Biography

Jacob Lansing entered Middleury College in August, 1808, and tested into sophomore standing. Originally from Albany, NY, he had been raised by his maternal grandfather, Henry Quackenbush, a merchant. It appears Jacob's mother was still alive and living with her father as well, and that he was an only child.

After the war, he married and became a lawyer. He died in 1858.

Letters Home

Middlebury College Special Collections has preserved three letters written by Jacob Lansing during his time as a student at Middlebury College, dating from 1808 and 1810. Each was addressed to his grandfather and covered a wide range of topics from life at Middlebury to the current political climate.

[ August 19, 1808 ] [ September 2, 1808 ] [ March 16, 1810 ]

Incident at Lake Champlain

In his second letter, Jacob goes into great detail about an incident that occured in August 1808 on Lake Champlain. He is referring to the Black Snake Affair, a seminal event in Vermont history around the time of the War of 1812. The Embargo Act of 1807 and its subsequent incarnations stifled trade with Canada, and many Vermonters reacted by smuggling. Jacob wrote to his grandfather awaiting the results of the trial in front of the Supreme Court. His political views colored his perceptions of the incident; like many, he saw it as a giant Federalist plot.

Quartermaster, 12th NY Regiment

Upon graduation, Jacob joined the 12th NY Regiment as Quartermaster, and served the entire war in the upstate New York area. He was at the Siege of Plattsburgh, one of the largest engagements of the war.