Date of Birth: March 2, 1769
Place of Birth: Little Britain, Province of New York
Date of Death: February 11, 1828
Place of Death: Albany, New York, United States
Ethnicity: English, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Dutch, Danish, more distant Norwegian and French
DeWitt Clinton was an American politician and naturalist. He served as a U.S. Senator from New York, from February 23, 1802 to November 4, 1803, Mayor of New York City, from 1803 to 1807, 1808 to 1810, and 1811 to 1815, and Governor of New York, from July 1, 1817 to December 31, 1822, and again from January 1, 1825 to February 11, 1828.
DeWitt was a Democratic-Republican nominee for President of the United States in 1812. He also received votes under the Democratic-Republican banner in the 1820 presidential election.
DeWitt was the son of Mary (DeWitt) and James Clinton, an American Revolutionary War officer and major general. His uncle, George Clinton, was a politician, who served as Governor of New York, from 1777 to 1795 (the state’s first governor), and again from 1801 to 1804, and as Vice President of the United States, from 1805 to 1812; George was also a candidate for the presidency in 1789, 1792, 1796, and 1808.
DeWitt’s paternal grandfather was Charles Clinton (the son of James Clinton and Elizabeth Smith). Charles was born in Corboy, County Longford, Ireland. James was the son of William Fynes Clinton, who was from Lincolnshire, England, and of Elizabeth Kennedy, who was Scottish. DeWitt’s great-grandmother Elizabeth Smith was born in Dublin, the daughter of William Smith.
DeWitt’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Denniston (the daughter of Alexander Denniston and Catherine Montgomery). Elizabeth was born in Ireland.
DeWitt’s maternal grandfather was Andries B. DeWitt (the son of Andries de Witt and Jannetje Egbertsen). DeWitt’s great-grandfather Andries was born in New York, the son of Tjerck Claessen de Witt, who was of Dutch descent, and of Barbara Andriessen Luycaszen, who was of Danish origin. Jannetje was of Dutch descent, the daughter of Egbert Meindertse and Jaepi Jans.
DeWitt’s maternal grandmother was Bredjen Nottingham (the daughter of William Nottingham and Grietjen Bergjen Rutsen). William was the son of William Nottingham, who was born in Bedfordshire, England, and of Ann Tye, who was born in Yorkshire, England. Grietjen was of Dutch descent, and was the daughter of Jacob Herman Rutgers and Marretje/Marytje Hanse Bergen.
Source: Genealogy of DeWitt Clinton – https://www.geni.com
photo by Rembrandt Peale [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons