ZEPHANIAH HALLOCK
Was born on Long Island in 1792, and died in Derby, Jan. 11, 1870.  He came to Derby about 1816 and engaged in ship building, first at Sugar street and afterwards at Derby Narrows, where he built many vessels in company with his brother, Israel Hallock.
     Few men, if any, ever lived in the town more universally respected than Zaphaniah Hallock.  In early life he became a zealous member of the Congregational church, and his daily life and devotion to moral and religious principles, with his manifested desire to do good, inspired full public confidence in his Christian profession.  He was seldom absent from the stated services of the sanctuary, and, being of a cheerful mind, he was delighted in society and prosperity of others of whatever denomination.  It is refreshing to think of an aged soldier of the cross whose every day walk ahs been a steady and shining light in the "straight and narrow path."
Source:   History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M. D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.  1880 - Page 554

BENJAMIN HODGE

Source:   History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M. D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.  1880 - Page 556

LEWIS HOTCHKISS was in Derby in 1805, and worked at the same business as his brother Willis.  In 1834 they came to Birmingham and engaged in church, factory and house building, and were the principal founders of the present Derby Building and Lumber Company.  About the beginning of the Rebellion they exchanged their stock in the Lumber Company for 2,600 acres of timbered land in Rathburn, New York.  Operating this successfully they bought 300,000 acres, nearly all pine timber, in Canada.  On this tract Lewis, who was the principal manager, erected two large saw-mills, one to run by steam, the other by water power, and for six years he conducted a lumber trade with the States, very extensively and profitably.
     Lewis Hotchkiss, apart from this Canada enterprise, built, and ran on his own responsibility, a steamboat on Lake Georgian Bay.  In 1871 he sold this adventure to good advantage, and also sold the land to Anson G. Phelps and Dodge, and returned to Derby and has continued since in business under the name of W. and L. Hotchkiss.  Lewis Hotchkiss is a practical, sound common-sense man, and with meagre opportunities in early life has worked his way under many disadvantages to an enviable position.  Neither he nor his brother had, scarcely, the benefit of a common school education, yet they have succeeded well in the business relations of life.
Source:   History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M. D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.  1880 - Page 564

WILLIS HOTCHKISS, Brother of Lewis was born in New Haven, March 29, 1803, and came to Derby when three years of age, where he has since resided.  His father was a carpenter and joiner, from whom he learned the same trade.
Source:   History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M. D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.  1880 - Page 564

WILLIS HOTCHKISS was born in Derby April 25, 1788, a poor boy.  He often said he "never went to school but one day in his life, and that was Saturday and the school didn't keep."  He was a great stutterer, which was to him an embarrassment all his life.  Very eccentric in his way and quick at repartee, a large amount of his sayings, made more laughable by his stammering, are treasured up along the people of the town.  When quite a young man he tried his hand at impromptu poetry.  The subject of repairing or removing the meeting-house at Up Town was under discussion, and the building being an old, dilapidated structure, various opinions prevailed as to what should be done with it, while the pious Swift, then pastor, tried to calm the troubled waters as much as possible.  At a meeting called for purpose, after the subject of the meeting-house had been well discussed, Mr. Swift called on Mr. Hotchkiss for his opinion.  After rising, it was minutes before he could speak a word, but finally said:

"We've got an old church without a steeple,
A good pastor and quarrelsome people."

"Them is my views," said he, and the poetic speech had a very good effect.
     On a later occasion, when the same society had been troubled with frequent changes in the ministry, the good deacon, in meeting, moved that "we settle the Rev. Mr. ___ as pastor over this church." which provoked some discussion, when Mr. Hotchkiss said he "would move an important amendment, that this - this minister be set - set - settled on - on - on horse - back."
     Coming from New Haven one dark evening in a lumber wagon, he was stopped on the road by two highwaymen, one seizing his horse by the reins, the other accosted him:  "Give us your money, or I'll knock h--l out of you for two minutes."  He replied: "All the money I had with me I left at the tollgate, and if you think I have h--l in me you may knock it out."  This cool reply, in stammering language, disarmed the ruffians, who let him go without further hindrance.
     On a certain occasion there was to be a great agricultural dinner given at New Haven;  Capt. Thomas Vose of Derby, being president of the society, invited several prominent men from his town, Mr. Hotchkiss being one of the number; but he excused himself by saying he could not talk.  To which it was replied that he need not say anything, especially at the table, upon which he ventured to go.  At the sumptuous dinner he succeeded well until the waiter came round asking: "What will you have, pudding or pie?"  To which he could not readily answer, as any word beginning with P was very difficult for him to speak, and by a significant wave of the hand he said to the waiter: "Go - go - go - on."  Soon the waiter repeated the interrogation, to which he received the same reply:  "Go - go - go on."  Captain Vose, John L. Tomlinson and others being at the head of the table, desirous that all should be well served, the waiter inquired of Captain Vose.  "What shall I do for that man at the foot of the table, he acts crazy."  "Oh!  follow him up, you'll get something out of him."  On the next round the waiter said with much emphasis:  "Now sir, what will you have, pudding or pie?"  In a loud voice he stammered out,  "B-b-both."  As he had attracted the attention of the guests this created the greatest laugh of the entertainment.
     One day John L. Tomlinson, the lawyer, asked him for two dollars.  "What for?" said Hotchkiss.  "Why, for speaking advice to you about your division fence," was the reply.  "Well, I'll pay it, but don't you ever speak to me again."
     When young Doct. B___ came to Birmingham, in 1836, Donald Judson introduced him to Mr. Hotchkiss, saying that Doct. B.___ had come to Derby to doctor folks and get a living.  The quick reply was, "It is high time, neighbor Judson, that we all pre-pre-prepare for death."
     Mr. Hotchkiss was a cooper by trade, and conducted the business at one time quite extensively.  He died Nov. 24, 1872, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, and will long be remembered by the people of Derby.
Source:   History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M. D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.  1880 - Page 564

Source:   History of the Old Town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642 - 1880 with Biographies and Genealogies by Samuel Orcutt & Ambrose Beardsley, M. D. - Publ. Press of Springfield Printing Company, Springfield, Mass.  1880 - Page 592