War of 1812 vet gets a marker
Photos by Tom Rivers – Lansing Bailey received a veteran flag marker by his grave in Mount Albion Cemetery on Saturday. Bailey fought in the War of 1812. Bailey and six other members of his family all had white carnations placed on their graves on Saturday.
A group pauses for a prayer during a brief ceremony on Saturday at the grave of Lansing Bailey, an early Orleans County resident who fought in the War of 1812.
ALBION – The pioneer residents of Orleans County had it rough, needing to clear trees and build everything from scratch with little help along the way. Many succumbed to illness or witnessed the early deaths of loved ones.
Lansing Bailey was among the first to settle in Albion, arriving in 1811 with his younger brother Joel. In November 1811, Lansing and his brother walked here in five days from Whitestown in Oneida County to locate land on which to build a cabin, make a clearing and begin life in the new frontier, said Al Capurso, who researched Bailey’s life. The brothers purchased 250 acres from the Holland Land Company on Nov. 11, 1811.
Joel died of a fever on August 10, 1813. While plans were underway for his burial, Lansing’s wife Loda became ill from the same fever and died on Aug. 15, leaving three children, including 3 month-old twins born in the Bailey cabin in May 1813.
During those difficult years, Bailey also heeded the call to defend the United States, serving in the War of 1812. His service records indicate he was in Crosby’s Regiment. As a private he marched on to Buffalo/Lewiston and saw combat against the British Army, Capurso said. Bailey also aided Bathshua Brown in repel a squad of British soldiers who came up the Oak Orchard River in Carlton, Capurso said.
The Orleans County Honor Guard was part of the ceremony honoring Lansing Bailey.
Bailey lived until 1865. He is buried in Mount Albion Cemetery on the west side near the road leading up to the tower.
On Saturday, Capurso and Orleans County Historian Bill Lattin led a service where Bailey received a veteran’s marker at his grave. The bronze marker notes that Bailey was a War of 1812 vet. Capurso polished the marker to give it a shine.
“Anyone who serves their country should be honored with a marker so people can appreciate their sacrifice and pay their respects,” Capurso said. “He was definitely an honorable man.”
The Honor Guard from the American Legion attended the service and fired a 21-gun salute.
“He was a veteran from 1812, who helped make our country what it is today,” said Jim Cox, a member of Legion. “This being the 200th anniversary of the war, it’s an honor to come and do this.”
Bailey is the second Albion veteran honored with a grave marker recently for service in the War of 1812. Last year Moses Bacon had a marker placed by his grave at the Union Cemetery on Route 98 by Watt Farms Country Market. The Niagara Frontier Chapter of the Daughters of the War of 1812 put the marker on the grave for Bacon.
“These people sacrificed a great deal being the original settlers,” Lattin said. “They came here into a dense forest and then on top of that we had a war.”
Al Capurso, left, researched the life of Lansing Bailey and secured a bronze War of 1812 veteran marker for his grave. County Historian Bill Lattin spoke a service at Bailey’s grave on Saturday.
