Lansing W. Powers
Early Life
Lansing Woodruff Powers was born on March 10, 1889, in New York City, New York, the son of Walter Hayward Powers and Katherine Weaver. At a young age, he moved to Rye, New York, where he became part of a well-established local family, residing for many years on Forest Avenue and later on Cayuga Street.
He was educated at the Cheshire School in Connecticut and went on to attend Columbia University, where he was a member of the class of 1911. During his youth and college years, he was active in athletics and was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.
World War I Service
At the time of the World War I draft registration in 1917, Powers was living on Cayuga Street in Rye and working as a real estate salesman. Although he had initially reported no prior military service, he later volunteered for duty despite having received exemptions from the draft.
He entered military service on October 11, 1918, receiving a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps through the Officers’ Reserve Corps. He was assigned to the Zone Supply Office in New York City, where officers were responsible for coordinating the procurement, storage, and distribution of supplies essential to Army operations.
The Quartermaster Corps played a critical role during World War I, ensuring that troops were equipped with uniforms, food, equipment, and transportation. Officers in these positions formed the logistical backbone of the Army, supporting both domestic mobilization and the broader efforts of the American Expeditionary Forces.
Powers did not serve overseas and saw no combat engagement. He was honorably discharged on June 14, 1919.
Life After Service
Following the war, Powers built a distinguished career in horology and industrial design. He became widely recognized as an authority on tower clocks and served as head of the tower clock department for the Seth Thomas Clock Company. Among his notable achievements was the design and construction of major public clocks, including the well-known Colgate clock in Jersey City and the clock on the Paramount Building in New York City.
Later in his career, he founded his own company and worked as a consultant and designer for the International Time Recording Company, contributing to the development of large-scale timekeeping systems used in prominent urban settings.
A long-time resident of Rye, he was a member of the Manursing Island Club and was known in the community for his professional accomplishments and personal character.
Lansing W. Powers died on January 10, 1935, in New York City after a brief illness at the age of 45. Funeral services were held at Christ’s Episcopal Church in Rye, with burial in Greenwood Union Cemetery.
At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Marion Winston Hoyle Powers; his daughter, Mary Winston Powers; his brother, Walter Hayward Powers; and his sister, Mrs. William D. Bloodgood.