Nathaniel Rochester - Military, Politics, and Business

Military, Politics, and Business

Hailed as a leader in local political circles, Rochester was appointed a Major in the North Carolina militia and served as a paymaster. He suffered a physical breakdown (likely exhaustion), however, and was forced to resign from the service.

Once recovered, Rochester returned to Hillsborough and was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly of 1777, where he served as county clerk. Also that year, Rochester was appointed Colonel of the North Carolina militia, and Commissioner in charge of building and managing an arms factory in Hillsborough. Once again, Rochester resigned from most of his duties (including vacating his Assembly seat) and entered into a business partnership with Thomas Hart, a notable and wealthy merchant and land speculator.

Rochester and Hart relocated to Hagerstown, Maryland in 1780, taking up an estate on the southern edge of the town. He served on the vestry of Saint John's Church. Here he married Sophia Beatty in 1788, and they had twelve children, among them Judge and Congressman William B. Rochester and Mayor Thomas H. Rochester.

Hart and Rochester owned and operated numerous businesses during their time in Hagerstown, including a slavery-dependent business, grist mill, nail and rope factory. Nathaniel Rochester was an early trucker taking wagon loads of goods up into New York State, where he located the land he bought that became Rochester. Although the partnership dissolved in 1792, Rochester continued to operate the mill.

Rochester served one term in the Maryland General Assembly, and two years as postmaster. He was elected as a judge in 1797, but recognizing that he did not have the proper legal training, resigned the post. He served as Washington County's Sheriff from 1804 to 1806.

In 1807, Rochester helped found the Hagerstown Bank, serving as its first president.