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George W. Clinton

Summary

Hon. George William Clinton (April 21, 1807 – September 7, 1885) was a New York lawyer, politician, judge, author, and amateur naturalist.[1] He served as mayor of Buffalo, New York from 1842 to 1843.[2]

Hon. George William Clinton
Portrait of George W. Clinton
7th United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York
In office
1847–1850
Appointed byJames K. Polk
Preceded byWilliam F. Allen
Succeeded byJames R. Lawrence
12th Mayor of Buffalo
In office
March 8, 1842 – March 14, 1843
Preceded byIsaac R. Harrington
Succeeded byJoseph G. Masten
Collector of the Port of Buffalo
In office
1838–1842
Appointed byMartin Van Buren
Preceded byPierre A. Barker
Succeeded byJedediah Hyde Lathrop
Personal details
Born(1807-04-21)April 21, 1807
New York City
DiedSeptember 7, 1885(1885-09-07) (aged 78)
Menands, New York
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseLaura Catherine Spencer
Children9
Parent(s)DeWitt Clinton
Maria Franklin
ResidenceBuffalo, New York
EducationThe Albany Academy
Alma materHamilton College (1825)
Norwich University (1827)
Litchfield Law School (1828)

Early life and family edit

Clinton was born on April 21, 1807, in New York City to Maria Franklin (1775-1818) and DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828), while the latter was serving as Mayor of New York City. His father later became a U.S. Senator and the 6th Governor of New York.[3] He was the grandson of Major General James Clinton (1736-1812), grandnephew of George Clinton (1739-1812), the 4th U.S. Vice President, nephew of George Clinton, Jr. (1771-1809), a U.S. Representative, and James G. Clinton (1804-1849), also a member of the House of Representatives.[1][2]

Education edit

Clinton grew up in Albany, New York, and attended The Albany Academy. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1825 and Norwich University in 1827, and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1828, he attended the Litchfield Law School,[4][5] completed his legal studies with Judge Ambrose Spencer (1765-1848), and was admitted to the bar in 1831.[2]

Career edit

Clinton initially practiced law in Albany with Matthew Henry Webster and then in 1832 formed a partnership with the son of his legal mentor, John Canfield Spencer (1788-1855), who eventually became the 17th United States Secretary of War and 16th United States Secretary of the Treasury in Canandaigua, New York. He served as the District Attorney of Ontario County from 1835 to 1836.[2]

In 1836, he moved to Buffalo and settled on the north side of East Mohawk Street between Washington and Ellicott Streets. The same year he organized the local Democratic Party with 20 or so other citizens.[1]

Political career edit

On March 22, 1838, he was appointed Collector of Customs at Buffalo[6] by U.S. President Martin Van Buren. Clinton served in this role until 1842 when he was succeeded by Jedediah Hyde Lathrop. In March of that same year, Clinton was elected Mayor of Buffalo. Although a Democrat, his election was unique in that he was not a party candidate. During his term the City Charter was revised. On March 14, 1843, he presided over his last council meeting.[7]

Clinton was appointed as United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York under President James K. Polk, and served from 1847 to 1850. From 1854 to 1878 he was Judge of Buffalo's Superior Court. His legal writings included the three volume Digest of the Decisions of the Law and Equity Courts of the State of New York and Phi Beta Kappa oration Union College in 1857. In 1867, he was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention.

Later career edit

In 1856, he was appointed a Regent of the University of the State of New York.[8] He served until his death, and attained the position of Vice Chancellor of the board.[2]

In 1882, he moved to Albany to become editor of the Clinton Papers, a collection left by his granduncle George Clinton.[2] Clinton was one of the organizers of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, founded on December 5, 1861.[9] He was chosen its first president, and served for 20 years in that role.[10][11] He was an amateur naturalist, and published 1882's Catalogue of the Native and Naturalized Plants of the City of Buffalo and its Vicinity.[1]

Personal life edit

On May 15, 1832, he married Laura Catherine Spencer (1810-1891), the daughter of John Canfield Spencer, his former law partner.[2] Their children included:

  • De Witt Clinton[7] (1833-1873)
  • Charles Clinton[7]
  • Elizabeth Spencer Clinton (1835-1918), who married Henry L. Clinton (1820-1899), a prominent New York lawyer.[12]
  • Spencer Clinton (1839-1914), an attorney in Buffalo, who married Sarah Riley (1851-1880), daughter of William A. Riley and Frances A. Stillman, in 1870. After her death, he married her sister, Carrie Riley (1859-1887), and in 1895, he married a third time to Cora Caldwell (1870-1925).[7]
  • Catharine Clinton (1841-1881), who married Albert J. Wheeler (1841-1924), president of the Western Savings Bank and Wheeler-Monarch Elevator Company.[13]
  • Minnie Natalie Clinton,[14] who married Abram H. Baldwin[7]
  • George Clinton (1846-1934), an attorney in Buffalo, married Alice Thornton (1847-1931), daughter of Thomas F. Thornton and Jane Parker.[7]

He died on September 7, 1885, while walking through Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands. He was laid to rest in Forest Lawn Cemetery[15] after a service at St. Paul's Cathedral,[16] still clutching the clover he was holding when he died.[1][2][17]

Honors edit

In 1864, Clinton was awarded the honorary degree of LL.D. by Hamilton College.[2]

The standard author abbreviation Clinton is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[18]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Day, David F. (1885). George W. Clinton, LL.D. Vol. 12. Torrey Botanical Society. pp. 103–106. JSTOR 2476072.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "STRICKEN IN A CEMETERY THE SUDDEN DEATH OF VICE CHANCELLOR CLINTON: STRUCK BY APOPLEXY WHILE ENGAGED INA BOTANICAL EXPEDITION — THE STORY OF A USEFUL LIFE". The New York Times. September 8, 1885. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  3. ^ "DE WITT CLINTON. SKETCH OF THE FAMOUS GOVERNOR BY HIS SON. PAPER READ BEFORE THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF BUFFALO BY HON. GEORGE W. CLINTON GOV. CLINTON VINDICATED FROM ASPERSIONS RECENTLY CAST UPON HIS MEMORY THE GOVERNOR AS A STATESMAN, AS A MAN, AND AS A FATHER". The New York Times. April 10, 1875. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Litchfield Ledger - Student". www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org. Litchfield Historical Society. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  5. ^ Litchfield Law School (1900). The Litchfield Law School, 1784-1833. Litchfield, CT: Litchfield Enquirer. p. 25.
  6. ^ "The Buffalo Directory". Courier Company of Buffalo: 22. 1 January 1842. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Memorial and Family History of Erie County New York. Vol. I. Winthrop Press. 1908. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  8. ^ Chester, Alden; Williams, Edwin Melvin (Aug 11, 2004). Courts and Lawyers of New York: A History, 1609-1925. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. ISBN 9781584774242. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  9. ^ Rea, Paul Marshall (October 1910). "A Directory of American Museums". Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. X (1). Buffalo, New York: 188. OCLC 297278075. Retrieved 2023-09-14 – via Internet Archive text collection. The Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences - Historical Sketch
  10. ^ "Committee of Publication". Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. I. Buffalo, New York: iv. March 1874. OCLC 297278075. Retrieved 2023-09-14 – via Internet Archive text collection.
  11. ^ Howland, Henry R. (1907-01-01). "The Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences Historical Sketch". Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. 8: 3–25.
  12. ^ "DEATH OF HENRY L. CLINTON Lawyer Passes Away at His Home After a Long illness. IN MANY CELEBRATED CASES Once Received a Fee of Over $300,000 — His Success in Criminal and Civil Practice". The New York Times. June 8, 1899. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Obituary Notes". The New York Times. September 26, 1924. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  14. ^ Foley, Janet Wethy (1996). Early Settlers of New York State: Their Ancestors and Descendants, Volumes I-VI (PART I - i-iii). Heritage Books. ISBN 9780788437113. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  15. ^ "JUDGE CLINTON'S FUNERAL". The New York Times. September 12, 1885. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  16. ^ "HONORING JUDGE CLINTON'S MEMORY". The New York Times. September 11, 1885. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  17. ^ "JUDGE CLINTON'S MEMORY HONORED". The New York Times. September 9, 1885. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  18. ^ International Plant Names Index.  Clinton.

Further reading edit

  • Through The Mayors' Eyes by Michael Rizzo (The Buffalonian, 2005, ISBN 978-1-4116-3757-3 ; pg. 424)
  • George W. Clinton in Scientific Papers of Asa Gray: Essays; Biographical Sketches, 1841-1886
  • Minutes of the Regents of the University, by New York State Education Department, 1860
  • Report of the Regents of the University of the State of New York, Volume 66
  • George W. Clinton at Norwich University, 1819-1911: Her History, Her Graduates, Her Roll of Honor, Volume 3, by William Arba Ellis
  • George W. Clinton at Catalogue of the New-York Alpha of the Phi Beta Kappa, 1852
  • An Address Commemorative of George W. Clinton: Delivered Before the Buffalo Historical Society, David Fisher Day, 1890
  • Catalogue of the Native and Naturalized Plants of the City of Buffalo and its Vicinity, 1882

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by United States Attorney for
the Northern District of New York
1847-1850 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by
Isaac R. Harrington
 Mayor of Buffalo, NY
1842–1843 		Succeeded by

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