Founded in 1801, the town of Clinton was originally named Burrville, in honor of Aaron Burr, first term Vice President under Thomas Jefferson. Burrville was selected, and land was partitioned for a courthouse, thus being designated as the county seat for the newly formed Anderson County, Tennessee, after being partitioned from Knox County in 1801 along with neighboring Roane County, Tennessee. On November 8, 1809, by Tennessee State Legislature, the town was renamed because of the disgrace of the Burr-Hamilton duel, which resulted in the death of Alexander Hamilton. The selection of the name Clinton was most likely to honor George Clinton (vice president)George Clinton, a New York political rival who, along with Alexander Hamilton, destroyed Burr's chance at Governor of the state of New York after his single-term Vice Presidency. George Clinton succeeded Burr as second term Vice President for Thomas Jefferson in 1805 (and also served as James Madison's Vice President, making Clinton the first Vice President to serve under two Presidents and the first Vice President to die in office). Essentially, the town name was changed from the former Vice President to the current Vice President at that time. In 1956, Clinton gained national attention when segregationists opposed the desegregation of Clinton High School, TennesseeClinton High School. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton%2C_Tennessee