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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of the Old Town of Derby,
Connecticut, 1642 - 1880
with Biographies and Genealogies
by
Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M. D. -
Publ. Press of
Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.
1880
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< CLICK HERE to RETURN to 1880 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
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LEWIS HOTCHKISS
was in Derby in 1805, and worked at the same business as his brother
Willis. In 1834 they came to Birmingham and engaged in
church, factory and house building, and were the principal founders
of the present Derby Building and Lumber Company. About the
beginning of the Rebellion they exchanged their stock in the Lumber
Company for 2,600 acres of timbered land in Rathburn, New York.
Operating this successfully they bought 300,000 acres, nearly all
pine timber, in Canada. On this tract Lewis, who was
the principal manager, erected two large saw-mills, one to run by
steam, the other by water power, and for six years he conducted a
lumber trade with the States, very extensively and profitably.
Lewis Hotchkiss, apart from this Canada
enterprise, built, and ran on his own responsibility, a steamboat on
Lake Georgian Bay. In 1871 he sold this adventure to good
advantage, and also sold the land to Anson G. Phelps and
Dodge, and returned to Derby and has continued since in business
under the name of W. and L. Hotchkiss. Lewis Hotchkiss
is a practical, sound common-sense man, and with meagre
opportunities in early life has worked his way under many
disadvantages to an enviable position. Neither he nor his
brother had, scarcely, the benefit of a common school education, yet
they have succeeded well in the business relations of life.
Source:
History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with
Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M.
D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.
1880 - Page 564 |
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WILLIS HOTCHKISS,
Brother of Lewis was born in New Haven, March 29, 1803, and came to
Derby when three years of age, where he has since resided. His
father was a carpenter and joiner, from whom he learned the same
trade.
Source: History of the Old Town of Derby,
Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt
& Ambrose Beardsley, M. D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing
Company, Springfield, Mass. 1880 - Page 564 |
Willis Hotchkiss |
WILLIS HOTCHKISS
was born in Derby April 25, 1788, a poor boy. He often said he
"never went to school but one day in his life, and that was Saturday
and the school didn't keep." He was a great stutterer, which
was to him an embarrassment all his life. Very eccentric in
his way and quick at repartee, a large amount of his sayings, made
more laughable by his stammering, are treasured up along the people
of the town. When quite a young man he tried his hand at
impromptu poetry. The subject of repairing or removing the
meeting-house at Up Town was under discussion, and the building
being an old, dilapidated structure, various opinions prevailed as
to what should be done with it, while the pious Swift, then pastor,
tried to calm the troubled waters as much as possible. At a
meeting called for purpose, after the subject of the meeting-house
had been well discussed, Mr. Swift called on Mr. Hotchkiss
for his opinion. After rising, it was minutes before he could
speak a word, but finally said:
"We've got an old church without a
steeple,
A good pastor and quarrelsome people."
"Them is my views,"
said he, and the poetic speech had a very good effect.
On a later occasion, when the same society had been
troubled with frequent changes in the ministry, the good deacon, in
meeting, moved that "we settle the Rev. Mr. ___ as pastor
over this church." which provoked some discussion, when Mr.
Hotchkiss said he "would move an important amendment, that this
- this minister be set - set - settled on - on - on horse - back."
Coming from New Haven one dark evening in a lumber
wagon, he was stopped on the road by two highwaymen, one seizing his
horse by the reins, the other accosted him: "Give us your
money, or I'll knock h--l out of you for two minutes." He
replied: "All the money I had with me I left at the tollgate, and if
you think I have h--l in me you may knock it out." This cool
reply, in stammering language, disarmed the ruffians, who let him go
without further hindrance.
On a certain occasion there was to be a great
agricultural dinner given at New Haven; Capt. Thomas Vose
of Derby, being president of the society, invited several prominent
men from his town, Mr. Hotchkiss being one of the number; but
he excused himself by saying he could not talk. To which it
was replied that he need not say anything, especially at the table,
upon which he ventured to go. At the sumptuous dinner he
succeeded well until the waiter came round asking: "What will you
have, pudding or pie?" To which he could not readily answer,
as any word beginning with P was very difficult for him to speak,
and by a significant wave of the hand he said to the waiter: "Go -
go - go - on." Soon the waiter repeated the interrogation, to
which he received the same reply: "Go - go - go on."
Captain Vose, John L. Tomlinson and others being at the head of
the table, desirous that all should be well served, the waiter
inquired of Captain Vose. "What shall I do for that man
at the foot of the table, he acts crazy." "Oh! follow
him up, you'll get something out of him." On the next round
the waiter said with much emphasis: "Now sir, what will you
have, pudding or pie?" In a loud voice he stammered out,
"B-b-both." As he had attracted the attention of the guests
this created the greatest laugh of the entertainment.
One day John L. Tomlinson, the lawyer, asked him
for two dollars. "What for?" said Hotchkiss.
"Why, for speaking advice to you about your division fence," was the
reply. "Well, I'll pay it, but don't you ever speak to me
again."
When young Doct. B___ came to Birmingham, in
1836, Donald Judson introduced him to Mr. Hotchkiss,
saying that Doct. B.___ had come to Derby to doctor
folks and get a living. The quick reply was, "It is high time,
neighbor Judson, that we all pre-pre-prepare for death."
Mr. Hotchkiss was a cooper by trade, and
conducted the business at one time quite extensively. He died
Nov. 24, 1872, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, and will
long be remembered by the people of Derby.
Source:
History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with
Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M.
D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.
1880 - Page 564 |
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