William Wadsworth (1765 in Durham, Connecticut – 15 February 1833 in Geneseo, New York) was an officer in the New York State militia, before and during the War of 1812. As a Brigadier General, he commanded the New York militia contingent in the American army at the Battle of Queenston Heights. He waived his right to command over Lieutenant Colonel Winfield Scott, of the United States Army. During the battle, he faced the enemy at all times so he would not be shot in the back and appear to be cowardly. Waving his sword and swearing at the troops back across the river, hoping to instill the fighting spirit in them, he made a genuine but vain attempt to get the militia to cross and reinforce their position.
At the end of the battle, Wadsworth was taken prisoner when the American force, cut off on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, surrendered to avoid a massacre by Indians under John Brant attached to the British force.
Family
William Wadsworth was a scion of the prominent Wadsworth family of Connecticut. He was a sixth generation descendant of William Wadsworth (1595–1675), who was one of the Founders of Hartford, Connecticut. In 1790, with his charismatic brother James Wadsworth, he moved from Connecticut to the Genesee Valley of Western New York State.
Settling in "Big Tree" on June 9, 1790, on the east bank of the Genesee River, William and his brother went from the leading pioneers of this unsettled region to one of its largest wealthiest land holders. As the settlement in the area increased, William was elected Town supervisor for 21 years. Before and during his tenure, William created and took charge of the area's local militia and eventually took command of the Genesee Valley militia. By the time hostilities broke out between the U.S. and Great Britain in 1812, William Wadsworth was promoted to brigadier general.
William never married and history records no known children.
Visit from the Duke
Despite the fact William and his brother were now by any standard wealthy, they were living in their first log cabin when, in the summer of 1795, the Duke François Alexandre Frédéric, duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt arrived from Canawaugus, New York, with his entourage of a young Englishman, servants and a poodle named Cartouche. The duke, who had letters of introduction to "those great American Landlords, Messrs. James and William Wadsworth", was somewhat taken aback by their manorial dwelling. He described it in his memoirs as "a small log house as dirty as any I have ever seen" It was cluttered with stores of all kinds and live chickens. The duke says, "It stank so I could hardly bear it." The duke's dog apparently ate one of Wadsworth's chickens and his servant Jenny told that "eminent nobleman" what she thought of him and his dog. William's hospitality extended him an invitation to "stay for a week," which was hastily declined. The duke stayed the night, but William could not see them off properly, as Captain, he had to attend to the muster of militia early the following morning. The duke left that day for Buffalo and continued on his "Grand Tour" into Canada.
Treaty of Big Tree
Between August 20, 1797 and September 16, 1797, William Wadsworth hosted the United States delegation for the Treaty of Big Tree in his log cabin and new cobblestone house. A meadow between the Wadsworths' cabin at Big Tree and the gigantic oak by the river, which gave the place its name, was the site of the conference.
Nearly three thousand Seneca and other members of the Six Nations of the Iroquois attended the conference. Their representatives were the Chiefs Cornplanter, Red Jacket, Farmer's Brother, Tall Chief, Little Beard and others, the Clan Mothers of the nation, and Mary Jemison. The United States' representatives were Colonel Jeremiah Wadsworth, Commissioner representing the US Government, Thomas Morris representing his father, Robert Morris, General William Shepard representing Massachusetts, Theophilus Cazenove and Paolo Busti, representatives for the Holland Land Company, Captain Israel Chapin, representing the Department of Indian Affairs, Joseph Ellicott, Land surveyor, and James Rees as acting secretary.
The treaty was signed on September 16, 1797, after nearly a month of sometimes heated, back and forth negotiations. It opened up the territory west of the Genesee River and established ten Reservations for the Seneca in Western New York.
