Vice President George Clinton
(b. 26 Jul 1739 - d. 20 Apr 1812)

{Congressional Cemetery, DC: Range 31 Site 7 -- Removed to Kingston, NY, 1908)

A Delegate from New York and a Vice President of the United States. Born in Little Britain, Orange County, N.Y., completed preparatory studies, served as lieutenant of rangers in the expedition against Fort Frontenac, studied law, practiced in Little Britain. Member of the Continental Congress from May 15, 1775, to July 8, 1776, when he was ordered by General Washington to take the field as brigadier general of militia. Governor of New York 1777-1795 and 1801-1804. First elected Vice President in 1804 as a State Rights Democrat and served until his death in Washington, D.C. Reinterment in the First Dutch Reformed Church Cemetery, Kingston, N.Y., May 1908.


The Evening Star, Wednesday, May 13, 1908
Gives Up Its Dead
Grave of Vice President Clinton Opened
Body To Be Sent Away
Reinterment Will Be Made at Kingston, N.Y.
Examination of the Remains
Sixteen-Ton Monument That Has Marked the Burial Spot in
   Congressional Cemetery Dismantled for Shipment

The body of George Clinton, first governor of New York, and Vice President during the administrations of Jefferson and Madison, which was taken from its grave in Congressional cemetery Monday, is now resting in the public vault in the cemetery, and will be carried to New York, May 27. The body will be reburied May 30, in Kingston, N.Y., Gov. Clinton's native town, and where he took the oath of office as first governor of the state in 1777.

A committee appointed by the legislature of New York state has been working for the removal of the body for two years. According to the regulations of the cemetery, it is necessary to obtain the permission of every living descendant before a body can be removed. This consumed several months, and only recently have letters been obtained from the sixteen living descendants granting their full permission.

The Disinterment
The disinterment was made in the presence of Benjamin M. Brink, secretary of the New York committee, and Dudley S. Bright of Washington, representing Christ Church, to which the cemetery belongs.

After taking down the sixteen-ton monument and packing it carefully for shipment to Kingston, the coffin was located seven feet below ground, and although the original oak casing had long since rotted away, the metal interior was in an excellent state of preservation.

The casket was taken to the naval hospital, at 9th street and Pennsylvania avenue southeast, where Dr. Lamb made an examination of the body. No jewelry or other articles of identification were found, but Dr. Lamb announced that the body was that of a person who had suffered from rheumatism. As Clinton's letters contain frequent allusions to his sufferings from the rheumatism, the committee was willing to accept the doctor's announcement as identification.

The body was originally wrapped in a white cloth, which was found darkened from the action of the lead of the casket and water which leaked into the coffin through a small hole. Silk stockings in a fine state of preservation were on the lower limbs.

Removal to New York

When the body is taken to New York it will be accompanied to the railway station by several troops of cavalry and other military bodies, and will be met in New York by militia and escorted from one station to the other.

Gov. Clinton died April 20, 1812. He was born in Orange county, N.Y., July 26, 1739. He was a delegate to the second Continental Congress and was elected Governor of New York in April, 1777. He was Vice President under Jefferson during his second term and continued in that office after Jefferson's retirement and while Madison was President, and died in that office.


The Evening Star, Wednesday, May 27, 1908
Honors Paid Clinton
Notable Escort Follows Body From Former Tomb
Cortege Passes Capitol
Vice President Stands Bareheaded as Casket Passes
House Adjourns in Respect
Women With Flags and Flowers Meet Procession at Union Station
Ceremonies at Grave

After resting for four years less than a century in the Congressional cemetery, in this city, the body of George Clinton, once major general in the revolutionary army, first governor of New York and a former Vice President of the United States was today removed to New York city on its way to Kingston, N.Y. for final interment.

elaborate military honors. The remains were escorted from the cemetery to the Union station by military, patriotic , civic and commercial organizations, representatives of the state of New York and descendants of Gov. Clinton.

For the first time in the history of military funerals, at the request of the War Department, women participated in the ceremonies incident to the disinterment. Gen. J. Franklin Bell, chief of staff, U.S.A., was chief marshal of the procession and the escort included a representative of the President of the United States and the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

Vice President (Charles W. Fairbanks) Stands Bareheaded
Vice President Fairbanks stood with head uncovered on the east stone stairway leading to the United States Senate as the military escort and caisson bearing the remains of Vice President Clinton passed across the Capitol plaza a few minutes before noon.

After the body has passed he glanced at his watch and hurried up the steps to call the Seante to order without waiting for the line of carriages, the G.A.R., Spanish War Veterans and Army and Navy Union delegations to pass.

The House of Representatives on motion of Mr. Sherman of New York took a recess for fifteen minutes to permit members to witness the Clinton funeral cortege as it proceeded past the Capitol.

Perhaps the most picturesque feature of the occasion was the reception of the remains at the Union station by the women's patriotic societies, including flag and flower bearers clad in white, under the direction of Mrs. Isabel Worrell Ball.

The ceremonies at Congressional cemetery, from the historic soil of which the remains of Gen. Clinton had been disinterred, were impressive.

Guard of Honor
The members of the guard of honor, comprising representatives of the Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of the Revolution, Society of the War of 1812 and the Society of Colonial Wars, began to assemble at the mortuary chapel in the cemetery at 10 o'clock this forenoon. This guard was in charge of Dr. Marcus Benjamin, assisted by Col. J.K. Stout.

It was composed of the following:

Representing the Society of Colonial Wars--W.V. Cox, Dr. H.L.E. Johnson, Dr. A.C. Peale, Lewis P. Clephane, Col. W.B. Thompson, Rev. Roland Cotton Smith, Harry O. Hall and Dr. Walter Wyman.

Sons of the American Revolution--Judge Thomas H. Anderson, Harry C. McLean, Wallace Donald McLean, Commander John H. Moore, Philip Walker and Albert A. Gore.

Sons of the Revolution--William Stone Albert, Col. Green Clay Goodloe, Col. James Morris Morgan, Francis P.B. Sands and Joseph I. Keefer.

Society of the War of 1812--Thomas Gerry Townsend, H.W. Van Dyke and Mr. Somerville.

Representing the Washington Chamber of Commerce--Robert N. Harper, president: William F. Gude, Capt. John Doyle Carmody, A. Lisner, Washington Topham and Mr. Magruder.

Services in the Chapel
A simple service was held in the chapel at 10:40 o'clock, preceding the starting of the procession. Rev. Rockwell Randall Hoes, United States Navy, delivered prayer, in which he referred to the distinguished services of the deceased as soldier, patriot, governor and Vice President of the United States. The service closed with benediction.

The bodybearers, eight stalwart members of the United States Engineers, then bore the heavy casket from the chapel and carried it through the cemetery to the main gate, where the caisson was in waiting, the remains being escorted by the guard of honor and a detail of policemen under Sergt. Montgomery.

The large military escort had in the meantime assembled upon the great field fronting the cemetery on the north, under the chief command of Maj. Gen. J. Franklin Bell, chief of staff, United States Army.

Guns Thunder Salute
As the casket and its escort passed through the main gate to the roadway beyond, Field Battery D, United States Army, thundered forth nineteen minute guns, the troops came to "present arms" in salute, the trumpeters sounded the "general's march," the Marine Band played "Nearer, My God, to Thee" and the colors saluted.

The troops had been formed in line of masses, with diminished intervals, facing south. At the command from Maj. Gen. Willaim P. Duvall, transmitted through Adjutant Gen. Alvord, to the line officers, the line was formed, and the march proceeded in the following order:

Maj. Gen. J. Franklin Bell, chief of staff, United States Army commanding,

Maj. Gen. William P. Duvall, general staff corps, United States Army, chief of staff

Lieut. Col. Benjamin Alvord, adjutant, general's department, United States Army, adjutant general.

Capt. Fried W. Sladen, general staff corps, aid-de-camp

Capt. P.D. Lochridge, general staff corps, aid-de-camp

First Lieut. F.C. McConnell, United States Marine Corps, aid-de-camp

The above-named officers of the staff reported to the commanding general at the Congressional cemetery, corner 19th and E streets southeast, at 10:15 a.m., May 27, 1908.

Col. Charles A.P. Hatfield, 13th Cavalry, United States Army; Marine Band, 17th, 44th, 47th and 104th Companies, United States Coast Artillery, four companies United States Marines, one company seamen, U.S.S. Mayflower, detachment Hospital Corps, United States Army, Batteries D and E, 3d Field Artillery, Troops, E, G and H, 13th United States Cavalry, Col. M.B. Clagett, commanding, Washington High School Cadets, and staff; Engineer Band, Regiment High School Cadets, Troop F, 13th United States Cavalry, clergy, caisson bearing the body of Vice President George Clinton, escorted by representatives of patriotic societies; descendants of Vice President Clinton and their official representative; committee from the city of Kingston, N.Y.; representative of the President of the United States, representatives of the board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, Board of Trade and Chamber of Commerce of the District of Columbia, patriotic societies and delegations of citizens.

Aged Veteran Ranks Full
The Department of the Potomac, G.A.R., Col. John S. Walker, commander, turned out with full ranks, notwithstanding their age and the oppressive heat, and were heartily, congratulated on their splendid appearance. These venerable veterans assembled at Seward place, 5th street and Pennsylvania avenue southeast, where they awaited the arrival of the parade, and then joined the line of march.

They were escorted by the Department of the District of Columbia, United Spanish War Veterans, Department Commander Edward L. Cogan in command with Past Commander-in-Chief M. Emmet Urell, Past National Judge Advocate General John Lewis Smith and other officers; also by a delegation representing the Army and Navy Union, U.S.A., comprising Capt. Thomas A. Green, G.L. Snider, C.W. Blush, Van A. Zahn, Clagett and Conrad Rupp.

The entire column of veterans by some hitch in the arrangements was assigned to the extreme left of the line, following the carriages. The failure to admit the veteran fighting men in their proper place in line caused much unfavorable comment.

There was a large assemblage on the East Capitol plaza to greet the remains and funeral pageant as it passed along to the Union station. Many representatives and senators filled the wide stairways.

The troops lined up across the plaza and the caisson, guard of honor and escort of veteran soldiers, passed through solid lines of troops--infantry, cavalry and artillery--from B street southeast, across the plaza and along Delaware avenue to the railroad station.