John Beardsley served as an Associate Judge of Cayuga County (1820-23), State Assemblyman (1832-33), State Senator (1835) and was President of the Cayuga County Bank.

He had 4 sons and 4 daughters; Nelson, president of the Cayuga National Bank of Auburn; Roswell, a merchant in North Lansing, Tompkins County, William C. and Alonzo G. ,treasurer of the Oswego Starch Co. and D. M. Osborne & Co., member of the firm of Beardsley, Wheeler & Co. of Auburn and Vice-president of Cayuga County National Bank, Caroline E., wife of L. W. Nye of Auburn, Alice J. wife of James M. Holden of New York, Mariette B. widow of N. B. S. Eldred and Augusta B. wife of William Newell of New York.

According to the 'Auburn Illustrated: A History in Architecture', John Beardsley built the house at 70 South Street in 1850 for his daughter Caroline.