sentence: dewitt clinton ( 1769 -- 1828 ) , unsuccessful u.s. presidential candidate 1812 ; u.s . senator from new york ; seventh and ninth governor of new york william j. coombs ( 1833 -- 1922 ) , u.s. congressman from brooklyn george h. cooper ( 1821 -- 1891 ) , united states navy rear admiral peter cooper ( 1791 -- 1883 ) , inventor , manufacturer , abolitionist , founder of cooper union james creighton , jr . ( 1841 -- 1862 ) , first pitcher to throw a fastball edwin pearce christy ( 1815 -- 1862 ) , minstrel , known for performing the stephen foster song '' old folks at home '' ( aka '' swanee river '' ) .