Clinton

Clinton, a distinguished American family, descended from Charles Clinton, who was born in Ireland in 1690, settled in New York state in 1731, and died there in 1773.—His third son, JAMES, born in 1736, served with distinction against the French, and as brigadier-general took part in several operations during the War of Independence. He died in 1812.—His brother, GEORGE, born in 1739, studied law, and from 1768 sat in the New York assembly; in 1775 he was sent as a delegate to the second Continental Congress, and in 1776 he was appointed general of militia, serving against Sir Henry Clinton on the Hudson. In 1777 he was chosen first governor of New York, to which post he was re-elected from 1780 to 1795, and in 1801; and to him was due the first conception of the Erie Canal. In 1804 he was chosen vice-president of the United States, and in that office he died at Washington, 20th April 1812.—James's son, DE WITT, born in 1769, was admitted to the New York bar in 1788, and was private secretary to his uncle, then governor, from 1790 to 1795. He sat in the state legislature (1797) and in the state senate (1798–1802); and in 1802 he was elected to the United States senate, but resigned in the same year on being appointed mayor of New York by his uncle. In this office he continued, save for two short intervals, until 1815, holding other appointments at the same time; he was defeated by Madison in the presidential contest of 1812. It was he who pressed the adoption of the Erie Canal scheme; the bill was passed and Clinton elected governor of the state in 1817, and in 1825 he opened the canal. He was several times re-elected in spite of the untiring efforts of his political opponents, and died in office at Albany, 11th February 1828. He published a number of addresses, some literary and historical, which will be found in his Life by Campbell (1849).