“A Father of New York and Founder of Our Nation”

If governor George Clinton were on an 18th-to-19th-century version of the professional network LinkedIn, his “Connections” would include George Washington (helped Washington defend the Hudson during the Revolutionary War, even named two of his children after George and Martha Washington), Thomas Jefferson (served as his vice president) and James Madison (served as his vice president, too). Clinton was sworn in as the first governor of New York State in 1777 – right in Kingston, when it was the state capital. He also held the position of Ulster County Clerk for 53 years.

You can get a feel for Clinton’s politics at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum in Poughkeepsie, which has a display of Clinton arguing in favor of the Bill of Rights against his Federalist friend Alexander Hamilton (fun fact: New York State ratification of the Constitution happened right in Poughkeepsie!). Governor Clinton died on April 20, 1812, and he is buried in the churchyard of the Old Dutch Church in Kingston.