Gerrit Yates Lansing (August 4, 1783 – January 3, 1862) was an American lawyer and politician who served three terms as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

from 1831 to 1837.

Early life

Lansing was born in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...

, on August 4, 1783. He was third of sixteen children born to Susanna Yates and

Abraham G. Lansing Abraham Gerritse Lansing (December 12, 1756 in Albany, New York – May 15, 1834 in Albany, New York) was an American politician. Early life Lansing was born on December 12, 1756, in Albany, New York. He was the son of Gerrit Jacobse Lansing (b ...

, the

New York State Treasurer The New York State Treasurer was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York (state), New York between 1776 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities ...

. His younger sister, Susan Yates Lansing, became the second wife of

Peter Gansevoort Peter Gansevoort (July 17, 1749 – July 2, 1812) was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is best known for leading the resistance to Barry St. Leger's Siege of Fort Stanwix in 1777. Gansevoort was also ...

, son of Gen.

, in 1843. He was the nephew of

John Lansing Jr. John Ten Eyck Lansing Jr. (January 30, 1754 – vanished December 12, 1829), a Founding Father of the United States, was an attorney, jurist, and politician. Born and raised in Albany, New York, Lansing was trained as a lawyer, and was long in ...

His maternal grandfather was

Abraham Yates Abraham Yates Jr. (August 23, 1724 – June 30, 1796) was an American lawyer, civil servant, and pamphleteer from Albany, New York. Early life Yates was born on August 23, 1724, in Albany, New York. He was the ninth child born to Christoffel Y ...

. Lansing pursued classical studies and was graduated from

Union College Union College is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the s ...

in 1800. He studied law, was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1804 and commenced practice in Albany.

Career

Lansing worked as the private secretary to Governor Morgan Lewis, the third

Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ...

. He served as Clerk of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Ass ...

in 1807. He served as judge of the Albany County probate court from 1816 to 1823. Lansing was elected a regent of the

University of the State of New York The University of the State of New York (USNY, ) is the state governmental umbrella organization that oversees all educational institutions, including schools, libraries, and museums in New York State. It is governed by the Board of Regents. D ...

in 1829 and served until his death. He was appointed chancellor of the board on October 31, 1842, and served until his death.

Congress

He was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-second, Twenty-third, and Twenty-fourth Congresses (March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1837). He was not a candidate for reelection in 1836, and returned to practicing law.

Later career

Lansing served as president of the Albany Savings Bank from 1854 until his death, and president of the Albany Insurance Company from 1859 until his death.

Personal life

In March 1808, Lansing married Helen Ten Eyck (1787–1838), the daughter of Abraham Ten Eyck (1744–1824) and Annatje (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Lansing) Ten Eyck (1746–1823). Their children included: * Charles Bridgen Lansing (1809–1890), who married Catherine Clinton Townsend, daughter of Albany Mayor John Townsend and Abby (

Spencer) Townsend (daughter of

Ambrose Spencer Ambrose Spencer (December 13, 1765March 13, 1848) was an American lawyer and politician. Early life Ambrose Spencer was born on December 13, 1765, in Salisbury in the Connecticut Colony. He was the son of Philip Spencer and Mary (née Moore) Sp ...

). After her death, he married her sister, Abby Townsend. * Jane Ann Lansing (1811–1886), who married Robert Hewson Pruyn (1815–1882), the U.S. Minister to Japan, in 1841. * Susan Yates Lansing (1816–1911), who died unmarried. * Abraham Gerrit Lansing (d. 1824), who died unmarried.

Death and burial

Lansing died in Albany on January 3, 1862. He was interred at

Albany Rural Cemetery The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Menands, New York, United States, just outside the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the U.S., at over . Many historical ...

References

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lansing, Gerrit Y. 1783 births 1862 deaths New York (state) lawyers New York state court judges Union College (New York) alumni Politicians from Albany, New York Burials at Albany Rural Cemetery Regents of the University of the State of New York Jacksonian members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Clerks of the New York State Assembly Lansing family Ten Eyck family 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives