Hotchkiss was born in
Windsor, New York, on October 25, 1815, the youngest son of Cyrus Hotchkiss and Sarah "Sally" (Andrews) Hotchkiss. He attended the
common schools of Windsor,
Windsor Academy, and
Oxford Academy. Hotchkiss
studied law with attorney Franklin G. Wheeler, attained
admission to the bar in 1837, and began to practice in
Binghamton, New York. Active in politics as a
Republican, Hotchkiss was one of the party's founders. He was a delegate to the
1860 Republican National Convention. In 1862, Hotchkiss was elected as to the
United States House of Representatives, and he was reelected in 1864. He served in the
38th and
39th Congresses, March 4, 1863 to March 3, 1867. He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-nomination in 1866. Hotchkiss was elected to the U.S. House again in 1868 and served in the
41st Congress, March 4, 1869 to March 3, 1871. He was not a candidate for re-nomination in 1870. After leaving Congress, Hotchkiss resumed the practice of law in Binghamton. He died in Binghamton on July 5, 1878. Hotchkiss was interred At Binghamton's Spring Forest Cemetery. ==References==