Nicholas Lansing

by


Nicholas Lansing was born in September 1748. He was the first son of Johannes Jac. Lansing and his third wife Catharina Schuyler Lansing. He grew up in a merchant's home on Market Street as his parents were Albany mainstays for more than fifty years. He seems to have been the sole Nicholas Lansing at risk.

In 1766, his name was included on the Albany assessment roll (along with some other taxable non real property holders) but no tax amount was shown.

In September 1779, he joined with his father and many other Albany people in signing a petition to the governor for the return of Dr. Henry VanDyck.

After a number of years as a Hudson River sailor and skipper, at about the age of thirty, he is said to have begun training for the ministry under Albany domine Eilardius Westerlo.

During those years, he met the slightly older "Dorcas Sarah Dickenson," a refugee from New York who had come to stay with the domine's family in Albany. They are said to have been married in 1784. Nicholas Lansing's marriage appears to have been childless.

In August 1784, he accepted a call to serve the Reformed church at Tappan in the lower Hudson Valley. He was installed in December and served with distinction for many years.

In 1790, his household was enumerated on the census for Orange Town in Orange County. It included the couple and three slaves.

His character and career are considered in depth in the published history of the Rockland County church.

Perhaps, his wife passed in 1814. Albany native Nicholas Lansing died at Tappan in September 1835. He had lived eighty-seven years. He was among those called "last of the old Dutch domines." Over the years, a number of children were named in his honor.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Nicholas Lansing is CAP biography number 3636. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.

We thank descendant Marianne Dickinson Frasco for information regarding his marriage and later life.





first posted: 5/20/09; updated 3/5/12