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William Beatty Rochester was born in Hagerstown, Maryland on January 29, 1789, the eldest son of Nathaniel and Sophia (Beatty) Rochester. He attended the public schools and graduated from Charlotte Hall, St. Mary's County Maryland. He studied law with his uncle, Judge Adam Beatty and with Henry Clay in Lexington, Kentucky, was admitted to the bar, and began to practice law in Bath, N.Y.

In 1812 he married his first wife, Harriet Irwin, who died on January 27, 1815. From this marriage they had one child, Nathaniel Montgomery Rochester, born September 21, 1813 and died on February 28, 1823.

"William B. Rochester married his second wife, Amanda Hopkins on January 31, 1816. She lived until January 16, 1831, and they had five children. James Hervey Rochester (1819-1860); Harriet Louisa Rochester (1821-1854); Sophia Elizabeth Rochester (1823-1824); William Beatty Rochester (1826-1909) and Nathaniel Elie Rochester (1829-1833).

He married his third wife, Eliza Powers (1800-1885) on April 9, 1832. They had two children, Eliza Hatch Rochester (1833-1868) and George William Rochester (1835-1837).

From 1816 until 1818, he represented Steuben County in the New York State Assembly and was elected to serve the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Congresses, from March 4, 1821 until his resignation in 1823.

In April of 1823, he became a State circuit judge for the eighth circuit until his resignation in 1826 due to his acceptance of the "Bucktail" (Democratic) nomination for New York State governor. He accepted the nomination in opposition to Dewitt Clinton and Martin Van Buren, who was an avowed Jacksonian. His bid for governorship failed, losing by only a small majority.

In 1826, he was secretary to special Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Columbia, Central America. In 1827 he was commissioned by Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams, to be Charge D'Affaires to Central America. His duties were to observe the civil war in Central America, report on the development of governments, observe European actions in the region and in particular the actions of Mexico, Peru and Columbia in Central America. He was ordered home in May of 1828, due to increased violence in the area.

That same year, 1828, a branch of the Bank of the United States opened in Buffalo, New York. He was appointed president of this branch by Nicholas Biddle and served until 1836. In 1837 and 1838 he was appointed president of the Bank of Pensacola, Florida and director of the Alabama and Florida Railroad Company. He spent the winter of 1837 - 1838 in Florida, and was lost in the wreck of the steam packet Pulaski off the coast of North Carolina, on her passage from Charleston to Baltimore on June 15, 1838."

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Biography and Citation Information:
Biography: 
William Beatty Rochester was born in Hagerstown, Maryland on January 29, 1789, the eldest son of Nathaniel and Sophia (Beatty) Rochester. He attended the public schools and graduated from Charlotte Hall, St. Mary's County Maryland. He studied law with his uncle, Judge Adam Beatty and with Henry Clay in Lexington, Kentucky, was admitted to the bar, and began to practice law in Bath, N.Y. In 1812 he married his first wife, Harriet Irwin, who died on January 27, 1815. From this marriage they had one child, Nathaniel Montgomery Rochester, born September 21, 1813 and died on February 28, 1823. "William B. Rochester married his second wife, Amanda Hopkins on January 31, 1816. She lived until January 16, 1831, and they had five children. James Hervey Rochester (1819-1860); Harriet Louisa Rochester (1821-1854); Sophia Elizabeth Rochester (1823-1824); William Beatty Rochester (1826-1909) and Nathaniel Elie Rochester (1829-1833). He married his third wife, Eliza Powers (1800-1885) on April 9, 1832. They had two children, Eliza Hatch Rochester (1833-1868) and George William Rochester (1835-1837). From 1816 until 1818, he represented Steuben County in the New York State Assembly and was elected to serve the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Congresses, from March 4, 1821 until his resignation in 1823. In April of 1823, he became a State circuit judge for the eighth circuit until his resignation in 1826 due to his acceptance of the "Bucktail" (Democratic) nomination for New York State governor. He accepted the nomination in opposition to Dewitt Clinton and Martin Van Buren, who was an avowed Jacksonian. His bid for governorship failed, losing by only a small majority. In 1826, he was secretary to special Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Columbia, Central America. In 1827 he was commissioned by Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams, to be Charge D'Affaires to Central America. His duties were to observe the civil war in Central America, report on the development of governments, observe European actions in the region and in particular the actions of Mexico, Peru and Columbia in Central America. He was ordered home in May of 1828, due to increased violence in the area. That same year, 1828, a branch of the Bank of the United States opened in Buffalo, New York. He was appointed president of this branch by Nicholas Biddle and served until 1836. In 1837 and 1838 he was appointed president of the Bank of Pensacola, Florida and director of the Alabama and Florida Railroad Company. He spent the winter of 1837 - 1838 in Florida, and was lost in the wreck of the steam packet Pulaski off the coast of North Carolina, on her passage from Charleston to Baltimore on June 15, 1838."
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://rbscp.lib.rochester.edu/1111
Title of Webpage: 
University of Rochester Rare Books and Special Collections
Website Viewing Date: 
Friday, December 9, 2016 - 14:45
Website's Last Modified Date: 
Friday, December 9, 2016 - 14:45
Citation for Birth Info:
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://rbscp.lib.rochester.edu/1111
Title of Webpage: 
University of Rochester Rare Books and Special Collections
Website Viewing Date: 
Friday, December 9, 2016 - 14:45
Website Last Modified Date: 
Friday, December 9, 2016 - 14:45
Citation for Death Info:
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://rbscp.lib.rochester.edu/1111
Title of Webpage: 
University of Rochester Rare Books and Special Collections
Website Viewing Date: 
Friday, December 9, 2016 - 14:45
Website Last Modified Date: 
Friday, December 9, 2016 - 14:45