William Berczy

William Berczy (December 10, 1744, Wallerstein near Noerdlingen, Germany - February 5, 1813, New York City, USA) was a German pioneer and painter.

Born in Swabia, Germany as a son of the Wirklicher Hofrat Albrecht Theodor Moll and Johanna Josepha Walpurga Moll née Hefele, he was originally named Johann Albrecht Ulrich Moll, but later changed his name. He studied at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna and at the University of Jena in Saxony. His early career was spent in several European countries, including Italy (meeting with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Florence) and England, where he exhibited at the Royal Academy. In 1792 he sailed for the Americas, setting up a business in York (now - since 1834 - Toronto) a couple of years later. He also worked in Quebec. Although best known for his portraits, he also carried out religious paintings and architectural work, including plans for Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal in 1803, and was a surveyor.

He married 1 Nov. 1785 Jeanne-Charlotte Berczy née Allamand (1760–1839) of Lausanne (canton of Bern, now - since 1803 - canton of Vaud), Switzerland. They had two sons, William Bent Berczy and Charles Albert Berczy.

Berczy helped John Graves Simcoe establish a settlement north of Toronto, which became the town of Markham, Ontario. "William Berczy, co-founder of Toronto, along with his German Pioneers, cleared part of the townsite of York (Toronto), erected houses and a magazine, built 15 miles of Yonge street(Eglinton to Elgin Mills some without shoes) in addition to 30 miles of roads in Markham township and also cleared 24 miles of the Rouge river waterway for navigation." His son Charles Albert Berczy became the first Post Master of Toronto.

His two best known pictures are a full-length portrait of the Mohawk chief Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) (c. 1805) and a group portrait of the Woolsey Family (1809).

Berczy travelled to New York City during the War of 1812 and was stranded when attempting to travel to England. He died in the city and was buried at Trinity Church.