DeWitt Clinton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
DeWitt Clinton
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Portrait of DeWitt Clinton by Rembrandt Peale, c. 1823
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| 6th Governor of New York | |
| In office January 1, 1825 – February 11, 1828 |
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| Lieutenant | James Tallmadge Jr. Nathaniel Pitcher |
| Preceded by | Joseph C. Yates |
| Succeeded by | Nathaniel Pitcher |
| In office July 1, 1817 – January 1, 1823 |
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| Lieutenant | John Tayler |
| Preceded by | John Tayler (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Joseph C. Yates |
| 48th, 50th and 52nd Mayor of New York City | |
| In office 1811–1815 |
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| Preceded by | Jacob Radcliff |
| Succeeded by | John Ferguson |
| In office 1808–1810 |
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| Preceded by | Marinus Willett |
| Succeeded by | Jacob Radcliff |
| In office 1803–1807 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Livingston |
| Succeeded by | Marinus Willett |
| Lieutenant Governor of New York | |
| In office 1811–1813 |
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| Governor | Daniel D. Tompkins |
| Preceded by | John Tayler (acting) |
| Succeeded by | John Tayler |
| United States Senator from New York |
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| In office February 9, 1802 – November 4, 1803 |
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| Preceded by | John Armstrong Jr. |
| Succeeded by | John Armstrong Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 2, 1769 Little Britain, New York, British America |
| Died | February 11, 1828 (aged 58) Albany, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouses |
Maria Franklin
(m. 1796; died 1818)Catharine Jones
(m. 1819) |
| Children | 10, including George W. Clinton |
| Education | Princeton University Columbia University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
DeWitt Clinton was an early American leader and nature lover. He served as a United States senator, the mayor of New York City, and the sixth governor of New York. He is most famous because he helped build the Erie Canal. This water highway changed travel and trade in North America forever. Clinton also ran for president in the presidential election of 1812. He challenged the sitting president, James Madison. Clinton believed that building useful public works could make life much better for everyone.
His uncle was George Clinton, a famous leader who served as vice president. Working with his family helped young DeWitt learn about government quickly. Clinton believed that modern infrastructure like waterways, bridges, and roads would unite towns across the wilderness. By pushing forward with grand ideas, he turned New York State into an economic powerhouse.
Contents
Early Life and Growing Up
Childhood in New York
DeWitt Clinton was born on March 2, 1769, in Little Britain, New York, near New Windsor. His father was Major-General James Clinton, a brave military officer. His mother was Mary De Witt, who came from an old Dutch family named the De Witt family. Young DeWitt grew up during exciting times when the United States was becoming a brand-new nation.
His family included many important public servants. His brother was George Clinton Jr., who served in Congress. Another brother was named James G. Clinton. His cousin was Simeon De Witt, who worked as a leading surveyor. Growing up in a busy, patriotic household inspired DeWitt to study hard and serve his community.
School Days and College
Clinton went to school at Kingston Academy. He loved reading books about history, science, and nature. Later, he began his college education at the College of New Jersey, which is now called Princeton University.
He soon transferred to King's College in the city. The school changed its name to Columbia College while he was studying there. Clinton proudly graduated in the very first class under that brand-new name. After finishing his studies, he worked as a personal secretary for his uncle George Clinton, the governor of New York. This job taught him how laws were made and how leaders solved problems.
Starting a Career in Politics
Serving the State Legislature
Clinton entered public service as a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. In 1798, he won a seat in the New York State Assembly. Soon after, he served in the New York State Senate. He represented the Southern District between 1798 and 1802, and again from 1806 to 1811. In 1801, he joined the New York State Constitutional Convention to improve the rules that ran the state.
He also led the state Council of Appointments starting in 1801. This board had the special power to pick thousands of public workers. It chose leaders like sheriffs and even the city mayor. Clinton used his office to promote friendly leaders and keep rivals, like supporters of Aaron Burr, out of power.
A Short Stop in the National Senate
When a seat opened up, the state legislature picked Clinton to serve as a U.S. senator. He took office on February 9, 1802, after the resignation of John Armstrong Jr.. At that time, the capital city of Washington, DC was brand new and very muddy. Clinton did not enjoy living there because the city lacked basic comforts. He resigned from his Senate seat on November 4, 1803, to return home to New York.
Leading New York City
Work as Mayor
Clinton served three separate times as the mayor of New York City. His terms lasted from 1803 to 1807, 1808 to 1810, and 1811 to 1815. During these years, New York was growing into a bustling seaport with ships arriving from across the world. Clinton worked hard to keep the city organized, safe, and clean.
He supported better schools so that all children could receive an education. He also helped workers and poor families save their earnings safely. Clinton worked alongside Thomas Eddy as a director of The Bank for Savings in the City of New-York. It was one of the earliest banks created specifically to help everyday working people protect their money.
Helping Art and Science
Clinton loved art, history, and the study of nature. In 1804, he helped create the famous New-York Historical Society and served as its very first leader. He wanted citizens to remember the great stories and documents of their past.
He also helped reorganize the American Academy of the Fine Arts in 1808. He served as its president for four years to support painters and sculptors. He worked as a regent of the University of the State of New York for many years. Because of his great curiosity, he was elected to the American Antiquarian Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He spent hours collecting plants and observing wild animals across the state.
Running for President
In 1811, Clinton won a special race to become the lieutenant governor of New York. He defeated candidates like Nicholas Fish and Marinus Willett. But he soon aimed for an even higher goal. In the presidential election of 1812, Clinton decided to challenge President James Madison. The nation was fighting the War of 1812, and many citizens wanted peace and better trade.
Clinton received support from the Federalist Party and from northern members of his own party. In the final count, he earned 89 votes in the Electoral College, while Madison won 128 votes. Clinton carried most of the Northeastern United States. It was a very close election, but Clinton accepted the result and returned his focus to his home state.
Governor and the Erie Canal
Becoming Governor of New York
In 1817, Governor Daniel D. Tompkins stepped down after being elected vice president of the United States. Clinton ran in the gubernatorial election and won by a huge landslide against Peter Buell Porter. He took his oath of office on July 1, 1817. Clinton was re-elected in 1820, winning another term against Tompkins.
Political rivals, known as the Bucktails, sometimes tried to block Clinton's big plans. They even voted to remove him from the state canal board in 1824. This unfair action made regular voters so upset that they quickly re-elected him as governor again. Clinton served as governor until his sudden death in 1828.
Dreaming of a Water Highway
For a long time, travel across the rugged mountains of New York was slow and difficult. Heavy wagons got stuck in deep mud, and shipping goods cost a lot of money. A clever writer named Jesse Hawley wrote articles proposing a long artificial river. It would connect the Great Lakes directly to the Hudson River.
Clinton listened closely to this wonderful idea. He joined the Erie Canal Commission when it was first created in 1810. He traveled across forests and swamps to survey the land. When he became governor, he told lawmakers that a canal would make New York rich and connect the western frontier to ocean harbors.
Digging "Clinton's Ditch"
Many critics thought digging a water channel over three hundred miles through wild forests was totally impossible. Opponents laughed at the project and nicknamed it "Clinton's Folly" or "DeWitt's Ditch". They claimed the state was throwing money into deep mud.
Clinton did not give up on his grand dream. In 1817, he convinced the state legislature to approve $7 million to begin construction. Thousands of brave workers, including many new immigrants, dug the trench using shovels, pickaxes, and teams of horses. They invented new machines to pull massive tree stumps out of the earth. They built stone aqueducts to carry water over rushing rivers.
The Grand Opening
The great Erie Canal was finally completed in the autumn of 1825. It stretched 363 miles between Lake Erie near Buffalo and the Hudson River near Albany. Governor Clinton boarded a decorated canal packet boat named the Seneca Chief to lead a grand celebration.
The boat traveled slowly through towns along the new canal, where cheering crowds waved flags and fired cannons. When the boat arrived in New York Harbor, Clinton performed a famous ceremony called the "Wedding of the Waters". He lifted two wooden barrels filled with freshwater from Lake Erie. He tipped them over and poured the lake water directly into the salty Atlantic Ocean. This symbolic act showed that the wild interior of North America was now joined to the wide world.
How the Canal Changed America
The Erie Canal was an instant, giant success that astonished people everywhere. Before the canal opened, moving a ton of farm goods from Buffalo to Albany cost $100. On the smooth canal water, that same cargo cost only $10 per ton. Travel time dropped from weeks to just a few days.
Settlers rushed westward to build farms, while lumber, grain, and tools flowed eastward to market. The state collected boat tolls that quickly paid back the entire cost of digging. Cities like Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse grew rapidly along the banks. Best of all, New York City grew into the busiest seaport and financial capital in the nation. Newspapers that once mocked Clinton now praised him as a visionary hero.
Community Service and Beliefs
The Masonic Fraternity
Clinton belonged to the Freemason fraternity, an ancient club devoted to friendship and charity. He joined Holland Lodge in 1790 and became the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York in 1806. He led the national Knights Templar organization for twelve years until his death.
In 1826, a strange mystery occurred in Batavia, New York. A man named William Morgan disappeared after threatening to publish secrets about the group. Clinton offered large cash rewards for facts about the missing man. The incident caused great public worry and led many people to criticize the society. Today, New York Masons give a special DeWitt Clinton Award to honor people who do outstanding community work to help others.
Family and Personal Life
Marriages and Children
Clinton married Maria Franklin on February 13, 1796. She was the daughter of a wealthy Quaker merchant named Walter Franklin. Her family tree connected to early settlers named John Bowne and Elizabeth Fones. Together, DeWitt and Maria raised ten children. One of their sons, George William Clinton, later became the mayor of Buffalo, New York. Sadly, Maria passed away in 1818.
In 1819, Clinton married Catharine Jones, whose grandfather was the well-known politician Edward Livingston. Catharine's family included notable leaders in government and business. She cared for the home and stood by DeWitt through his political battles.
Final Years and Memorial
Clinton was an active member of the Society of the Cincinnati and the American Philosophical Society. He read books late into the night and wrote about history, native plants, and birds. Yet, while he was an expert at managing state funds, he was careless with his own money. He spent freely to help friends and projects, leaving behind unpaid debts.
On February 11, 1828, Clinton died suddenly in Albany, New York from heart failure while sitting at his desk. Because his family had very little money left, an old friend helped provide a temporary burial vault. In 1844, grateful citizens raised money to build a grand monument. Clinton was moved to his final resting place in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Enduring Legacy and Honors
Named in His Honor
Clinton left a lasting mark on the geography and history of the United States. Many places were named in his honor:
- An early steam train built in 1831 was named the DeWitt Clinton locomotive.
- Iowa has a county and a town named Clinton County and Clinton. Another town is named DeWitt, Iowa.
- Illinois honored him with two different counties: Clinton County and DeWitt County. Its town of Clinton also honors him.
- The town of DeWitt, Michigan carries his first name.
- Towns named Clinton were founded in New Jersey, Indiana, and Louisiana.
- A charming forest plant with yellow flowers was named Clintonia by the botanist Rafinesque.
- The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco preserved examples of an 1880 one-thousand-dollar bill featuring Clinton's face.
The Erie Canal Bicentennial
Between 2017 and 2025, people across New York celebrated the bicentennial of the Erie Canal. Communities marked two hundred years since the first shovel hit the earth and two hundred years since the canal opened in 1825. Speakers, actors, and Clinton's own descendants gathered at historic docks to remember the boat journey of the Seneca Chief. Today, people remember DeWitt Clinton as a leader who dared to build a great water highway that helped build a nation.
Images for kids
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A tall bronze statue honoring Clinton at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn
See also
In Spanish: DeWitt Clinton para niños
