Rensselaer, Patroon of Rensselaerwyck, married Elizabeth, daughter of Elizabeth Lansing and Stephanus Groesbeck. In 1686 the City of Albany was granted its charter, Peter Schuyler being the first mayor. His daughter, Geertruy Schuyler, was the wife of Johannes Lansing. In 1763 Abraham Jacob Lansing (great-grandson of Gerrit Gerritse Lansing) . ' and brother of my 4th great-grandfather, Gerrit Jacobse Lansing, purchased from Mr. Wendell a level tract of land along the east bank of the Hudson River'and opposite the middle branch of the Mohawk River. The price paid to Robert Wendell was three hundred pounds. .Mr. Lansing completed his plans, and on May 11, 1771 filed a map for a newly laid-out town, "The City of Lansingburgh". The town originally comprised 288 lots, a commons, and to first settlers. Abraham Lansing gave rights of pasturage, cutting of firewood, timber, hunting and fishing. This was the first chartered village in the State of New York and still retains its identity as Lansingburgh lNorth Troy), New York. \ ~ LAN SI~ ,· ~ Gerrit Gerritoz Laneing ~died about 1653) married Elizabeth Hendriokee 6 children - I '···~-- , Al tje Hendrick Gerritee Lansing Jo~eo Gerri t Gyabertje Hille tie · b. o 1645 Hassel t, Netherlande · Married Ly~beth Casper. Came to America 1655. 5 children --, Jacob Hendrick Lansing Lelebite tElizabeth) Hendrick Alida 1'1aria b. o :).670 Albany, N.Y. i m..•rried Helonn Pruyn I 27 Sept. 1701, d. 18 Oct. 1756 ! 10 children ;-!'"I : · r --- · -- ~, - · - ------- - -1-------------r- ·~~-.., ~~1~~~-»---~~-r1~~~~,r-~~~-.-,~~~-rr Isaac AU da · Her!drick Elizabeth . Franciecue Gerri t Jacobee Lansing Jacob Annetje Johannes Abro.hnm I bp 1 Oct. 1711, m. let 1734, 2nd Elizabeth Van Schaick Coeter. d. l Aug. 1746 I 3 children by let wife, l by 2nd r-:------------r -----, Helena Catharyna Jacob (by 2nd vife) Gerrit I. Lansing b. 3 Aug. 1746 m. 28 Feb. 1766 I to Sarah Sharp. d • . ¥1-Feb.-l·tlzM '2.. '1 f)ec , I g~ 7 I 13 children ~ ~ · · r··---l.---··--·----1-- --- -----. I Sa~ah ,__J Johh~ ..- fo-~ri;;t·-]~d~e~ ca th~r1n;Ei1 ifl;eth- -· E~~im Peter Lano Abrah2.m Wendell Lancing P~ter i l Cornelius Jacob B~tey Saw;,ter \adopted) b. 10 .May 1786 m. 8 Mch 1806. to Sarah .. Holden. d. 5 Feb. 1845 I 11 children i -~-------.-------,.------·----,.--~~~.....,.--------,1 ! 'Wenaell I nek EmJHne I LouiBa1 Maria Sarah1 Caroline Abre.hJ Garrit Edwih Holden Willia1h £33el tyne Oncar John Lam!~ Augueta Maria Austin Aguetue 111 b. 8 l':ch 1824 'l m. 20 Sent 1846 ! . Lydio. Ellzabeth ~ Keeler, ~ .. d. 9 Ju ly 1807 a 8 chJJ...d:rE: n ~ -!----.-, __:_ __ _:___ __. --.Ir----- _-----.-,--~ - - 11---~,---~ IJelid l'!ay ~ Willis ClRrk Emma Josephine Abram Gerrit Lo.nai~ Robert Bruce Oscar Joel Harl~y Auotin Harriet Augu st ~ ~ I. ~ ~ '® ~ I (~ LA N S I NG (Cont'd) Abram Gerrit Lansing tcont'd) b~ 21 Dec. 1851. m. 18 Aug. 1871 to Elizabeth Jonee. d. Nov. 1910 6 children I - . c- -- 1 -- r -- - ', r- Elmer Ellis Lansing Mabel May Harry Gordon Emma Josephine Arthur Guy Abram Frank b. 18 June 1872 m. 10 Nov. 1897 to Emi ly Lackore. d. 3 Nov. 1942. 7 1children ~ -- - -----r ,---- -. I ----- I - · I I Vernon Russell Ethel Huth Hazel Gladys Evelyn Bessie Walter Ellis Lansing Clyde Everett Lloyd Clark b. 30 Dec. 1907 M. Elsie Nail 15 Oct. 1930 ~-- · l 1child l Robert Griffith Lansing b. 12 Oct. 1934 m. Marian Anderson, 20 Nov. 1954 6 children ._ I I I , ,--·· I Michael' Eric Sandra Kay Robert Christopher David Patrick Joseph Walter Tiffiny Su.-anne ~ A~'KNOWLEI:GEMENTS I wish to especially thank Mrs. Frances rr. Broderick of Lansingburgh, New York for her invaluable assistance in researching my line of the Lansing family. Mrs. Broderick is a professional genealogist and historian but because of her interest in the Lansing family, she has spent many hours in providing information from her records and files. Valuable assistance was also given by ~lrs. Clara M. Houck, of Chittenango, Madison County, New York, and by a newly-found cousin, Virginia Watterson, of Carlsbad, California NUMBERING Numbers 1 through 73 indicate bloodline relatives and immediate families. Numbers are repeated when male bloodline members become heads of families. Small numbers entered after given names indicate generation, beginning with1 the first immigrant family. GERRIT GEBRITSE LANSING is given number 1, since he was the male head of the first immigrant family. He died in Holland, but his wife, Elizabeth, and their six children came to America in 1655.