Ouray County CO Archives Biographies.....Hotchkiss, Roswell A. November 21, 1829 - ?
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Judy Crook jlcrook@rof.net February 25, 2006, 8:04 pm

Author: Progressive Men of Western Colorado

     Roswell A. Hotchkiss, one of the pioneer merchants and stock men of Ouray
county, and a leading citizen and business man of Ridgway, is a native of New
York state, born on November 21, 1829, and is the son of Samuel and Medosa
(Ackley) Hotchkiss, of the same nativity as himself.  While he was yet an infant
they moved to Pennsylvania, and in that state he was reared and educated, and
after he grew to manhood he followed lumbering there until he was twenty-three
years of age, then came west.  On June 22, 1857, he crossed the Missouri river
into Nebraska, and, locating in Dixon county, in company with his brother he
built the first flouring mill in the territory.  They prospered in the
enterprise and acquired valuable interests in that state and Dakota.  Some years
afterward they sold the mill and engaged in farming and raising stock.  In 1876
Mr. Hotchkiss came to Colorado, and after living a year at Lake City, his family
joined him and they moved to Ouray.  In 1880 he opened a general merchandising
establishment at Portland in what is now Fremont county, which he conducted for
some time and then moved to Dallas.  From there he moved to Ridgeway and built
the store he now occupies, and since then he has been carrying on an extensive
general trade in one of the large and well appointed emporiums of this part of
the country, displaying to the choice of his numerous patrons a large, varied
and judiciously selected stock of general merchandise, and offering it for
purchase with every regard to fair dealing and the most obliging attention to
the wishes and desires of his customers.  It has been the aim of this
establishment to meet the requirements of the most exacting taste and at the
same time to supply the widest range of demands for such commodities as the
people in the locality can make, keeping his stock up to date in every respect,
both as to variety and quality.  He is also interested in the general business
of the section, owning and operating two large ranches with a flourishing stock
industry on each, wisely managed and vigorously conducted.  He was one of the
first postmasters in the county, and served the people in this important
capacity for a number of years.  In 1853, before leaving New York, he was united
in marriage with Miss Jane Cobb, a native of that state, and they have two
children living, their sons Charles R. and Virgil, both of whom are stockmen in
Montrose county, and men of consequence and influence in their localities.  Mr.
Hotchkiss has done well in business wherever he has been, and has always taken
an active interest in the local affairs of his community, giving judicious aid
to good enterprises and using his influence of the general welfare.  He is well
esteemed by all who knew him and stands high in the public regard of the whole
people.  

Additional Comments:
From Progressive Men of Western Colorado.  Chicago:  A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905

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