CLINTON

clinton, a village of oneida county, new york, u.s.a., on the oriskany creek, about 9 m. s.w. of utica. pop. (1890) 1269; (1900) 1340; (1905) 1315; (1910) 1236. it is served by the new york, ontario & western railway, and is connected with utica by an electric line. several fine mineral springs in the vicinity have given clinton some reputation as a health resort. there are iron mines, blast furnaces, and iron smelters. clinton is the seat of hamilton college (non-sectarian), which was opened as the hamilton oneida academy in 1798, and was chartered under its present name in 1812. it was founded by the rev. samuel kirkland (1741-1808), a missionary among the oneida indians; its corner-stone was laid by baron steuben; its shade trees were furnished by thomas jefferson; and its name was received from alexander hamilton, one of its early trustees. it had in 1907-1908 20 instructors, 178 students, and a library of 47,000 volumes and 30,000 pamphlets. at clinton are also excellent minor schools. litchfield observatory is connected with the college, and was long in charge of the well-known astronomer, christian h. f. peters (1813-1890), who discovered here more than 40 asteroids and made extensive investigations concerning comets. the village was settled about 1786 by pioneers from new england, was named in honour of george clinton, and was incorporated in 1842.