Abraham Yates Lansing    (8 Sep 1808 - 24 Nov 1857)
    + (26 Apr 1836)     Eliza Jane Van Alstyn

Educated as a lawyer, Abraham worked with his father-in-law, Abraham Yates. Lansing acted as Albany County Surrogate for 21 years, from 1787 to 1808, his appointment beginning the year after his brother John was appointed Mayor of Albany. Abraham served as New York State Treasurer on two separate occasions - from 1803 to 1808, and from 1810 to 1812. During those years, his brother John was Chancellor of New York State. Their younger brother Sanders was then a Master of Chancery in Albany.

Like his brothers John and Gerrit, Abraham was involved in business enterprises, serving as President of the Great Western Turnpike, Second Company, and President of the Champlain Steam-Boat Company.

212 linear feet (357 boxes).

Collection consists chiefly of papers of the Gansevoort, Lansing and Melville families and reflects the social, business and political interaction between family members and friends and associates of the families. Gansevoort-Lansing papers contain correspondence, land deeds, financial documents, maps and surveys, notebooks, cookbooks, diaries, architectural drawings, photographs, and artifacts. The social, economic and political life of upstate New York over a period of more than 250 years is covered in the collection. Also, materials pertaining to military service in the American Revolution and the U.S. Civil War. Gansevoort family members represented in the collection include Peter Gansevoort (1749-1812), military leader in the American Revolution, Peter Gansevoort (1788-1876), New York political figure. Photographs (tintypes, daguerreotypes, cyanotypes, and black and white prints) show individuals, family portraits, house interiors and exteriors, historic occasions, and family holdings. Among Lansing family members represented in the collection are Barent Bleecker Lansing (1801-1876) attorney and landowner, and Abraham Lansing (1835-1899).

Subjects include business and financial matters, social events, family news, and current events.

The Gansevoorts and the Lansings were two of the original Dutch families to settle in the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys of New York State. Other families who intermarried with the Gansevoorts and the Lansings were the Melvilles, Sanfords and Van Schaicks. Members of these families were prominent in politics, the military, literature, law, politics, medicine, and economics.

Finding aid available in repository.

Albany Sept. 23rd 1812
Lansing Ab. G.

Sir

I take the liberty of soliciting your patronage for my Son John Y. Lansing who is a Surgeon in one of the Regiments of detached Militia of this State and who I wish to have transfered in the same grade to the regular Army or Hospital - he has been liberally educated, has creditably compleated his course of Medical Studies and received Diplomas both in Philadelphia and New York. That I have the Honor to address you unsupported by others, is owing to my Indisposition to apply to the two prominent characters here thro whom it is generally believed Applications of this kind can only be successful and who tho they probably profess to be your Friends, if their Sentiments are to be inferred from their Actions are only aiming to subserve their own views regardless of those professions - with them I could not consistent with the opinion I entertain of them have any connection until their conduct is less equivocal, altho I have no Doubt from their late Behaviour toward me that I could procure any Recommendation I wished on my Application. With my worthy Friend General Smith I have had an unreserved conversation a few days since - on the subject of our pollitical Affairs in which we perfectly accorded and he has been so good as to undertake the transmission of my letter under his cover. I have the honor to be with the greatest respect
Sir
Your obedient &
very humble Servant
Abm. Lansing

Albany xx April 1813

Sir.
The condescention shewn by your Excellency to my application in behalf of my son for the appointment of Surgeon in the United States Army - I have had the honor particularly to acknowledge thro my respected Friend Genl Smith - in soliciting that appointment. I took the Freedom to mention the circumstances which influenced me to address you unsupported by a Recommendation from the Gentlemen who professed to be favorable to you and refered to the General for the particular reasons, to whom I had fully communicated my sentiments - subsequent to that period Circumstances occurred which convinced me that Mr. Clintons success was despaired of and that the characters I particularly refered to would probably unite in

GREAT WESTERN, First Company,--John Tayler, President; Simeon De Witt, Nicholas Bleecker, Charles R Webster, Isaac Denniston, Joseph White, Chistian Miller, Sanders Lansing, Isaiah Townsend, John Woodworth, Francis Bloodgood, Charles D Cooper, (Secretary and Treasurer) John D P Douw, Directors, Election, Last Tuesday in September

GREAT WESTERN, Second Company--Abraham G Lansing, President; Christian Miller, (Secretary and Treasurer) John R Bleecker, Edward Brown, Rensselaer Westerlo, Eleazer F Backus, Geroge Webster, John Townsend, Frederick De Peyster, Peter Magher, John D P Douw, John C Cuyler, Elijah H Metcalf, Directors. Election second Tuesday in August

STEAMBOAT

Champlain Steam-Boat Company
Election Annually Abraham G Lansing, President; Jellis Wine Jr, Secretary and Treasurer; Teunis Van Vechten, Gerrit Y Lansing, Joseph Alexander, Directors

Appears as Ensign in 3rd Company, under Captain Andrew Fink, in 1st Battalion under Colonel Goose Van Schaick.

PENSION:

The Albany Directory, 1813
    94, n. Market, Albany, New York

The Albany Directory, 1815
    358, n. Market, Albany, New York
    Director(s): President of the Champlain Steam Boat Company
    Director(s): President of the Great Western Turnpike (Second Company)

The Albany Directory, 1816
    358, n. Market, Albany, New York
  Director(s): President of the Champlain Steam Boat Company

The Albany Directory, 1817, 1818, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824
    358, n. Market, Albany, New York