James Taylor Lansing Memorial VFW Post 12003
Description
History behind the name – James Taylor Lansing
Lansing's founding father, William Lansing Taylor, was born on October 30, 1831, in New York. During his youth, he studied both law and medicine.
He was involved in business in Missouri when the Civil War started. He joined the Seventh Missouri Infantry. Soon after, he was captured and taken prisoner. Taylor was later paroled after agreeing he would not take up arms against the South again.
He broke his contract in 1862 by enlisting as a hospital steward in the 7th Regiment of the Kansas Volunteer Calvary under the name of James William Lansing.
After the Civil War, he continued using his new name. He earned a position at the new state penitentiary in Kansas as a hospital steward. After resigning this position, he opened a general mercantile store in the area called "Town of Progress," which he held the post office and an apothecary business.
As a result of the long period he spent as a hospital steward and running the drug store, he became known as "Doc Lansing" - even though he was not a doctor nor was his last name really Lansing.