Nathaniel Rochester (February 21, 1752 – May 17, 1831) was an American
Revolutionary War soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer.
Etymology
The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...
, and
land speculator
In finance, speculation is the purchase of an asset (a commodity, goods, or real estate) with the hope that it will become more valuable shortly. (It can also refer to short sales in which the speculator hopes for a decline in value.)
Many s ...
, most noted for founding the settlement which would become
Rochester, New York
Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...
.
Early life
Nathaniel Rochester was born to John and Hester Thrift Rochester in
Westmoreland County, Virginia
Westmoreland County is a county located in the Northern Neck of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 18,477. Its county seat is Montross.
History
As originally established by the Virginia colony's ...
on February 21, 1752, the fifth of six children. His father, who owned Rochester House, died in 1756. Five years later Hester married Thomas Cricher, who moved the family to
Granville County, North Carolina
Granville County is a county located on the northern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,992. Its county seat is Oxford.
Granville County encompasses Oxford, NC Micropolitan Statistical Are ...
in 1763, where Nathaniel attended the school of the Reverend Henry Pattillo.
At age 16, he found a job with a local
Hillsborough merchant, signing a two-year contract paying £5 per year. At the end of six months, his contract was revised to pay him £20 per year and Rochester would become partner in the business within five years. In his early working years, Rochester also served as clerk for the
vestry
A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government for a parish in England, Wales and some English colonies which originally met in the vestry or sacristy of the parish church, and consequently became known colloquiall ...
of St. Matthew's Parish, as a committee member for a civic organization, and, most notably, as a delegate to North Carolina's first
Provincial Congress
The Provincial Congresses were extra-legal legislative bodies established in ten of the Thirteen Colonies early in the American Revolution. Some were referred to as congresses while others used different terms for a similar type body. These bodies ...
.
Career
Military, politics, and business
In 1775, as the
Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
approached, Rochester was named to the Committee of Safety for
Orange County
Orange County most commonly refers to:
*Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Orange County may also refer to:
U.S. counties
*Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando
*Orange County, Indiana
*Orange County, New ...
, wherein, according to Rochester, his duties necessitated him to "promote revolutionary spirit among the people, provide arms and ammunition, make collections for the people of Boston, and prevent the sale of East India teas." On 20 August of that year he attended the Third Provincial Congress as a representative of Hillsborough. Rochester was appointed a
Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
in the North Carolina
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
and served as justice of the peace and
paymaster
A paymaster is someone appointed by a group of buyers, sellers, investors or lenders to receive, hold, and dispense funds, commissions, fees, salaries (remuneration) or other trade, loan, or sales proceeds within the private sector or public secto ...
of the battalion of
minutemen
Minutemen were members of the organized New England colonial militia companies trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name. Mi ...
in the district of Hillsborough. The following year, he was assigned command of two infantry and one cavalry company tasked with following Colonel James Thackston in pursuit of
Tories
A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. Th ...
marching to join the British at Wilmington. En route, his force captured five hundred Tories retreating from the
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge
The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge was a minor conflict of the American Revolutionary War fought near Wilmington (present-day Pender County), North Carolina, on February 27, 1776. The victory of the North Carolina Provincial Congress' militia ...
.
In 1776 Rochester represented Orange County in the
Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress
The Fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress was one of five extra-legal unicameral bodies that met beginning in the summer of 1774 through 1776. They were modeled after the colonial lower house (House of Commons). These congresses created a go ...
meeting at Halifax and was elevated to the rank of colonel in the
North Carolina Line
The North Carolina Line refers to North Carolina units within the Continental Army. The term "North Carolina Line" referred to the quota of infantry regiments assigned to North Carolina at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together ...
. Due to illness, however, Rochester was rendered unfit for military duty and had to resign his command. His role in politics was not affected, though, and in 1777 he was elected to the
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...
, where he served as county clerk. In addition, Rochester was appointed
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
of the North Carolina militia, and Commissioner in charge of building and managing an
arms
Arms or ARMS may refer to:
*Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body
Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to:
People
* Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader
Coat of arms or weapons
*Armaments or weapons
**Fi ...
factory
A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. T ...
in Hillsborough as well as receiving commission to supervisor the building of a new courthouse and to assist in establishing an academy in the Hillsborough area.
In 1778 Rochester resigned his positions and entered into a mercantile venture in partnership with Colonel Thomas Hart, a notable and wealthy merchant and land speculator, and James Brown. The business was successful and Rochester began to invest his earnings in real estate, a practice he continued throughout his life. With the British Army's occupation of Hillsborough imminent, Rochester moved to Philadelphia where he was almost immediately stricken with smallpox. After a lengthy convalescence he joined Hart in
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in Washington County, Maryland,
United States and the county seat of Washington County. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2020 census was 43,527, and the population of the Hagerstown metropolitan area (exten ...
where the two became partners in a flour mill, a nail and rope factory, a bank, and a farm.
Rochester remained in Maryland for thirty years, where he served one term in the
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper chamber, the Maryland Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamb ...
, and two years as
postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...
. He was elected as a judge in 1797, but recognizing that he did not have the proper legal training, resigned the post. Rochester served as
Washington County's Sheriff from 1804 to 1806, a presidential elector, and vestryman of
Saint John's Church.
In 1807, Rochester helped found the Hagerstown Bank, serving as its first president.
Land speculation
![NathanielRochesterHouseFromDansville](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/NathanielRochesterHouseFromDansville.JPG)
Two of the directors of the Hagerstown Bank, Colonel William Fitzhugh and Major Charles Carroll were, like Rochester, wealthy landowners interested in acquiring land in the new "frontier" of the U.S. In 1800, Fitzhugh and Carroll convinced Rochester to travel with them on a prospecting visit to the frontier lands of
New York State
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
, and specifically to the lands along the
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a tributary of Lake Ontario flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York in the United States.
The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides h ...
. Their first trip took them to Dansville, where Rochester purchased a combined 520 acres while Fitzhugh and Carroll purchased another 12,000 at $2 per acre.
In November, 1803, the three men returned to Western New York, this time to
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...
to make payments. Here, they were convinced by the land agent to visit the Genesee falls further north, where they found an abandoned grist and saw mill—opened in 1789—once owned by Ebenezer “Indian” Allen. The men saw a business opportunity here as any products travelling up river toward Lake Ontario would need to be unloaded here and portage fees could be charged. On November 8, 1803, the three men signed a purchase agreement for a 100-acre (0.40 km2) tract of land near the river's Upper Falls. The final payment of $1,750 was made on June 22, 1808.
Life on the Genesee
Rochester's interest in the land he now owned along the Genesee, in part, prompted him to decide to relocate his family to the river valley in May, 1810. On 10 June of that year, the family reached Dansville and established a homestead.
Rochester quickly became a leading citizen of Dansville upon his arrival, establishing numerous businesses and mills and playing an active role in the early politics of the town. So busy was his life in Dansville that he offered to sell his share of the Upper Falls tract to Major Carroll, though Carroll convinced him to keep his interest. In January, 1814, Rochester sold his property and holdings in Dansville—a grist mill, saw mill, 700 acres of land, interest in a wool carding shop, and the first paper mill in Western New York—for $24,000 and moved to
East Bloomfield in
Ontario County.
Rochesterville
![Hand Drawn Map of Rochester, 1811](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Hand_Drawn_Map_of_Rochester%2C_1811.jpg)
In 1811, Rochester began the process of establishing a town on the Upper Falls tract. He laid out streets on a gridiron pattern and established plots of land for municipal, church, and business use. Later that year, he began to offer the plots for sale: quarter-acre lots on the two main roads—Buffalo Street running east to west and leading to a
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
across the river, and Mill Street running north to south—were sold for $50, except for the northwest lot at Four Corners, which sold for $200; lots on adjoining streets were sold for $30 and buyers were required to pay a $5 deposit and build a home or business twenty-by-sixteen feet within one year in order to secure the lot. He reserved large lot on Buffalo Street for public buildings. While the settlement had previously been called The Falls or Falls Town, the three partners agreed to the name "Rochesterville." When later accused of vanity for the name Rochester quipped, "Should I call
he villageFitzhugh or Carroll, the slighted gentleman would certainly feel offended with the other; but if I called it by my own name, they would most likely be angry with me; so, it is best to call it Rochester and serve both alike."
The first settlers to arrive, on May 1, 1812, were Hamlet Scrantom and his family. Work on their cabin at Four Corners was not yet finished so the family stayed with Rochester's land agent Enos Stone, who'd been living in Allen's former mill on the east side of the river, until its completion on July 4, 1812. Next came Jehiel Barnard, arriving on September 1 and erecting the settlement's first tailor shop, which would also become its first meeting house and church. Other initial settlers included Abelard Reynolds, who established a pioneer saddlery and the village's first post office, and whose son, Mortimer, is believed, in 1814, to be the first white child born in Rochester; Silas O. Smith; Elisha and Hervey Eli; and Josiah Bissel, Jr.
The
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
helped Rochesterville grow as settlers living in
Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
and other settlement along the shore of
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
sought to move farther inland. Furthermore, numerous skirmishes and war activities were taking place throughout western New York and Rochesterville served as a waypoint for troops heading west as well as a depot for military supplies. The exposure proved advantageous for the settlement, as many people who had travelled through purchased lots or tracts in or near the village. In fact, one lot, which sold for $200 in 1811, would eventually for $11,200 in January 1817.
In 1817 Rochester served on a committee to petition the state to build what would become the
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing t ...
on a proposed northern route that included a route across the Genesee River at Rochesterville. The eventual decision by the state's government to accept this northern route became a predominant factor in the growth of the future city. In late 1817, Rochester helped petition the state for the incorporation of Rochesterville. Although the first petition failed due to opposition from neighboring jurisdictions, a second petition passed and the City of Rochester was incorporated on 21 April. The suffix -ville was dropped in 1822. Also in 1817, Rochester was part of a group which organized St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Genesee Falls, with Rochester serving as its first Senior Warden. Eventually Rochester gave land for the building of the church on Fitzhugh Street.
In 1821 Rochester played a pivotal role in the creation of
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe:
* Monroe County, Alabama
*Monroe County, Arkansas
* Monroe County, Florida
* Monroe County, Georgia
*Monroe County, Illinois
*Monroe County, Indian ...
, which Rochester named after President
James Monroe
James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...
. When the county was officially formed, Rochester became its first county clerk and was elected as the county's first representative to the
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits.
The Assem ...
.
Later years
Rochester remained an active participant in the growth of the town and county he founded, playing many pivotal roles in the development of its economy and status. He played an active role in politics, helped found churches and banks, and served as the first president of the Rochester Athenænum (which would later become
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private university, private research university in the town of Henrietta, New York, Henrietta in the Rochester, New York, metropolitan area. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degree ...
).
During the last two years of his life, Rochester made few public appearances, but rather spent most of his time with his now rather large family, including his 28 grandchildren still living at the Colonel's 79th birthday.
Suffering from a protracted and painful illness, Rochester died May 17, 1831. He was interred at
Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester.
Personal life
In 1788, he married Sophia Beatty (1768–1845) in Hagerstown, Maryland, and they had twelve children, among them Judge and Congressman
William B. Rochester and Mayor
Thomas H. Rochester.
Legacy
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private university, private research university in the town of Henrietta, New York, Henrietta in the Rochester, New York, metropolitan area. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degree ...
has a dormitory named Nathaniel Rochester Hall, the third tallest of the campus' four dormitory towers. Nathaniel Square Park, at the intersection of South Avenue and Alexander Street in the
South Wedge neighborhood is home to a statue of Nathaniel Rochester sitting on a bench, sculpted by Pepsy Kettavong. There is also a school in the city of Rochester named Nathaniel Rochester Community School (School No. 3).
Slavery
A 1790 account book, purchased from Rochester's descendants by the
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees.
The University of Roc ...
's
Rush Rhees Library, uncovered Nathaniel Rochester's involvement in the slave trade. The ledger shows the purchase and subsequent sale of human beings by Rochester and his partners in that year, though it is unknown to what extent he participated in the slave trade in other years.
When Rochester, Fitzhugh, and Carroll made their initial journey to the Genesee Country in September 1800 there were accompanied by at least one slave; and when Rochester moved from Hagerstown to Dansville in 1810 he brought with him about half a dozen slaves.
According to an 1811 document, Rochester did free two of his slaves. A document of manumission states: "... by those present doth manumit and make free from slavery my Negro Slave named Benjamin about sixteen years old and my Negro Slave Casandra about fourteen years old." Another document shows that, on the same day, another slave, Casandra was made an indentured servant who would learn to read and write and also "the art and mystery of a Cook," "until the said apprentice shall accomplish her full age of eighteen years."
References
Sources
*
*
*
External links
*
North Carolina Historical MarkerSheriff Nathaniel Rochester's Records, Washington County, 1804-1806Western Maryland Regional Library.
Hagerstown Bank collectionat the University of Maryland Libraries.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rochester, Nathaniel
Politicians from Rochester, New York
Burials at Mount Hope Cemetery (Rochester)
1752 births
1831 deaths
People from Hagerstown, Maryland
Genesee River
Members of the New York State Assembly
1816 United States presidential electors
Military personnel from Rochester, New York
Members of the North Carolina General Assembly
Members of the Maryland General Assembly
American slave owners
Maryland postmasters
People from Westmoreland County, Virginia
People from Granville County, North Carolina