It has been a very long time since there was a governor of our state who came from this region. No matter who wins after we turn the levers this Tuesday, the same fact will remain.

You have to go back to 1921-23, when Nathan R. Miller, a Republican from Cortland County, served as a chief executive. Before that, there was Horatio Seymour, a Democrat from Oneida County, who served in the mid-19th century. Those from further outside the region came from Chemung and Schenectady counties, also during the 19th century.

It was between 1843 and 1845 that William C. Bouck, a Democrat, served as governor, who came from Schoharie County. The path to becoming governor was an interesting one to follow.

Home for Bouck was a farm on what was called Bouck’s Island in the town of Fulton. It has been described as where the Schoharie River divides around the acreage his ancestors had settled.

Bouck’s first elective office was town clerk at age 21 followed by two terms as town supervisor. In 1812, Gov. Daniel Tompkins appointed Bouck sheriff of Schoharie County, as those officers were so chosen at the time. Then came service to the state Legislature, first as assemblyman four times during the 1810s, and as state senator in 1820.

It was an interesting time in upstate New York, as Gov. DeWitt Clinton was first proposing the Erie and Champlain canals. Bouck was skeptical, but was one of the first to change his mind about these internal improvements and gave his full support. In 1821, Bouck was appointed to a newly created position of canal commissioner, and was assigned to oversee the western sector construction of the Erie Canal from Brockport to Buffalo.

The project hit a snag in Lockport. Construction crews encountered a barrier of rock called Western or Mountain Ridge. Bouck managed to secure engineering expertise and explosives, and it took two years for the contractors to blow through seven miles of flint and limestone. The last hurdle had been overcome to open "Clinton’s Ditch" on its way to Lake Erie.

After 19 years of an exemplary record of management for the Canal Commission, Bouck was considered as a candidate for governor.

Politics was a power game back then, as it is today. At the time, the Whig party dominated the state Legislature and for purely partisan reasons "fired" the Democrat from Schoharie County. Later that election year, the Democratic Party nominated Bouck for governor, since the politically motivated removal had added to his popularity.

Bouck lost the first attempt in 1840, but cut deeply into incumbent William H. Seward’s majority.[an error occurred while processing this directive]