"The overflowing blessings from this fountain of public good and national abundance will be as extensive as our own country and as durable as time." -- DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828), often referred to as the "Father of the Erie Canal," served in the New York State Legislature and the U.S. Senate, and was Mayor of New York City and Governor of New York State. He strongly advocated building a canal through upstate New York to connect the east with the Midwest, and became such a strong supporter of the plan that his opponents called it "Clinton's Ditch".
DeWitt Clinton was the nephew of George Clinton and the son of James Clinton (1733-1812), who served in the French and Indian Wars and as an American Revolutionary general. DeWitt's accomplishments are numerous and well worth investigating further. The chronology below is but a brief glimpse of a very busy and productive public career.
Clinton, George (1739-1812). He accompanied the regiment of his father, Charles Clinton, in the expedition against Fort Frontenac in the French and Indian War. After studying and practicing law, he was elected to the provincial assembly (1768), and became a leader of the anti-British faction. In 1775, Clinton was elected one of the State's delegates to the Second Continental Congress. Under the new state constitution, which George Clinton helped to frame, he was elected in June, 1777 as the first governor of New York State and was elected for six successive terms (1777-1795) and a seventh in 1800. Because he favored state sovereignty, Clinton was one of the chief opponents of the U.S. Constitution. In 1804, he was elected vice president for President Jefferson's second term. George Clinton unsuccessfully sought the presidency in 1808, and became vice president under James Madison.
http://www.eriecanal.org/UnionCollege/Clinton.html