Even the Bucktails did not oust him when they were struggling with his first cousin DeWitt Clinton.
The office was at first mostly occupied with surveying the uncharted area of the State and issuing official maps.
In 1817, the Surveyor General became a member of 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.
From 1877 on, the Governor served a three-year term, while the State Engineer continued to be elected for two years.