William Beatty Rochester (January 29, 1789 Hagerstown, Maryland – June 14, 1838) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.^[1]

Early life

Rochester was the first child of Col. Nathaniel Rochester (1752–1831), founder of the City of Rochester, New York, and Sophia (née Beatty) Rochester (1768–1845).^[2] Mayor Thomas H. Rochester was his brother.^[3]

He attended the public schools and graduated from Charlotte Hall Military Academy.^[1]

Career

During the War of 1812, Rochester was an aide-de-camp to Gen. George McClure. After the war, he studied law with his uncle Judge Adam Beatty and with Henry Clay, was admitted to the bar, and began practice in Bath, New York. Later, he removed to Angelica, New York.

Rochester was a member of the New York State Assembly (Allegany and Steuben Co.) in 1816-17 and 1818. Rochester was a presidential elector in 1820, voting for James Monroe and Daniel D. Tompkins.^[1]

Rochester was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 17th, and re-elected as a Crawford Democratic-Republican to the 18th United States Congress, holding office from December 3, 1821, until 1823. He was appointed as Judge of the Eight Circuit Court on April 21, 1823, and resigned from the House of Representatives.^[4] He resigned from the bench to run on the Bucktails ticket for Governor of New York in 1826, but was narrowly defeated by DeWitt Clinton.^[1]

He was Secretary to the Special Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Colombia in 1826, and Chargé d'affaires to Central America in 1827–28.^[5] He was appointed Chargé d'Affaires of Guatemala on March 3, 1827, and was commissioned to the Republic of Central America. He reached Central America, but returned to the United States without presenting credentials.^[5][6]

Later career

In 1828, he was appointed by Nicholas Biddle as president of the branch of the Second Bank of the United States at Buffalo, New York, remaining there until 1836.^[1] He later served as president of the Bank of Pensacola, Florida and a director of the Alabama and Florida Railroad.^[1]

Personal life

In 1812, he married his first wife Harriet Irwin (d. 1815), and their son was:^[2]

• Nathaniel Montgomery Rochester (1813–1823).^[2]

On January 31, 1816, he married his second wife Amanda Hopkins (1799–1831), and their children were:^[2]

• James Hervey Rochester (1819–1860), who married Evelina Throop Martin (1822–1907), a niece of Gov. Enos T. Throop^[2]
• Harriet Louisa Rochester (1821–1854), who married Hugh L. Bull^[2]
• Sophia Elizabeth Rochester (1823–1824)^[2]

• William Beatty Rochester, Jr. (1826–1909), a brigadier general of the United States Army^[2]
• Nathaniel Elie Rochester (1829–1833).^[2]

On April 9, 1832, he married his third wife Eliza (née Hatch) Powers (1800–1885), a half-sister of Gov. Enos T. Throop and the widow of U.S. Rep. Gershom Powers. Together, William and Eliza were the parents of:^[2]

• Eliza Hatch Rochester (1833–1868), who married Augus B. Fitch^[2]
• George William Rochester (1835–1837).^[2]

Rochester died in the wreck of the steamer Pulaski off the coast of North Carolina on June 14, 1838.^[1]