Dictionary.net

A famous American lawyer and statesman; born at Little Britain, N. Y., March 2, 1769; died at Albany, N. Y., Feb. 11, 1828. He was United States Senator from New York (1802); mayor of New York city (1803-7, 1809-10, 1811-15); lieutenant-governor (1811-13); candidate for President (1812); governor (1817-23, 1825-28). He was the chief originator of the Erie Canal (1817-25). Besides purely political works, addresses, etc., he wrote: "Antiquities of Western New York"; "Natural History and Internal Revenues of New York"; etc.