The New York State Engineer and Surveyor was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 between 1848 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith

Al Smith

Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...

, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Public Works which was absorbed in 1967 by the New York State Department of Transportation

New York State Department of Transportation

The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...

.

History

The office was established as Surveyor General in 1781.

Until 1822, the Surveyor General was appointed by the Council of Appointment

Council of Appointment

The Council of Appointment was a body of the Government of New York that existed from 1777 to 1822.-History:...

 for an indefinite term. The second holder of the office, Simeon De Witt

Simeon De Witt

Simeon De Witt was Geographer and Surveyor General of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and Surveyor General of the State of New York for the fifty years from 1784 until his death.-Life:He was one of fourteen children of physician Dr...

, was considered the most qualified person for the office, and was re-appointed without regard to party politics. Even the Bucktails

Bucktails

The Bucktails may refer to one of two organizations that were particularly characterized and identified by the wearing of a bucktail in their headgear....

 did not oust him when they were struggling with his first cousin DeWitt Clinton

DeWitt Clinton

DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...

. The office was at first mostly occupied with surveying

Surveying

See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...

 the uncharted area of the State and issuing official maps. In 1817, the Surveyor General became a member of the Erie Canal Commission

Erie Canal Commission

The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...

.

From 1823 to 1845, the Surveyor General was elected by joint ballot of the New York State Legislature for a term of three years. Simeon De Witt was re-elected in 1823, 1826, 1829 and 1832, and died in office in 1834.

The Constitution of 1846 renamed the office as State Engineer and Surveyor, and the office's major concern was to be the supervision of the maintenance and enlargement of the Canal network. The candidates were required to be practical engineers.

From 1847 on, the State Engineer and the other state cabinet officers were elected by the voters at the state elections in November in odd years to a two-year term, so that, until 1877, they served in the second half of the term of the governor in office and the first half of the term of the succeeding governor, since the governors at the time were elected to a two-year term in even years. From 1877 on, the Governor served a three-year term, while the State Engineer continued to be elected for two years. The State Engineer elected in 1895 received an additional year and served a three-year term, and from 1898 on, the State Engineer and other state officers were elected in even years to a two-year term at the same time as the Governor, and they served concurrently.

Surveyors General

Name	Took office	Left office	Party	Notes
Philip Schuyler Philip Schuyler Philip John Schuyler was a general in the American Revolution and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.-Early life:...	March 30, 1781	May 13, 1784
Simeon De Witt Simeon De Witt Simeon De Witt was Geographer and Surveyor General of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and Surveyor General of the State of New York for the fifty years from 1784 until his death.-Life:He was one of fourteen children of physician Dr...	May 13, 1784	December 3, 1834	Democratic-Republican/Clintonian	died in office after 50 years os service, re-appointed and re-elected several times
William Campbell William Campbell (NY surveyor) For other persons with a similar name see William Campbell William Campbell was an American physician, merchant, surveyor and politician from New York.-Life:...	January 20, 1835	February 5, 1838	Democratic
Orville L. Holley Orville L. Holley Orville Luther Holley was an American writer, newspaper editor, historian and politician.-Life:...	February 5, 1838	February 7, 1842	Whig	re-elected to a second term in 1841, but in 1842 all state officers were removed by Dem. legislature
Nathaniel Jones Nathaniel Jones (representative) Nathaniel Jones was an American banker and politician from New York.-Life:...	February 7, 1842	February 3, 1845	Democratic
Hugh Halsey Hugh Halsey Hugh Halsey was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of Dr. Stephen Halsey, Jr., and Hamutal Howell Halsey . He graduated from Yale College...	February 3, 1845	December 31, 1847	Democratic	office abolished by Constitution of 1846, and replaced with State Engineer and Surveyor

Engineers and Surveyors

Name	Took office	Left office	Party	Notes
Charles B. Stuart Charles B. Stuart Charles Beebe Stuart was an American engineer, United States Navy and Union Army officer and politician.-Biography:...	January 1, 1848	December 31, 1849	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
Hezekiah C. Seymour Hezekiah C. Seymour Hezekiah C. Seymour was an American civil engineer and politician.-Life:From 1835 to 1849, he worked for the New York and Erie Railroad, first as engineer, later becoming General Superintendent....	January 1, 1850	December 31, 1851	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
William J. McAlpine William J. McAlpine William Jarvis McAlpine was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:...	January 1, 1852	August 1, 1853	Democratic	resigned
Wheeler H. Bristol Wheeler H. Bristol Wheeler H. Bristol was an American engineer, railroad executive and politician.-Life:...	September 21, 1853	1853	Democratic	appointed to fill unexpired term, ran for the office at the State election in November, was defeated, and resigned
Henry Ramsay Henry Ramsay (NY engineer) Henry Ramsay was an American civil engineer and for a short time New York State Engineer and Surveyor in 1853.-Life:...	December 10, 1853	December 31, 1853		appointed to fill unexpired term
John T. Clark John T. Clark For other people with a similar name see John ClarkJohn T. Clark was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:He lived at Utica, Oneida County, New York....	January 1, 1854	December 31, 1855	Whig Whig Party (United States) The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
Silas Seymour Silas Seymour Silas Seymour was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:...	January 1, 1856	December 31, 1857	American Know Nothing The Know Nothing was a movement by the nativist American political faction of the 1840s and 1850s. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to Anglo-Saxon Protestant values and controlled by...
Van Rensselaer Richmond Van Rensselaer Richmond Van Rensselaer Richmond was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:...	January 1, 1858	December 31, 1861	Democratic	two terms
William B. Taylor	January 1, 1862	December 31, 1865	Union National Union Party (United States) The National Union Party was the name used by the Republican Party for the national ticket in the 1864 presidential election, held during the Civil War. State Republican parties did not usually change their name....	two terms
J. Platt Goodsell	January 1, 1866	December 31, 1867	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Van Rensselaer Richmond Van Rensselaer Richmond Van Rensselaer Richmond was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:...	January 1, 1868	December 31, 1871	Democratic	two terms
William B. Taylor	January 1, 1872	December 31, 1873	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Sylvanus H. Sweet Sylvanus H. Sweet Sylvanus Howe Sweet was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1874 to 1875.-Life:...	January 1, 1874	December 31, 1875	Democratic
John D. Van Buren, Jr. John D. Van Buren, Jr. John Dash Van Buren, Jr. was an American civil engineer, naval engineer, lawyer and politician from New York...	January 1, 1876	December 31, 1877	Democratic
Horatio Seymour, Jr. Horatio Seymour, Jr. Horatio Seymour, Jr. was an American civil engineer, surveyor and politician from New York.-Life:...	January 1, 1878	December 31, 1881	Democratic	two terms
Silas Seymour Silas Seymour Silas Seymour was an American civil engineer and politician from New York.-Life:...	January 1, 1882	December 31, 1883	Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Elnathan Sweet Elnathan Sweet Elnathan Sweet was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1884 to 1887.-Life:...	January 1, 1884	December 31, 1887	Democratic	two terms
John Bogart John Bogart John Bogart was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1888 to 1891.-Life:...	January 1, 1888	December 31, 1891	Democratic	two terms
Martin Schenck Martin Schenck ::The article is about Martin Schenck . For Martin Schenck , see Martin Schenck von Nydeggen.Martin Schenck was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1892 to 1893.-Life:He graduated C.E...	January 1, 1892	December 31, 1893	Democratic
Campbell W. Adams Campbell W. Adams Campbell W. Adams was an American civil engineer, surveyor and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1894 to 1898.-Life:...	January 1, 1894	December 31, 1898	Republican	two terms (1894-95, 1896-98)
Edward A. Bond Edward A. Bond Edward Austin Bond was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1899 to 1904.-Life:...	January 1, 1899	May 1, 1904	Republican	resigned during his third term
Henry A. Van Alstyne Henry A. Van Alstyne Henry Arthur Van Alstyne was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1904 to 1906.-Life:...	May 10, 1904	December 31, 1906	Republican	appointed to fill unexpired term, then re-elected
Frederick Skene Frederick Skene Frederick Skene was an American civil engineer and politician from New York...	January 1, 1907	December 31, 1908	Dem./Ind. League
Frank M. Williams Frank M. Williams Frank Martin Williams was an American lawyer, civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1909 to 1910, and from 1915 to 1922.-Life:He graduated from Colgate University in 1895...	January 1, 1909	December 31, 1910	Republican
John A. Bensel John A. Bensel John Anderson Bensel was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was President of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1910. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1911 to 1914.-Biography:...	January 1, 1911	December 31, 1914	Democratic	two terms
Frank M. Williams Frank M. Williams Frank Martin Williams was an American lawyer, civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1909 to 1910, and from 1915 to 1922.-Life:He graduated from Colgate University in 1895...	January 1, 1915	December 31, 1922	Republican	four terms
Dwight B. LaDu Dwight B. LaDu Dwight B. LaDu was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1923 to 1924.-Life:...	January 1, 1923	December 31, 1924	Democratic
Roy G. Finch Roy G. Finch Roy G. Finch was an American civil engineer and politician from New York. He was the last New York State Engineer and Surveyor, in office from 1925 to 1926.-Life:...	January 1, 1925	December 31, 1926	Republican	last State Engineer and Surveyor, office merged into Department of Public Works