Hotchkin, John

HOTCHKIN, READMAN, GAUGHAN, KELLY, MCLAUGHLIN, FLANNIGAN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/31/2009 at 10:33:13

Hotchkin, John

The name of John Hotchkin, who came to us from far-away England and, by his residence in Jasper County, benefited not only himself but the community as well, should certainly be included in a history of the locality, for his life was not only an industrious but an honorable one.

Mr. Hotchkin was born in Lincolnshire, England, August 6, 1832. He was the son of Henry and Hannah (Readman) Hotchkin, both natives of England, where they grew up and were married. The father conducted a dairy in early life, later working on farms. He and his wife lived and died in England. They were the parents of the following children: Mary, Bessie, Henry, Mark, William, John, Martha and Hannah.

John Hotchkin was educated in his native land and there grew to manhood. He worked there as a laborer for some time, emigrating to New Jersey in 1853 where he worked a year and a half as a coachman for John Cain, a banker in Elizabeth. He was then married and went to Staten Island, where he did general jobbing around the factory of the New York Iron Printing Company at Factoryville, Staten Island. Two years later he came to Will County, Illinois. There he bought five acres, which he rented, at the same time renting a farm himself. He remained in Illinois until 1869. The first day of that year he came to Grinnell, Iowa, and here entered a farm, but was cheated out of it. He worked the first year here on the Rock Island Road, then graded on the Iowa Central for several months. In the fall of 1871 he bought eighty acres in Rock Creek Township, to which he added until he owned three hundred and twenty acres. He was very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser and had a fine farm. He had sold off all his land but one hundred and twenty acres before his death.

Politically, he was a Democrat, but he never sought office. He was a member of the Catholic Church. He was a quiet, retiring gentlemen, who was never obtrusive, yet always willing to do his full duty as a citizen.

Mr. Hotchkin was married on March 30, 1854, to Rose A. Gaughan, who was born in County Meath, Ireland, and her death occurred in 1909. To the subject and wife the following children were born: Mrs. Martha N. Kelly, John H., Charles A. and William A., twins; Mrs. Rose H. McLaughlin, Philip E., Mrs. Elizabeth L. Flannigan and James Alfred. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 783.