Maria Harrison Hotchkiss (née Bissell) was an American educator, heiress, and philanthropist. Born in 1827, she is best remembered for her significant contribution to American secondary education through the establishment of a prominent preparatory institution.
She was married to Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, a wealthy munitions maker, though the couple experienced a long estrangement. Upon receiving his inheritance, she chose to dedicate the fortune to educational endeavors. In 1891, she founded The Hotchkiss School, a private boarding school in Lakeville, Connecticut. She passed away in 1901, leaving a legacy in American preparatory education.
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