Biographical Sketch of

Florentine Hotchkiss

Transcribed by Sandra Boudrou



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin, 
published 1890 by Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, Pages 608 - 609 

Hadden, Hotchkiss, Mallory, Pond, Richards, Wells
Florentine A. Hotchkiss, who resides on section 12, in the town of Packwaukee, Marquette County, is a 
representative of one of the early families of this community, his father, Willis Hotchkiss, having 
settled on the farm where our subject now resides in the fall of 1850.  He was born near Catskill, 
N. Y., Oct., 16, 1806, and was a son of a Revolutionary soldier.  He was a carpenter and joiner by 
trade but in after life followed farming.  He married Samantha Mallory and with his family emigrated 
to Wisconsin in the spring of 1850, settling in what is now Green Lake County, but in the fall of the 
same year came to Marquette County.  He pre-empted land on section 11, in the town of Packwaukee and 
for thirty years there made his home.  He was a good farmer, a prosperous business man and one of the 
leading and influential citizens of the community.  His death occurred April 3, 1881, and his wife 
also died on the old homestead Jan. 11, 1886, at the advanced age of eighty years.  Four of their 
five children are still living--Mrs. Mary J. Wells, who resides in Fond du Lac; Mrs. Flora Pond, 
of Westfield; Harriet, wife of Charles Richards, of Wausau, Wis.; and Florentine A.  Frederick died 
March 9, 1853, at the age of eighteen years.
 
The subject of this sketch remained under the parental roof until he entered the army.  He was reared 
to manhood upon the old farm, being subject to all the experiences and difficulties of pioneer life.  
He offered his services to the Government on the 1st of November, 1861, and was enrolled as a member 
of Company C, 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry, with which he served until the close of the war.  The regiment 
went into camp at Janesville, and thence went to St. Louis, where after a month orders were received 
to proceed to Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.  Horses were there provided for the troops which completed their 
equipments and it was not long before they were engaged in active duty.  His service was not a kind 
to win honor and distinction, but was often fraught with more perils and hardship than fell to the 
lot of those engaged in regular warfare.  Ft. Scott remained the headquarters of the regiment during 
the entire service but it was engaged in guard duty and in warfare with the guerrillas and bushwhackers.  
Mr. Hotchkiss also acted as scout and as escort for emigrant and United States mail trains.  The first 
engagement in which he participated was at Montevallo, after which he participated in the raid under 
Gen. Blunt to Van Buren.  In September, 1863, he was sent with a detail from his battalion to Baxter 
Springs, who reinforced that post and was there attacked by the rebel guerrillas under Quantrell who 
rode their horses on to the very breastworks of the fortifications.  When they left that place Quantrell 
and his band of guerrillas, disguised in Federal uniforms, attacked Gen. Blunt, who with an escort of 
about 100 men was left to face the rebels alone.  He stood his ground until the rebels advanced to a 
hand to hand encounter when those who had not before fallen retreated to the main body.  Mr. Hotchkiss 
assisted in burying about eighty victims of that bloody battle.  During Price's raid in Missouri during 
September, 1864, he was with his battalion in Lexington, that State under Gen. Rosecrans.  When the army 
reached Lexington it was found that Price had fled to the Big and Little Blue Rivers, and he was in the 
skirmishing there and at Independence, and assisted in driving Price across the Kansas River.  On the 
bank of that stream Gen. Curtis halted until reinforced by Gen. Pleasanton when he again started in 
pursuit of Price, whom he overtook at Wine Creek, where a large amount of ammunition and provisions 
were captured.  While on the march the rations of the army were nearly exhausted but were increased by 
a supply train.  The main part of the regiment to which Mr. Hotchkiss belonged was then sent to act as 
an escort for that train, returning to Ft. Scott to be mustered out.  He served several months beyond 
his term of enlistment and was twice offered a discharge while lying sick in the hospital at Ft. Scott 
from August, 1863 until the following March.
 
Mr. Hotchkiss was mustered out of service at Madison, Wis., Feb. 16, 1865, after which he returned home 
and resumed farming.  Having provided himself with a home, he then looked about him for a helpmate whom 
he found in the person of Miss Emma Hadden, their union being celebrated July 21, 1869.  She is a daughter 
of Lyman and Emily Hadden, who were parents of two children.  Her brother Hiram enlisted in the 10th New 
York Cavalry, serving from 1861 until 1865, and when last heard from was a resident of Kalamazoo, Mich.  
Her father died when she was ten years old and her mother, when twenty years of age.  Mrs. Hotchkiss was 
born in Morrisville, Madison Co., N. Y., in 1848, and by her marriage became the mother of four children--
Willie, born Sept. 3, 1870;  Flossie, Aug. 29, 1874; Lettie, May 20, 1876; and Walter, June 5, 1880.
 
In his agricultural pursuits, Mr. Hotchkiss has been quite successful and now has one of the most highly 
cultivated and improved farms of the county.  He takes an active interest in the welfare of the community 
and is ever willing to do his share towards its upbuilding.  He was a faithful soldier during the late war.  
The blood of a Revolutionary patriot flows in his veins and like his illustrious grandsire he responded 
to his country's call in her hour of need and was ever found at his post of duty.


Transcribed by Sandra Boudrou






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