Clinton

/klin"tn/, n.

1. De Witt /deuh wit"/, 1769-1828, U.S. political leader and statesman: governor of New York 1817-21, 1825-28 (son of James Clinton).

2. George, 1739-1812, governor of New York 1777-95, 1801-04: vice president of the U.S. 1805-12.

3. Sir Henry, 1738?-95, commander in chief of the British forces in the American Revolutionary War.

4. Hillary Rodham, born 1947, U.S. attorney and social reformer, and politician: senator since 2001 (wife of William J. Clinton).

5. James, 1733-1812, American general in the Revolutionary War (brother of George Clinton).

6. William Jefferson (Bill), born 1946, 42nd president of the U.S. since 1993.

7. a city in E Iowa, on the Mississippi River. 32,828.

8. a city in central Maryland. 16,438.

9. a town in W Mississippi. 14,660.

10. a city in central Massachusetts. 12,771.

11. a town in S Connecticut. 11,195.

12. a male given name.

* * *

(as used in expressions)

Clinton DeWitt

Clinton George

Clinton Hillary Rodham

Clinton Sir Henry

Eastwood Clinton

Van Doren Carl Clinton and Mark

Clinton Bill

William Jefferson Clinton

* * *

▪ Iowa, United States

      city, seat (1869) of Clinton county, eastern Iowa, U.S. It lies along the Mississippi River (there bridged to Fulton and East Clinton, Illinois), about 40 miles (65 km) north-northeast of Davenport. The original settler, Joseph M. Bartlett, operated a trading store for Native Americans in the 1830s and in 1836 named the site New York. The Iowa Land Company purchased the townsite in 1855 and renamed it for DeWitt Clinton (Clinton, DeWitt), former governor of New York. Clinton annexed the town of Lyons to the north in 1895 and later added Ringwood and Chancy.

      Clinton was one of the largest sawmill centres in the country in the second half of the 19th century, but this activity ended as the lumber supply from the north diminished. Railroading, manufacturing (notably paper, plastics, and chemical products), and agriculture (particularly corn [maize] products) are now the economic mainstays. The city is the home of Clinton Community College (1946) and Mount Saint Clare College (1918). Local attractions include the George M. Curtis House, a restored Victorian mansion of one of the lumber magnates, and the Van Allen Building (1914), one of the last buildings designed by architect Louis Sullivan (Sullivan, Louis) and now a museum. Clinton Riverboat Days is held annually around July 4. Inc. 1859. Pop. (1990) 29,201; (2000) 27,772.

▪ Massachusetts, United States

      town (township), Worcester county, central Massachusetts, U.S. It lies along the south branch of the Nashua River, just north of Wachusett Reservoir, 13 miles (21 km) north of Worcester. Settled in 1654 as part of Lancaster, it was separately incorporated in 1850 and named for the statesman DeWitt Clinton. The manufacture of lace (for stagecoach windows), employing modern factory methods, was of early economic importance. In 1843 Horatio and Erastus Bigelow (Bigelow, Erastus Brigham) built a mill there for the manufacture of gingham (striped or checked cotton cloth). A few years later, the Bigelow carpet mills were also established. The town developed around these two plants, which existed until the early 1930s. Among the manufactures now produced are plastic molds, wire and cable, and electrical machinery. Commercial printing is important, as are health care and other services. Atlantic Union College (1922) is a Seventh-day Adventist institution located in nearby South Lancaster. Area 7 square miles (18 square km). Pop. (1990) 13,222; (2000) 13,435.

▪ New York, United States

      village in the town (township) of Kirkland, Oneida county, central New York, U.S. Clinton lies along Oriskany Creek, just southwest of Utica. It was settled in 1786 and named for George Clinton (Clinton, George), then governor of New York. Samuel Kirkland (Kirkland, Samuel) founded Hamilton-Oneida Academy there in 1793 as a school for Native Americans. Chartered as Hamilton College in 1812, it developed as a liberal arts college, with such notables as Ezra Pound (Pound, Ezra), Elihu Root (Root, Elihu), Josh Billings (Billings, Josh) (Henry Wheeler Shaw), Alexander Woollcott (Woollcott, Alexander), and B.F. Skinner (Skinner, B.F.) among its graduates. Inc. 1843. Pop. (1990) 2,238; (2000) 1,952.

▪ Oklahoma, United States

      city, Custer county, west-central Oklahoma, U.S., on the Washita River. It was founded in 1903 at Washita Junction after a protracted dispute over the right to purchase Indian land and was named for Judge Clinton Irwin, who had been instrumental in the city's founding.

      A processing and shipping point and retail centre for the surrounding agricultural (livestock, poultry, and grain) area, the city also has light industries, including cotton ginning and the manufacture of precision instruments, farm machinery, and draperies. The area was a proving ground for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Upstream Flood Control Program. Clinton was the home of the country's first Teen Town organization (established 1940 to provide recreation for teenagers). It is the site of the Clinton Indian Hospital (a facility of the Indian Health Service), the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum (1993), and the Mohawk Lodge Indian Store, which features artifacts from the turn of the 20th century and Indian arts and crafts supplies. The Washita National Wildlife Refuge is northeast of the city. Inc. 1909. Pop. (1990) 9,298; (2000) 8,833.

▪ county, New York, United States

      county, extreme northeastern New York state, U.S., bordered by Quebec, Can., to the north, Vermont to the east (Lake Champlain constituting the boundary), and the Ausable River to the southeast. The terrain rises from lowlands in the northeast to the Adirondack Mountains in the southwest. Other bodies of water include the Saranac, Great Chazy, Little Chazy, and Salmon rivers and Upper Chateaugay, Chazy, and Silver lakes. The major forest types are maple, birch, and beech, with stands of pine, spruce, and fir. The southwestern half of the county is occupied by Adirondack Park, which contains Ellenburg, Lyon, and Terry mountains. Other parklands include Point Au Roche, Cumberland Bay, and Macomb Reservation state parks.

      The region long was a hunting area for both Iroquois and Algonquin Indian tribes. The county was formed in 1788 and named for statesman George Clinton (Clinton, George). Plattsburgh, the county seat, was the site of the Battle of Valcour Bay (Oct. 11, 1776) during the U.S. War of Independence (American Revolution) and the Battle of Plattsburg (Sept. 11, 1814) during the War of 1812 (1812, War of). From 1815 the city supported a military facility, which is now represented by the Plattsburgh Air Force Base. The State University of New York College at Plattsburgh was founded in 1889. Dannemora is the site of Clinton State Prison. Other communities include Champlain, Rouses Point, and Beekmantown.

      The economy is based on tourism and forest-related industries. Area 1,039 square miles (2,692 square km). Pop. (2000) 79,894; (2007 est.) 82,215.

▪ county, Pennsylvania, United States

      county, north-central Pennsylvania, U.S., located on the Allegheny Plateau. It is drained mainly by the West Branch Susquehanna River, which winds in a deep valley through the centre of the county, and Sinnemahoning, Kettle, Beech, Bald Eagle, Fishing, and Pine creeks. Recreation areas include Bald Eagle and Sugar Valley mountains, five state parks, and Sproul State Forest.

      Ignoring a treaty of 1700, white squatters settled on Indian lands west of Pine Creek for more than 50 years before the Native Americans relinquished title to the land with the Second Treaty of Fort Stanwix (Fort Stanwix, Treaties of) (1784). The county was formed in 1839 and named for DeWitt Clinton (Clinton, DeWitt).

      The main communities are Lock Haven (the county seat), Mill Hall, Renovo, Avis, and Flemington. Sawmills, paper mills, and wood products have long been among the county's main economic assets. Area 891 square miles (2,307 square km). Pop. (2000) 37,914; (2007 est.) 37,213.

* * *