John LANSING, Jr., Congress, NY (1754-1829)

LANSING, John, Jr., (uncle of Gerrit Yates Lansing), a Delegate from New York; born in Albany, N.Y., January 30, 1754; studied law in Albany and in New York City; was admitted to the bar in 1775; secretary to General Schuyler 1776 and 1777; engaged in the practice of law in Albany in 1778; member of the State assembly 1781-1784, 1786, and 1789, and served as speaker in 1786 and 1789; Member of the Continental Congress in 1785; delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention in 1787 but withdrew July 10, 1787; delegate to the state convention in June 1788 to ratify the Federal Constitution; again a member and speaker of the state assembly in 1789; member of the commission to settle the New York-Vermont boundary line in 1790; justice of the supreme court of New York 1790-1798 and chief justice 1798-1801; chancellor 1801-1814; commissioner to determine the claims of the city and county of New York to certain lands in Vermont in 1817; regent of the University of the State of New York 1817-1829; mysteriously disappeared after leaving his hotel to post a letter at one of the docks in New York City, December 12, 1829.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present