Edward Lansing    (b:13 Jun 1808)

...

At the September term of the oyer and terminer in this county in 1826, Samuel Perry was arraigned on an indictment for murdering his wife. The court consisted of Nathan Williams, circuit judge of the fifth circuit, and Hiram Nolton, Sanders Lansing and John Mahon, county judges.

TURNPIKES

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

Chapter eighty-seven of the laws of eighteen hundred and eleven, passed March thirtieth of that year, constituted all that part of the town of Herkimer, in the town and county of Herkimer, contained in the following bounds: Beginning at a point or place on the north side of the Mohawk river, at the corner between the lands occupied by Robert Hinchman and Jost Tygart, thence in a northerly direction to the southern boundary of Evan Wharry's farm, thence easterly along the ridge of high lands to the boundary line between the counties of Herkimer and Montgomery, thence southerly along the said boundary line to the north shore of the Mohawk river, thence along the said shore to the place of beginning, as "The Village of Little Falls", for the period of fifteen years. Provisions were made in said i law for the annual election on the first Tuesday in May of five discreet freeholders, residents within the above limits, as trustees, by the freeholders and inhabitants, residing therein, qualified to vote at town meetings. ...

The above Charter states that five discreet freeholders will be elected, but there were no property owners at that time (only the Ellice Estate owned land), so no one but their agent was eligible. The first lot to be sold was to James Etheridge, on October 23, 1817.

In 1826 Judge Sanders Lansing, who represented the Ellice Estate, drew up a second charter at a meeting held in the stone school. This, however, was like the original charter, allowing only property owners to become trustees, which limited the five offices to James Etheridge, Robert Hinchman, David Petrie, Lansing and George Feeter, agent for the Ellices. Amid much confusion Judge Lansing abandoned the chair and the meeting broke up.

Churches of Little Falls

On September 26, 1792, a meeting was held and eighty-eight subscribers agreed to ., furnish funds to build a union church. As might have been expected, John Porteus, who held title to all the land on the north side at this time, was the leader in the movement and agreed to donate the land for a church and burial ground, and twenty pounds. A second meeting was held at the inn of John Morehouse on April 4 of the following year, with Major Jacob Petrie presiding and Evans Wharry elected clerk. The name Columbia church was decided upon and the pews were to be auctioned off. If the Dutch and English were unable to agree on a preacher who could speak both languages, they could hire their own and preach alternately. This practice was followed through many years, with one denomination using the church in the morning, another in the afternoon and a third in the evening. In cold weather the school was preferred as it was much warmer there. The eight sides of the church denoted that it was intended for all denominations, and each one used it at one time or another, before it was torn down. This common beginning, of all creeds, has handed down a heritage of tolerance through the years. ...

John Porteus died in 1799 and his son-in-law, William Alexander, had a dispute with the members of the church in June, 1801. He claimed that they had agreed to pay their subscription, but that he (Porteus) had expended 262 pounds while they had paid in only 68. He stated that he hoped the church wouldn't have to be sold to raise the balance. This dispute, however, didn't prevent Mr. Alexander from painting the church that year. In 1802 a missionary, the Rev. John Taylor, visited Little Falls and described the Octagon church as having a weather vane, but no tower, and made a sketch of the building. On December 31, 1804, the Columbia church was disbanded and the Concord Society organized to manage the Octagon church.

As might be expected, all was not concord with the Concord Society, since many groups were using the same building. One faction favored Judge Sanders Lansing and the other George Feeter. Strangely, both represented the Ellice family at one time or another.

1830
  Herkimer County
  Little Falls
  Page 90

1850
  Herkimer County
  Town of Manheim
  Page 356