Simeon DeWitt was born December 25, 1756
in Wawarsing, Ulster County, New York and died December
3, 1834 in Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. He was the
Geographer and Surveyor General of the Continental Army
during the American Revolution and Surveyor General of
the State of New York for years from 1784 until his death.
Simeon was one of 14 children of Physician
Dr. Andries DeWitt and Jannetje Vernooy DeWitt. He was
the only graduate in the class of 1776 at Queens College
(now Rutgers College of Rutgers University in New Brunswick,
New Jersey). After the capture of New Brunswick by the
British during the war, DeWitt fled to New York City where
he joined the Revolutionary Army.
In 1780, DeWitt was appointed to his post
as Geographer and Surveyor of the Army and in 1784 he
was appointed New York State Surveyor General where he
died in office 50 years later. Although he was a first
cousin of DeWitt Clinton and a Democratic-Republican,
he was never removed from office. Both Federalists and
Bucktails recognized his outstanding qualification for
the office. Form 1810 to 1816 he was a member of the first
Erie Canal Commission.
DeWitt was married three times. In 1789
he married Elizabeth Lynott (1767-1793, daughter of Thomas
and Elizabeth VanValkenburgh Lynott), and they had two
children. In 1799 he married Jane Varick Hardenbergh (died
1808, widow of Abraham Hardenbergh (1756-1794) and sister
of Richard Varick). Their son Richard Varick DeWitt became
a prominent civil engineer.) His third marriage was to
Susan Linn
NOTE:Death notice for DeWitt was published in The Troy
Daily Whig on December 10, 1834.