Elmer Dore Lansing was born in Troy, New York on July 26, 1879. He moved to Montreat (Buncombe County) in 1897. He spent most of his career working as a clerk at Commonwealth Bank in nearby Black Mountain. He also served as postmaster of Montreat and on the Black Mountain ration board during World War II. He died in Asheville on February 7, 1944.