Helena Pruyn Lansing

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Helena Pruyn was born in February 1681. She was the daughter in the large family of Frans and Alida Pruyn - perhaps Albany's premier French family. Her father was an admitted Catholic but the children grew up in the Dutch church. Several of Lena's siblings including at least two sisters joined her in presiding over mainline Albany households during the first half of the eighteenth century.

In October 1701, she married Jacob H. Lansing at her father's house but under the auspices of the Albany Dutch church. By 1720, at least nine children were christened in the church where she was a long time member.

These Lansings raised their family in a businessman's house on what became Market Street in the third ward.

Helena Pruyn Lansing lost her husband in October 1756. Perhaps she died a year later or in 1761. In any event, she had lived for more than eighty years.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Helena Pruyn Lansing is CAP biography number 3544. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.




first posted 6/20/14; updated 3/3/15