A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Hotchkis, John
HOTCHKIS. (Retired Commander, 1833. f-p., 9; h-p., 60.)
John Hotchkis was born 28 Aug. 1766. One of his brothers, Adam, was killed in India, in the Medical Service of the Company, in 1780; another, Alexander, a Lieutenant of Marines, perished in the same year on board the Stirling Castle 64, on the coast of America; and a third, David, lost his left leg while serving as a Lieutenant of the Preston 50, in the action off the Dogger Bank in 1781.
This officer entered the Navy, in Oct. 1778, as Captain’s Servant, on board the Crescent 28, Capt. Chas. Hope, with whom he continued to serve as Midshipman of the Iphigenia 32, and Leocadia 38, on the Home and Newfoundland stations, until the peace of 1783. Re-embarking, in 1793, as Master’s Mate, on board the Gibraltar 80, Capts. Thos. Mackenzie and John Pakenham, he had an opportunity, under the former officer, of witnessing Lord Howe’s action of 1 June, 1794, on which occasion he was sent into port as Acting-Master of the Northumberland 74, one of the prizes taken by the British. On proceeding to the Mediterranean Mr. Hotchkis was there promoted, 17 June, 1795, to a Lieutenancy in the Ça Ira 80, Capt. Chas. Dudley Pater. He remained in that ship until burnt out, in consequence of her having accidentally caught fire, in San Fiorenza Bay, 11 April, 1796; after which we find him employed, from 26 Sept. in the same year until May, 1797, on board the Monmouth 64, Capt. the Earl of Northesk, in the North Sea. He then invalided, from badness of sight, and did not again go afloat. He became a Retired Commander on the Junior List 26 Nov. 1830, and on the Senior 21 Dec. 1833.
Commander Hotohlds married, first, 9 Nov. 1800, Mary, daughter of Rich. Pearce, Esq., co. Westmeath. That lady dying in 1830, he espoused, secondly, in 1832, a daughter of Thos. Hart, Esq., a Major in the Hon.E.I.Co.’s service, by whom he has issue one son.