Author: John Eldredge Sweeney
Ambrose Hodgkin was born in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, on 16 Feb 1762.1 He was the son of Thomas Hodgkin (1740-1825) and Elizabeth Parmalee (unknown – 1847).2 His grandparents were Joseph Hodgkin, Jr. (1710-1752) and Lydia Redfield (1716 – 1784). His grandmother, Lydia, is a proven direct-line 5th generation descendant of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, a crew member and passenger respectively, who were aboard the ship, The Mayflower, for its famous voyage and landing in December 1620 at Plymouth, Massachusetts, establishing the second British colony in North America.3

Ambrose’s grandfather, Joseph, was the son of John Hodgkin (1633-1682), who emigrated sometime. between 1641 to 1654, from Essex County, England to what would become Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut. John Hodgkin married Mary Bishop (1652-1687) in Guilford on 4 Apr 1670.4 Mary’s parents were John Bishop, Jr. and Susanna Goldham. Her grandfather, John Bishop, was a signer of the Guilford Covenant in 1648.5 Ambrose had a distinctly special heritage.

According to information from the grandson of Ambrose, Charles Erling Hotchkiss, the son and youngest child of Jeremiah Hotchkiss, his father, Ambrose, legally changed his name to Hotchikiss in 1812.6 There is some question about whether this name change was legally accomplished because in 1834, when Ambrose submitted his American Revolutionary War Pension application, S.17493, he used the surname of Hodgkin.7

While a resident of Guiford, CT, Ambrose served six months from 01 May 1777 and again six months from 01 May 1778 in a guard force appointed by the Guilford Selectmen and under their direction and command for the defense of that town and the coast of Long Island Sound. Ambrose again served from 01 Apr 1780 as a Private in Captain Dan Collins’ Militia Company also in the defense of the coast and Guilford. Ambrose cites. in his Revolutionary War Pension application, his father’s name as being Thomas and that his father was a sergeant in the same Guilford Militia Company. Ambrose was discharged on 01 Jan 1781.8

Sometime about 1788 or 1789 in Windsor, CT, Ambrose Hotchkiss married Sarah E. Barnard (1770-1845), the daughter of Edward Barnard, Jr. and his wife Ruth, maiden name unknown. While Edward Barnard’s widow’s name remains unknown, a possible clue is that her husband’s will, probated in Hartford, Connecticut, was administered and attested to by Moses Barnard, her brother, and a man named Timothy Burr of Simsbury, a possible friend but maybe brother-in-law and of course brother of Ruth and uncle of the minor children of Edward Barnard, Jr..

Sarah E. Hotchkiss, wife of Ambrose Hotchkiss, was, an orphan following the 16 Oct 1775 death of her father, Edward Barnard, Jr., who died in the service of the 2nd Regiment, Connecticut Continental Line of the American Revolutionary Army9 and was undoubtedly the six yearold girl who along with her sister, Ruth age 10, her brother Edward age 8, a brother named Selah age 5, and another sister, Lucretia age 3. were placed under the guardianship of their grandfather, Captain Edward Barnard, by the Probate Court of Hartford, Connecticut.10

Sarah and Ambrose resided for most of their lives in Windsor, Connecticut and were the parents of thirteen children: (1) Abigail born 2 May 1790 in Windsor died in New York City, Brooklyn, NY 18 Oct 1876 ae 86 yrs. married Mr. Abeel , (2) Sarah B. born Granby 1 Oct 1791 died 13 Aug 1853 in Hartford, CT married Amos Whitmore, (3) Anna P. born 25 Jul 1793 married Charles N. Mills, (4) Lydia Redfield born 10 May 1795 in Guilford married Mr. Atwood, (5) Aurelia Shields born 11 Feb 1799 married Christopher Miller, (6) Jemima born 2 Feb 1797 died 6 Feb 1876 in Middleton, CT married Lyman Smith, (7) Mary born 20 Jan 1801 married Mr. Darrow, (8) Leander born 11 Mar 1803 in Guilford but died 17 Sep 1862 at Battle of Antietam leaving widow, Sarah L. & son, Leander, (9) Edward B. born 20 Jan 1805 in Guilford died 30 Sep 1869 ae 35 yrs., (10) Ruth born 01 May 1809 in Killingsworth, (11) Frederick born 9 Mar 1807 in Guilford died 16 Sep 1848, ae 41 yrs. following return from Mexican War, (12) Sophia born 01 Jul 1812 in Killingsworth, and (13) Jeremiah born 5 Feb 1817 In Simsbury married Caroline Eliza Darrow, died 30 Jan 1864 in Greenwich, CT.11 12

Ambrose Hotchkiss’s grandson, Charles Erling Hotchkiss erroneously cites Sarah Barnard as the daughter, rather than granddaughter of Capt. Edward Barnard.13 Thirteen children were born from the 1788-89 marriage of Ambrose Hotchkiss and Sarah E. Barnard in Windsor, Connecticut. The sixth child, Aurelia Shields Hotchkiss, born in Guilford on 11 Feb 1799 is confirmed as the daughter of Ambrose by the Bible record of her aunt, Jemimah H., nee’ Hotchkiss, Smith. 14 It is through Sarah, the 6 year old daughter of Edward Barnard, Jr., a deceased Continental Army soldier, that this author descends from Ambrose and Sarah.15 Charles Erling Hotchkiss was the son of Jeremiah Hotchkiss, youngest son of Ambrose Hotchkiss and brother of Aurelia Shields Hotchkiss, great great great grandmother of the author of this bio-sketch and simply made a mistake in identifying Sarah as the daughter of Captain Edward Barnard, actually her grandfather and guardian following the death of his son, Edward Barnard, Jr. engaged in the ill-fated attack on Montreal, Canada under the command of Colonel, to be later Major General Benedict Arnold.

Ambrose and Sarah E., nee’ Barnard, Hotchkiss lived their lives in the areas of Windsor and Windsor Locks, Hartford County, Connecticut. According to the Hotchkiss Family Bible of Jemima Hotchkiss, daughter of Ambrose and Sarah, her parents died in Windsor Locks, Hartford County, Connecticut, Ambrose on 10 Apr 1841 and Sarah on 06 Aug 1845. Their graves are in a family plot in the Grove Cemetery, Section #1, Row #3 in Windsor Locks, CT.16 There are nine family member graves marked with a single obelisk monument with family member names, significant dates and other information carved onto it. The oldest stone carvings are those of Ambrose Hotchkiss, died Mar.10.1841, age 80 years and Sarah E. Hotchkiss, his wife, died Aug.6.1845. age 78 years.17 The Hotchkiss name is shown in large engraved letters on the base. The entrance to the cemetery is a single side road to the left (west from the river) just south of the American Legion Hall, 1 Main St., Windsor Locks, CT, immediately across from the main lock on the Connecticut River. 18

Ambrose Hodgkin or Hotchkiss was a veteran of the American Revolution and a descendant of the Mayflower, through John Alden and his wife, Priscilla Mullens.19 His many descendants provide ample opportunities for others to seek membership in the SAR or DAR and it is hoped that the details contained in this biographic sketch will facilitate this.

1 Bible and Family Records, Vol. 1, Transcribed from original sources, comp. Lucius B. Barbour, 1928, Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT
2 The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. LVIII, 1904, p. 282
3 Mayflower Familes Through Five Generations, vol. 16 (John Alden), Part 2, Pp. 326-327
4 Guilford Vital Records, Vol. A, p. 67
5 Edgar E. Hotchkin, Descendants of John Hotchkin of Guilford, Connecticut, 1995, Gateway Press, Balto., MD, p.3
6 The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. XCIV (94), 1940, Boston, MA, p, 283
7 National Archives & Records Admin. (NARA), Wash., DC 20408, Amer. Rev. Pension Application File # S.17493
8 NARA Amer. Rev. War Pension file #S.17493, U.S. Dept. of Interior Bureau of Pensions Commissioner’s letter, dated 16 Aug 1926
9 Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution, comp. by Authority of the General Assembly and Adjutant General, Hartford 1889, CoL Spencer’s 2nd Regt., Capt. Roger Enos’s 3rd Co., p.47
10 Hartford, CT Register of Probate Records, Vol. 22, 1774-1778, Court Record for 19 Feb 1776
11 Ambrose and Sarah Hotchkiss Family Bible, pub. by McCarty & Davis, No. 171 Market St., Philadelphia, 1833, also including certified transcription, comp. Lucien B. Barbour, BS, Examiner of Public Records, Hartford, CT, State Library, 1928
12 Headstone Inscriptions Town of Windsor Locks, CT, Hartford, CT, Dec 1937List of Cemeteries Location of Cemeteries
13 Charles Erling Hotchkiss (grandson of Ambrose Hotchkiss) 04 Nov 1926 letter to Mrs. William H. Lewin (DAR prospective member)
14 BIBLE AND FAMILY RECORDS, Vol. 1, Transcribed from Original Sources, comp. Lucius B. Barbour, B.A., Examinier of Public Records, 1928, Hartfprd. CT & Copy of Original Bilble
15 Ibid
16 Headstone Inscriptions Town of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, copied in 1934 under the auspices of the F.E.R.A. and W.P.A, sponsored by the CT State Library compiled under the supervision of Charles R. Hale, State Military Necrologist, Hartford, Connecticut Dec 1937, p. 5
17 “Headstone Inscriptions Town of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, 1954, Connecticut State Library, prepared under supervision of Charles R
18 On site visit by the author with photo attached
19 General Society of Mayflower Descendants approved Application #79194