1842-43
HISTORY
George William Clinton was born to one of the most
respected family lines to ever grace New York State. He
was grandnephew of George Clinton, Governor of New York
and Vice-President in 1804. His father was the famed DeWitt
Clinton
, New York State Senator, U.S. Senator, Mayor of New York
City, nominated for President in 1812, and three term governor
of New York. He is also known as "Father of the Erie
Canal
"
George William knew that much was expected of him
being the heir to the Clinton name. He had other ideas though.
He was born in New Town, New York, now part of Brooklyn,
on April 21, 1807. Four years later his father became Lieutenant
Governor and was nominated for President.
He attended notable schools while growing up in Albany,
New York. In 1821 he entered Hamilton College, at 14 years
of age, and graduated four years later. In 1825 he accompanied
his father on the first ceremonial ride down the Erie Canal
In 1826 and 1827 he studied medicine under Dr. Theodoric
Romeyn Beck at Fairfield Medical School. It was at this
time that his love of science and botany became most apparent.
He was an avid collector of different species of plants
and had quite a collection by this time.
In February 1828 his father, died suddenly, and this
most certainly altered his choice of professions. Almost
immediately he began the study of law, attending the law
school of Judge Gould, a leading school at the time. He
then went to Canandaigua, New York to finish his studies
under John C. Spencer.
He was admitted to the bar in 1831 and opened an
office in Albany. The following year he moved to Canandaigua
and formed a partnership with John C. Spencer.
In May, 1835 he was appointed district attorney of
Ontario County, resigning several months later. In 1836
he arrived in Buffalo
for the reasons many of the early settlers did. When he came
to this city "he was almost unknown" and wished
it that way. His home was on the north side of East Mohawk
Street between Washington and Ellicott Streets.
By 1837 he had joined forces with a brilliant young
lawyer named Henry K. Smith
in the firm of Smith Clinton & Warren.
On July 4, 1836 Clinton organized the local Democratic
party
together with 20 or so other citizens.
On March 22, 1838 he was appointed collector of customs
by President Van Buren. Under President Polk he was appointed
US District Attorney.
In the late 1830's President Martin Van Buren appointed
Clinton Collector of Custom's.
February 13, 1841 finds Clinton elected president
of the Young Men's Temperance Society
of Buffalo
Over 150 prominent Buffalonians were members, including
ex-mayor Samuel Wilkeson
On October 24, 1845 Clinton addressed the dedication of
the Erie Tent. The Temperance Society was "against
alcohol in all its forms." They were "advocates
of Temperance - friends of total abstinence from all that
intoxicates."
In 1842 he was working with Asher P. Nichols.
LIFE AS A MAYOR
In March 1842, Clinton was elected Mayor of Buffalo
by a nearly unanimous vote. His election was unique in that
he was not a party candidate and not a Whig
His opposing candidate was current Mayor Isaac Harrington
The final count shows Clinton with 1,462 votes and Isaac
Harrington
with 909 votes.
On March 8, 1842 the Board of Aldermen of the City
of Buffalo
met. Outgoing Mayor Isaac Harrington
administered the oath of office to George Wm. Clinton. In taking
the chair Mayor Clinton
said: "I had purposed taking the seat to which I have been
called by the voice of the People with a single acknowledgment
of the high honor they have conferred upon me, and a reiteration
of my firm determination to devote my best abilities to
their service, in this honorable station. Such a course
seems recommended by the absence of all pretention.
"The fact must not be concealed that as a people
we are poor...I cannot but congratulate you on the flourishing
state of our finances, but the present condition of affairs
forms no apology for embarking in schemes of public improvement...unless
they are demanded by necessity or sanctioned by imperious
reason and the public voice."
Mayor Clinton
then proceeded to outline several proposals he had prepared.
"Ample remuneration of public servants for services...Thereby
preventing discontent."
Raising teachers salaries
was an important issue. "The rising generation is the hope
of the country...The teacher is the animating spirit...Let
us seek for and secure the best."
He said that the fire department's requests should
be "imperative."
In addition, Mayor Clinton
, who was opposed to alcohol, wanted to eliminate the "unlicensed
sale of ardent spirits carried on" in the city because
it was the "provocation for and the accompaniment of
crime."
Lastly, "I can only add the expression of my
ardent hope of effecting something for the good of our community,
in this place to which they have so unexpectantly elevated
me."
So, the first Democratic mayor of Buffalo
, at age 35 started his term.
At the close of Clinton's term the Common Council
adopted that Clinton be given a $100 bonus for his work in revising
the City Charter
The following day, Tuesday, March 14, 1843 George
Wm. Clinton presided over his last council meeting. Clinton
gave a summary of the results of his administration, including,
"We have been spared by pestilence, and have scarcely
been scathed by fire. No city in the Union has been distinguished
by a more scrupulous observance of good order. I shall ever
be proud of the high distinction conferred upon me, as Mayor...and
I retire from it with a deep feeling of relief."
PERSONAL LIFE
Clinton married his partner John Spencer
's daughter Laura Catherine, on May 15, 1832. They had three
children while in Canandaigua, and six in Buffalo
On September 3, 1845 Clinton gave an address before
the Buffalo
Horticultural
Society to commemorate its first annual fair.
May 11, 1846 was the day a university charter was
granted by the State Legislature to establish a medical
school in Buffalo
Many influential men of the city were involved, including
Clinton and Millard Fillmore
Also that year, when the Buffalo
General Hospital
was incorporated, Clinton was elected secretary.
Clinton was appointed to the office of United States
District Attorney under President James Polk in 1847.
"One glorious summer's day in the year 1850,
it was the office of Judge Clinton to consecrate and solemnly
set apart, for the burial of the dead, that beautiful piece
of ground where so many of our friends are sleeping, known
to us as Forest Lawn."
He was President of the Council at the University
at Buffalo
in 1852.
In 1854 an act was passed that merged the Recorder's
Court with the Superior Court. At the first election under
the new law, Clinton and Isaac Verplanck
were chosen the Judges.
Clinton was elected a Regent of the University in
1856, and in 1858 he completed a Digest of the law reports
to that date. In 1881 he became Vice-Chancellor of that
body.
Sometime between 1856 and 1860 Clinton was offered
a position in President Buchanan's Cabinet, but he was a
simple man and wanted to remain that way.
Mr. Clinton found time for many worthwhile groups
during his lifetime. In 1857 he was secretary for the Children's
Aid and Reform Society. He also was secretary, and a Board
of Director, 3rd Class, for the Buffalo
Juvenile Asylum.
In early November 1861 a meeting was held to discuss
the formation of a science society. On December 5, 1861
the inaugural meeting of the Buffalo
Society of Natural Sciences
was held. Coleman
T. Robinson and Clinton together formed this society which
is still in existence today. Clinton said the main reason
for forming this society was to "bring together all
the plants and animals of the surrounding country, all its
shells, insects, fishes, birds, beasts and animated things."
Clinton was a true naturalist. He knew the fish, the plants,
all of this.
Mr. Clinton was the first president of the society
and held that position for 20 years until he voluntarily
declined to serve any longer. He was a frequent lecturer
on botany and geology.
Here in Western New York he discovered many species
of plants that were new to this region, "the announcement
of which was often a sensation in the botanical world."
He personally arranged, named, and mounted thousands of
exhibits.
He also was a believer in proof, not hypothesis.
If he could see proof of something, then he would believe
it. Additionally, he was a practicing Episcopalian and did
not agree with Darwin's theory since it left no room for
God.
During the Civil War
Clinton was an ardent supporter of the Union cause. Being a
leading Democrat of the state, "his speeches had a
powerful influence in holding the State Democratic party
loyal to the support of President Lincoln
and the prosecution
of war.
In 1870 Superior Court Chief Judge Verplanck
died and Clinton was appointed Chief Judge. He held this position
until he was forced to resign at 70 years of age, in 1877.
On July 1, 1881 Clinton was appointed Park Commissioner
of Buffalo
In 1882 Clinton left Buffalo
for Albany to become editor of the Clinton Papers, a collection
of papers left by George Clinton. At this time the Buffalo
Society of Natural Sciences
dedicated his
plant collection, to be known as the Clinton Herbarium.
On September 7, 1885, while walking through Rural
Cemetery in Albany, he died, still clutching some clover.
"Thus at the close of life, he was in the enjoyment
of the things which he had always loved - the green turf,
the blue sky, and the sweet, fresh air."
To truly appreciate what a genuine person George
William Clinton was, you must realize the type of person
he was. He preferred to look upon the better side of men,
than speak ill of anyone. During a campaign, an opponent
"could not find a word to say against him." There
was "no cant in his speech or anything that resembled
it."
George William Clinton, lawyer, judge, botanist,
Democrat, family man. One of the greatest, most decent citizens
Buffalo
ever had. As David F. Day wrote in a commemorative to Clinton:
Do we "fully appreciate how greatly we were favored
in the fact that he was our fellow-townsman?"
On September 11, 1885 George William Clinton was
laid to rest in Forest Lawn Cemetery
, still clutching the clover he held when he died.
