Ontario History??
Henry Livingston Lansing, was born in Rome, N. Y., in the year 1818. He was educated for a business career, and on leaving school engaged in the mercantile business at Utica. In 1836 he accepted an offer of a clerkship in the Ontario Bank at Canandaigua, N. Y., an institution in which his paternal and maternal grandfathers were large stockholders, and in the year 1838 married Catherine Olivia, daughter of Henry B. Gibson, cashier and manager of that bank.

Mr. Lansing remained in the bank with his father-in-law for a number of years, and then went with his family to Detroit, Mich., where he accepted the cashiership of the bank called "The Michigan Insurance." Remaining only a year or so in this bank Mr. Lansing was called to the cashiership of the Oliver Lee & Company Bank, Buffalo, N. Y., which institution he remained in as cashier, and afterwards as president, until the bank was forced, in the great panic of 1857, to shut its doors.

Some time after the failure of the bank, Mr. Lansing accepted the office of treasurer and secretary of the Buffalo and Erie Railroad, with its office at Buffalo. This position he held for a number of years, filling the ofhce with great acceptability to the directors of the company. Resigning his office, Mr. Lansing, about the year 1873, purchased a charming country place at Niagara, Ontario, and there he passed his summers until the time of his death in 1889.

A member of New York's Military Association, he rose to the rank of Brigadier General of the 31st New York Militia during the Civil War.

Mr. Lansing was essentially a domestic man, he was fond of his home and devoted to his family. He was ever led to seek the highest happiness in his own domestic circle and possessed in a high degree those social qualities which belong to the refined and cultured gentleman. In a certain sense Mr. Lansing was the fruit of hereditary culture his father and grandfather on the paternal and materna1 side were bon vivants and connoisseurs. He prided himself upon his accurate judgment and discrimination in the choice of and selection of fine wines, and was an epicure in the best sense of the word, a lover of life's good things.

Proceedings of the Military Association of the state of New York, Newburgh, June 1857
"Col. Lansing suggested that prizes should be offered to companies for drill and discipline -- one was offered to the best regiment and one for the best encampment, and he desired to go farther."

The Chair appointed on such Committee:--
Col. Lansing

Historic American Buildings Survey
CITY OF CANANDAIGUA:

Henry Lansing House, 72 East Gibson Street, (HABS # NY- 212)

Record of Henry L. Lansing's Will
I, Henry L. Lansing of the township of Niagara, County of Lincoln Canada, but at this present writing residing in the Village of Canandaigua, County of Ontario, State of New York, United States of America, do make and declare this to be my last will and testament.

First: I give and bequeath to my wife Catharine Olivia, all the furniture, paintings, engravings belonging to me, also my library and all my horses, harnesses and carriages all of which are now in "Woodlawn" Canada.

Second: I give and bequeath to my sister Manette, wife of C.W. Morse of Saybrook, Connecticut, two thousand dollars, par value, of the stock of the Erie & Pittsburgh Rail Road Co (that is, forty shares at fifty dollars per share.)

Third: I give and bequeath to my grandson and namesake Lansing Burnett, son of my deceased daughter Sarah, my gold watch chain and locket, two pairs of gold sleeve buttons and two gold scarf pins.

Fourth: I give and bequeath to my grandson and namesake Harry Livingston Lansing, son of my son Livingston, my double-barreled breechloading shotgun and all the traps belonging thereto with gun xx, also all my fishing rods and tackle and artificial flies and bait.

Fifth: I give and bequeath to Ellen Gillen who has been a faithful servant in my family for many years, Five hundred dollars par value

LINKS:

Civil War Records