James Madison Hotchkiss was born in Georgia, Vermont on May 27, 1812, the son of James Hotchkiss and Alice (Story) Hotchkiss.[1] He was educated in Georgia, and in 1832 he purchased a farm in Fairfax in partnership with his brother Hiram.[1] They operated the farm for several years, after which James Hotchkiss established himself as a merchant in Fairfax.[1] He later moved to Waterville, where he continued his mercantile career, and returned to Fairfax after 20 years as a Waterville resident.[1]
During the American Civil War, Hotchkiss supported the Union.[7] During and immediately after the conflict, he took part in political conventions of the Unionist Party, which aimed to fuse Republicans and pro-Union Democrats in support of the war effort and Reconstruction measures that were less severe than those proposed by Radical Republican movement.[7]
After returning to Fairfax, Hotchkiss remained active in politics as a delegate to numerous Republican conventions,[8] and in local offices including Town Meeting Moderator.[9] He was involved in managing his business interests until 1874, after which he lived in retirement in Fairfax.[1]
Death and burial
Hotchkiss died in Fairfax on May 7, 1877.[1] He was buried at Sanderson Corners Cemetery in Fairfax.
Family
In 1835, Hotchkiss married Mariel Story.[10] She died in 1851, and later that year he married Harriet Horsford of Cambridge.[11] With his first wife, Hotchkiss was the father of two children, Hiram J. (1841-1851)[12] and James M. Jr. (1842-1863).[13] Another son, also named Hiram, was born in 1837 and died sometime before 1841.[14]
"The State Convention". Burlington Daily Times. Burlington, VT. April 4, 1860 – via Newspapers.com. An unusually large assemblage of the Republicans of Vermont met at Northfield yesterday.