Christopher Lansing

by


Christopher Lansing was born in January 1743. He was the son of Jacob J. and Huybertie Yates Lansing. He grew up a member of a large Rensselaerswyck family.

In January 1766, he married Rensselaerswyck resident Sara Van Schaick at the Albany Dutch church. By 1784, at least six children were christened at the church.

Beginning during the mid-1760s, his modest holdings were valued on the West Manor assessment roll. Perhaps he built the landmark home that stood on the east side of the river road. That building has been dated as early as 1766 and is said to have been torn down in 1882. After the war, Lansing began to acquire parcels of land between his home and the river - ultimately encompassing three dozen building lots mostly along Lansing Street in the area that became the entrance to the Erie Canal and the site of the new State arsenal.

Following the outbreak of hostilities in 1775, he became the quartermaster of the Rensselaerswyck militia regiment. Afterwards, he was among those accorded a land bounty right in conjunction with the Albany militia regiment. However, we would have expected to have found more involvement for him in the Revolutionary struggle.

Sara Lansing died in April 1788. In 1790, Christopher's household was configured on the Watervliet census. A decade later, only Christopher and a young girl were living in the house.

In 1808, he was among those worthies invited to the funeral of Henry J. Bleecker.

Christopher Lansing died in October 1819 at the age of seventy-six. He was buried alongside his wife in the Dutch church cemetery plot. His will passed probate in December. He was called "a man of high character."


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Christopher Lansing is CAP biography number 3205. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.
Family information from HMGFM




first posted: 1/20/11