HG Hotchkiss – History, It’s All In The Name

One of my favorite peppermint blends at Essex Labs is Hotchkiss. My nose may not be as refined as my sensory analyst colleagues, but I can always tell when this mint is being produced. It’s sweet, fresh, and in my mind smells like the perfect peppermint blend. It also has quite the history, spanning the entirety of the United States.

There are many resources that discuss the history of this peppermint, along with the Peppermint Kings of Hotchkiss, but this timeline presents much of it in an easy to digest way, and how this mint went from humble beginnings in New York State to it becoming one of Essex Labs Crown Jewels.

Hotchkiss Peppermint Timeline [1]

1838: Brothers Leman and Hiram Hotchkiss started their business in Phelps.

1841: Hiram established a second business in Lyons

(The old section of the Erie canal ran by the rear of the manufacturing plant. Travelers on the Erie Canal could tell when they were near Lyons due to the smell of Peppermint.)

1851: Hiram won his “First Prize Medal” in Hyde Park, London, England (first of 17)

(Prior to 1830, England was the primary supplier of peppermint oil, with Hamburg, Germany being the distribution center for essential oils.)

1855: Hiram (Lyons) and Leman (Phelps) parted ways and became competitors

1860: Hiram is producing one third of the peppermint oil in the U.S. and dominating in trade

(Peppermint oil production in Wayne County at this time was 15,000 lbs.)

1867: Leman builds the Phelps Hotel for $26,000

1868: Leman sells his peppermint business to Hiram

1884: Leman dies in Phelps

1891: Fire breaks out on second floor where workers are making crates

(Annual production had jumped to 150,000 lbs. before production began moving outside of Wayne County NY.)

1894: The business becomes incorporated

1897: Hiram dies at age 87; his sons Calvin and Hiram Jr. become presidents

1900: Hotchkiss Essential Oils wins its 17th medal

1920: Hiram III becomes president

1963: Anne Hotchkiss becomes president

1982: Company is sold to William Leman and Company of Bremen, Ind.

1984: Anne Hotchkiss retires

1987: Hotchkiss building is named to the National Register of Historical Places (it’s said to be the only building of its kind in the U.S.)

(It’s also one of only three historic business buildings located on the Erie canal.)

1990: Remaining operations are moved to Bremen, Ind.

1991: Building is donated to Wayne County by Anne Hotchkiss

2003: Essex Company buys Hotchkiss Oil rights from Leman

(Essex has purchased the trademark HG Hotchkiss name for our Hotchkiss Mint Oil)

2010: Anne Hotchkiss dies

2011: Wayne County gives the building to the Village of Lyons; it’s then turned over to the Lyons Heritage Society.

(The birth of the Hotchkiss Peppermint Museum.)

2025: The Museum is still in operation and coming up will be Lyons Peppermint Days July 18-20^th

With such a longstanding heritage you might think the Peppermint Kings were the only Mint Moguls in the United States. Turns out there were many others growing and developing peppermint varieties as well. With the Peppermint Kings there was also banking, branding, bottle making, debts and more historical intrigue all wrapped up in Hotchkiss’ history.

I’ve included a few links below for anyone interested in learning more about the history of Hotchkiss and if any of you get a chance to visit the Lyons HG Hotchkiss Peppermint Historical Museum, be sure and say hi to Peppermint Patty for me!

~Lena Begnaud

[1]  Guest, Linda. “Looking back: Lyons rich in peppermint history” Finger Lake Times, May 3^rd 2020. LOOKING BACK: Lyons rich in peppermint history | Lifestyle | fltimes.com. Accessed 24^th March 2025.

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Welcome to the Lyons Heritage Society

The Minty History of Lyons | Life in the Finger Lakes