DeWitt Clinton

DeWitt Clinton (March 2, 1769 - February 11, 1828) was an early American politician. Born in Little Britain, New York[?], he was educated at what is now Columbia University. He became the secretary to his uncle, George Clinton, who was the governor of New York. Soon after he became a member of the Anti-Federalist party. DeWitt was a member of the New York state legislature from 1797 until 1802. He then stepped up to becoming a member of the United States Senate, which he resigned from in 1803, to become the Mayor of New York City. He served as Mayor until 1815.

In 1812 Clinton ran for President of the United States, but was defeated by James Madison. Clinton was able to accomplish many things as a leader in civic and state affairs such as: New York public school system, encouragingd the steam navigation, modifying the laws governing criminals and debtors, and he was largely responsible for the creation of the Erie Canal. In 1817 DeWitt Clinton became the governor of New York until 1823. He imagined a Canal from Buffalo, New York on the Eastern Shore of Lake Erie to Albany, New York on the upper Hudson River, a distance of almost 400 miles. So, in 1817 he persuaded the state lawmakers to provide 7 million dollars for the construction of a Canal 363 miles long and 40 feet wide, and four feet deep. In 1825, when the Canal was finished, Governor DeWitt Clinton opened the Erie Canal, sailing in the packet boat Seneca Chief along the Canal into Buffalo. After sailing from the mouth of Lake Erie to New York City, he emptied two casks of water from Lake Erie into the Atlantic Ocean, celebrating the first connection of waters from East to West in the ceremonial "Marriage of the Waters".

Clinton died at the age of 59 February 11, 1828, and was interred in the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Named for him are:

• Clinton County, Illinois
• Clinton County, Indiana
• Clinton County, Iowa
• Clinton County, Kentucky
• Clinton County, Michigan
• Clinton County, Missouri
• Clinton County, Pennsylvania
• DeWitt County, Illinois
• City of DeWitt, Arkansas[?]
• Town of DeWitt, New York
• The DeWitt Clinton the first train in New York