Fifty years of tenure as the Surveyor General of New York defined the professional life of Simeon De Witt, who began his career mapping the American Revolutionary War. Born in 1756 in Wawarsing, he graduated as the sole member of his class from Rutgers University in 1776 before providing essential cartographic services to the Continental Army.
Military and Early Mapping
Trained by James Clinton, De Witt joined the Revolutionary Army in 1778. He served as an assistant to Colonel Robert Erskine and assumed the role of Geographer and Surveyor General of the Continental Army following Erskine's death in 1780. Although he proposed a national mapping project to the Continental Congress after the war, the initiative failed to gain support.
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Appointed Surveyor General of New York in 1784, De Witt held the position until his death in 1834. His 1802 map of New York set a benchmark for American cartography. In 1807, he served on a three-man commission that created the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, which established the rectilinear gridiron layout for Manhattan’s streets. He also designed similar street grids in Albany and Ithaca.
Civic and Educational Roles
Beyond his surveying duties, De Witt served as a member of the first Erie Canal Commission from 1810 to 1816, providing surveys critical to the canal's eventual construction. A member of the American Philosophical Society, he later became a Regent of the University of the State of New York in 1798 and served as its Chancellor from 1829 until 1834.
Fast facts
- Born: 1756, Wawarsing
- Died: 1834, Ithaca
- Education: Rutgers University, class of 1776
- Role: Surveyor General of New York (1784-1834)
- Professional Membership: American Philosophical Society
- Key Mapping Work: Commissioners' Plan of 1811
Questions readers ask
Did Simeon De Witt have a role in the Land Ordinance of 1785?
No, despite some historical claims to the contrary, he had no involvement in that legislation.
How was De Witt compensated for his work on the 1811 Manhattan street commission?
He was paid $4 per day, making him the only commissioner to accept payment, as the other two members waived their fees.
Achievements
- Recorded as cartographer and surveyor