In Memoriam
HAY - In Lapeer, very suddenly, on the 15th inst., Lansing HAY, aged 71 years [8?] months and 13 days.
The grandfather and grandmother of the subject of this sketch, were natives of Hesse-Castle, an important Principality of Germany, and owed allegience to that Prince, But about the year 1717, they emigrated to America via. the river St. Lawrence through Canada, arriving in the State of New York, in the early autumn of that memorable year.
Subsequent to Burgoyne's surrender he served some months in the Continental army, and then settled in Washington county of this State, where Henry HAY the father of the deceased was born May 24th, 1779. He (Henry HAY), continued to reside either in that county, Rensselaer county, or Albany City, working at the trade of Ship Carpenter until about the year 1800, when he married Miss Elizabeth BENTLEY, a lady of English descent of the same age with himself. They soon thereafter removed to Litchfield, Herkimer Co., and from thence a year of two later to a farm situate about one mile south of the present village of West Winfield, where their second son, Lansing, the subject of this sketch was born March 2d, 1806.
Young Lansing was a lad of more than usual promise, being unusually active and vivacious, hence a favorite of his school-fellows, whom he was ever emulous to excel in the common branches then taught in the common schools. Endowed with more than ordinary preceptive faculties, he became an excellent scholar in reading, writing and arithmetic, these being the branches thought most proper for boys to learn at that early period of the common schools.
At arriving at the age of 20 years, showing no less activity, aptitude, and enterprise for business than he had exhibited in acquiring a good education, and being anxious to settle in life, he won the affections of Miss Anna GATES, next to the youngest daughter of Elijah GATES Esq., also resided in Winfield, and they were married March 1826, she being about three years the youngest.
In the month of December the same year they removed to Virgil, Cortland Co., into the almost unbroken wilderness, where it required the most unflagging industry, the most heroic courage and fortitude, and unfaltering patience, joined to the most rigid economy to succeed; but every obstacle that impeded their course was met, and they soon had the satisfaction of seeing the "wilderness bud and blossom as the rose."
Four children are still surviving as the fruit of this union, who have been married, settled in life, and are highly prosperous. And, perhaps, it is not too much to say, that the easy circumstances of the children is partly due to the excellent example set them by their parents, who have with great fidelity obeyed their conjugal vows until they had lived together for more than half a century.
And here it is eminently fit and proper to observe in respect to the departed, that he well fulfilled the proverb "that the liberal man deviseth liberal things." He was a liberal and indulgent father and husband, charitable and patronizing to those who needed his aid. On coming of age, or being about to get married, this excellent father cast about him to see what each child had need of, and supplied them most liberally until they were well endowed with an outfit with which to start in life, and this in addition to a good eductaion which he was careful to give them.
This sketch would also be incomplete did we not do justice to the deceased in another respect. His was a most peculiar and in many respects happy temperament. Possessed of superior conversational powers, it was his delight to use them; which made him the life of society wherever he moved, and the animation of the home circle, consequently he was always young.
But he is gone, like a sunbeam to revisit his native skies. His descending sun has at last set, and only his surviving relatives are left in the shadow and gloom of bereavement.
And, although the departed has left a large competency of this worlds' goods for the comfort of his surviving family, yet there are some aspects of his death which are truly heart-rendering, and fall with crushing weight, not only on the lone partner of his joys and sorrows, but also on the writer of this, imperfect sketch.
The funeral pageant has indeed been held, fitting words of consolation have been feelingly spoken by eloquent lips, in which we have been taught to revere his memory, the procession has moved and all that was mortal conveyed to the resting place of his Fathers. Yet was there something, truly lamentable, that he should fall by the wayside with the suddenness of a thunderbolt, and in the full panoply of the harness of life, with noble plans unfulfilled and that all attempts at resuscitation proved ineffectual, with not one parting word for the lone ear.
