A few weeks ago, I and other members of our family, were contacted by a member of the Daughters Of American Revolution, General William Lenoir Chapter, to let us know they would be doing a Patriot Grave Combative service for Private Jared Hotchkiss.

Research shows that Jared Hotchkiss served in the Revolutionary War as a teenager. He was my fourth great grandfather. Apparently, our family hasn't cared what the royal family said for many, many years.

It's humbling to realize you are a direct decedent of  a Revolutionary War veteran, one of the very people who help birth our country.

Jared Hotchkiss (1761-1836)

Jared Hotchkiss, the first Hotchkiss of our line to settle in Tennessee, was born February 27, 1761 in New Haven, Connecticut.  He was the youngest child of Hezekiah and Mary Wooding Hotchkiss. Jared lived in New Haven until he was fifteen years of age, at which time he moved to Newberry, Connecticut. In April 1777, while living in Newberry, he volunteered to serve his country in the Revolutionary War. His enlistment date was May 1777.  He continued to re-enlist in various divisions for several years and his last enlistment date was January 1782. Some of the officers he had the privilege to serve under were: Captain Boothe, Colonel Eno, Major E. Davenport, Colonel R.J. Meigs, General Scott, Colonel Butler, Major Prior, and Captain Munson.  He fought in the battles of Ridgefield and Norwalk.

Jared thought so much of Colonel Meigs that he named one of his sons Claiborne Meigs Hotchkiss. The second Claiborne Meigs Hotchkiss was named for this uncle of his. Also, it was this Colonel Meigs for which Meigs County Tennessee was named.

On June 8, 1791, at the age of 30, he married Elizabeth (Betsy) Knight in Amherst County, Virginia.  Following their residency there for six years, they moved to Washington County, Tennessee.  Eventually they moved further south to Roane County (now Loudon County) Tennessee. Jared and Betsy raised six children in what has come to be known as Hotchkiss Valley in Loudon County.

Jared died August 25, 1838 and his wife “Betsy” died eight years later on May 4, 1846.  Both are buried in New Providence Cemetery only a short distance from their home place.