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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HOTCHKISS FAMILY ASSOCIATION, INC. The Hotchkiss Family Association, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization chartered in the State of Connecticut. The Association Constitution states that "The objects of this Association are to perpetuate the memory of the founders of the Hotchkiss Family in America and so bring into social fellowship all of the descendants, whether by the original name, or through marriage (and) To prepare and keep current a genealogical library of all members for historical purposes and for the reference of future generations. Any person over 18 years of age who can show direct descent from a Hotchkiss may be admitted to lineal membership... A husband or wife of a lineal member may be admitted to associate membership...". (Membership is free! If you would like to join you can download and complete a membership application (PDF format) - click HERE). In 1880 a group of descendants of Gideon Hotchkiss gathered in Burlington, Connecticut at the home of Willard Sessions. With the exception of several years, the association has conducted an annual reunion in Connecticut, although more recently some reunions have been held in other parts of the country.
Various court and other records make it certain that our immigrant ancestor was Samuel
Hotchkiss who in 1642 married Elizabeth Cleverly and settled in New Haven. In February
1664 the New Haven court granted powers of administration to Samuel's wife, Elizabeth, as
Samuel left no will at the time of his death in December 1663. The estate was to be divided,
with two-thirds going to their six children:
In 1930 a genealogical committee was chosen to gather together information about the
family. For years research had been collected by various individuals, and their correspondence
had been kept in Association files, some dating from the 1850's. In 1875 Mr. George W.
Hotchkiss of Bay City, Michigan proposed a printed Hotchkiss history. O. E. Hotchkiss of
Oakland, California in 1900 provided much information on the origin of the name "Hotchkiss".
He also proposed a printed history. Manuscripts from the Historical Society Libraries of New
Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, and the "New Haven Genealogical Magazine" by Donald Lines
Jacobus (1926) have been reviewed and combined with material provided by Mrs. Julia
Hotchkiss Sanford of Westfield, Massachusetts and that of Col. Clarence Hotchkiss of Portland
Oregon to provide a foundation on which, over the years, has been built the genealogical history
of the Hotchkiss Family. In 1935 "Family Sheets" were instituted as a means of keeping family
genealogy records.
In August 1962 the Association was formally incorporated. A few years
later information about the Hotchkiss coat of Arms was provided to the
members. Tradition indicates that it was given to a member of the family
who was Lord Mayor of London, by Richard Coeur de Lion. Most of the Association's
correspondence on this subject came from Mr. Jerome Ringrose of London
in the years 1912 through 1920. Mr. Ringrose was an authority on Heraldry,
and he stated that many variations are all correct. Either a motto "Libertas"
or "Vigilante" is correct, as the crest, motto and decoration are a matter
of choice, as is the shape of the shield. Burke's Peerage describes it
as: (Reproductions of this Coat-of-Arms are available. Details
are on the HOME PAGE.) |
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