William B. Rochester

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

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). Mayor Thomas H. Rochester was his brother.

He attended the public schools and graduated from Charlotte Hall Military Academy. 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. 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.

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. He later served as president of the Bank of Pensacola, Florida and a director of the Alabama and Florida Railroad.

Personal life In 1812, he married his first wife Harriet Irwin (d. 1815), and their son was:

Nathaniel Montgomery Rochester (1813–1823).

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

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

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

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:

Eliza Hatch Rochester (1833–1868), who married Augus B. Fitch George William Rochester (1835–1837).

Rochester died in the steamship Pulaski disaster off the coast of North Carolina on June 14, 1838.