George W. Hotchkiss, the proprietor of a garage at Westville, is also extensively interested in ranching and stock raising in the west. He was born May 3, 1863, in Westville, Connecticut, a son of William Warren and Mary (Clinton) Hotchkiss. His mother was born in Pennsylvania, while his father was a native of Derby, Connecticut, where he attended school and was reared to manhood. Later in life he became well known in New Haven in connection with public affairs. He was for several terms a member of the board of relief and filled other public offices, the duties of which he discharged with promptness and fidelity, his course reflecting credit upon himself and proving entirely satisfactory to his constituents. He turned his attention to the meat industry while residing in New Haven and became one of the leading merchants in that line in the city. He afterward removed with his family to Chase county, Kansas, where he purchased a large cattle ranch and thereon spent his remaining days engaged in raising live stock. He also established a wholesale pork packing industry in Chase county and these two combined lines of business made him independently wealthy. While he resided in Chase county he still retained his property interests in New Haven and in Westville and these are still owned by his son. He died in 1897 while visiting here, having made the trip east to look after his invested interests. His widow still survives and is eighty years of age.

  George W. Hotchkiss was the only child born to his parents. In early life he attended the schools of New Haven and continued his education in the Cheshire Academy of Cheshire, Connecticut, from which he was graduated with the class of 1882. After leaving school he removed with his parents to Chase county, Kansas, and there became acquainted with the live stock business and also with the pork packing industry. He remained in the west until 1903, when he returned to New Haven in order to look after the real estate interests of the family at this place. He located at the old homestead at No. 1044 Whalley avenue and he there built a garage and automobile station, which he now successfully conducts. He is also the owner of a large cattle ranch in Chase county, Kansas, which has been a very profitable source of income.

  On the 4th of May, 1905, Mr. Hotchkiss was united in marriage to Miss Marguerite Hendrickson, of New Haven, who was born in Denmark and is a daughter of Hans and Katherine Hendrickson. By a former marriage Mr. Hotchkiss has four children, namely: Harold H., who was born in Chase county, Kansas, in 1885; Warren W., who was born in New Haven in 1892 and who is married and has one child, Beth; Gladys, who was born in New Haven in 1895 and is now a resident of Chase county, Kansas; and Walter, who was born in Chase county in 1900.

  Mr. Hotchkiss is a representative business man, alert and enterprising, and his interests are capably managed and bring to him a gratifying return. He combines the spirit of western enterprise with New England thrift and his judicious investments and intelligently directed interests have gained for him a place among the men of affluence in this city.