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 Clinton County Organization

Clinton County was erected from Washington, March 7, 1788, and the act of incorporation described the boundaries as follows: All that part of the State bounded northerly by the north bounds of this State, easterly by the county of Gloucester, southerly by the county of Washington, and westerly by the easterly line of Montgomery, which is the line of the county of Albany that runs north from the Mohawk River, continued to the north bounds of the State."

Until 1790 New York claimed the territory lying on both sides of Lake Champlain, and the county of Gloucester, referred to above, was in that State. By an act dated Oct. 7, 1790, the territory on the east side of the lake, including numerous islands, was ceded to Vermont, and in 1812 the boundary between the two States was finally settled by a commission consisting of delegates from each State. The New York delegates were Smith Thompson, Simeon De Witt, and George Tibbitts.

Essex was set off from Clinton, March 1, 1799, and on the 3rd of April, 1799, the western boundary of Clinton was extended to the St. Lawrence River, and embraced a large portion of the present county of St. Lawrence. The annexed territory was described as follows: " All that part of this State bounded southerly by the county of Essex and Totten and Crossfield's purchase; easterly by the east bounds of this State; northerly by the north bounds of this State; and westerly by the west bounds of this State, and the division line between great lots No. 3 and No. 4, of Macomb's purchase, continued to the west bounds of the State."

St. Lawrence was organized March 3, 1802, and Franklin was set off from Clinton, March 11, 1808.

Clinton County, as at first organized, consisted of four subdivisions, viz., Champlain, Plattsburgh, Willsborough, and Crown Point.

The county embraces at present fourteen towns

Altona, formed from Chazy, Dec. 2, 1857.

Ausable, formed from Peru, March 29, 1839.

Beekmantown, formed from Plattsburgh, Feb. 25, 1820.

Black Brook, formed from Peru, March 29, 1839.

Champlain (original town), formed March 7, 1788.

Chazy, formed from Champlain, March 20, 1804.

Clinton, formed from Ellenburgh, May 14, 1845.

Dannemora, formed from Beekmantown, Dec. 14, 1854.

Ellenburgh, formed from Mooers, April 17, 1830.

Mooers, formed from Champlain, March 20, 1804.

Peru, formed from Plattsburgh and Willsborough (Essex Co.), Dec. 28, 1792.

Plattsburgh (original town), organized April 4, 1785.

Saranac, formed from Plattsburgh, March 29, 1804.

Schuyler Falls, formed from Plattsburgh, April 4, 1848.

The first County Officials

Judge, Charles Piatt, appointed 1788
Surrogate, Theodorus Piatt, appointed March 7, 1788
Clerk, Melaneton L. Woolsey, appointed March 7, 1788
Sheriff, Benjamin Mooers, appointed March 7, 1788
District Attorney, John Palmer, appointed June 11, 1818
Treasurer, Benjamin Mooers, appointed March 7, 1788
Deputy Sheriffs, Abraham Bemam, Stephen Taylor, and Zacheus Peaslee
Coroners, John Fontfreyde and John Stewart
Associate Justices Peter Sailly, William McAuley, Pliny Moore, and Robert Cochran
Deputy Clerk, Kinner Newcomb
Justices of the Peace, Charles Piatt, Theodorus Piatt, William McAuley, Pliny Moore, Murdoch McPherson, William Beaumont, George Tremble, Robert Cochran, and Charles Hay

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