The Hopkins Family in North America

The following account written 'years ago' in 1905 by Dr. Archibald Hopkins of Harrisonburg, Virginia for his son, Dr. Wiliam Davis Hopkins is contained in 'A Chapter of Hopkins Genealogy.'

 Archibald was a grandson to 'Ercebald Hopkins' John's brother. A family of Hopkins emigrated from the north of Ireland to this country many years before the Revolutionary War, and landed first at Albany, New York. How long they remained there is not known. This family consisted of a many, his second wife, and three sons by his first wife. Owing to some difficulty between the sons and their step-mother, either at Albany, or Baltimore, Maryland (where we hear of them next), the three sons deserted the family roof and retired to the valley of Virginia [Shenandoah Valley]. this was then almost a wilderness. They traveled up the valley as far as Greenbriar County, where they settled, and remained but a short time. Being attacked by Indians, and driven away from Greenbriar County, they returned to Rockingham County, which was then included in Augusta County, and settled in the western part, on Muddy Creek. The names of these three brothers were John, William and Archibald, or 'Ercebald' as it is spelled in an old deed. They sang the psalms as they were written in the Old Testament, and would not, in that day, tolerate innovations in the shape of modern rhymes. They were amongst the founders, or first members, of Cook's Creek, or, as it is now called, New Erection Church. Their nearest neighbors were the Shanklins, Loves, Baxters, Gordons, Bryans, Rices, Ralstons, etc., with whom they and their descendants married and intermarried. John Hopkins settled at the Neff place, about two miles west of Archibald on Muddy Creek in Augusta County. William settled five miles north of the other two. There is in Richmond, Virginia the record of a patent made by 'George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc., to Ephraim Love and William Hopkins for 204 acres in the County of Augusta, on the head brances of Muddy Creek, between the lands Jacob Dye lives on and the mountains, described by meets and bounds, as usual with all other wording of those old patents, executed by Thomas Lee, president of our council and Commander-in-Chief of our Colony, etc. [Dated 5th of September, 1749] In connection with Ephraim Love, they surveyed the land for which the patent was issued. (at pg. 37): John Hopkins, with his brothers, Archibald and William, came to the Shenandoah Valley some time before 1749. We find in the old 'Session Book of Cook's Creek and Pyke Mountain Congregation' the record of his marriage on October 12, 1759 to Jean Gordon. He settled at the 'Neff place' two miles west of Archibald Hopkins, naer the mountains. This and the Gordon farm were the first two settlements in that locality. T.M. Gordon says, 'I can remember seeing the mounds of an old fort and the place goes by the name of Fort Spring to this day.' It was here at the foot of North Mountain, with the wonderfully beautiful scenery of the Blue Ridge always in sight that John and Jean Gordon Hopkins made their home. They built a substantial brick house. James M. Rice of Peoria, Illinois says, 'When I visited Rockingham, Virginia in 1876, I saw the old house built about 1760, not far from the time Archibald Hopkins was born, which house was still in good order, two stories high with four big fireplaces in it, two upstairs and two down. One of them measured downstairs, was ten feet and eight inches across from the outside of the jamb to the other. There was a nice spring house by the residence with a large spring of cold crystal water and in front of the house was a row of willow trees, I should think more than twenty-five years ago.' This house must have been the scene of many merry times and many sad partings for ten children played out their childhood, grew to manhood and womanhood, married, said goodbye to the old fireside and went to far-off places to make themselves new homes. These homes were 'far off' not so much on account of distance as because of the lack of means of communication, in those days, between separated localities. It is no wonder that these brothers and sisters knew but little of each other and in some cases lost track entirely of the whereabouts of the next generation, and that today it is a difficult matter to trace them in their life histories. John Hopkins died before June 4, 1791 and we know that he made a will for we find in an old legal paper these words, 'Whereas the Commonwealth of Virginia did grant and convey to John Hopkins, senior, a certain Tract of Land formerly in Harrison County now in the County of Lewis, aforesaid lying on the Hilly upland run, a Branch of Stone coal Creek, Containing 800 acres which patent is dated the 28th day of August, 1787, as bny said patent will appear, adn where as the said John Hopkins since died, having first made and published his last Will and Testament and therein and thereby given and bequeathed the above Tract of Land to three of his daughters to wit: Hannah, Ruth, and Ann as by said Will and Testament doth more fully appear.' He must have had other lands than those spoken of in this quotation for we find that 'Land office Treasury Warrant No. 8321 was issued to John Hopkins, Sr. for 1537 acres of land Aprin 12, 1782. It was issued to authorize him to take up any vacant and unappropriated land within the commonwealth of Virginia. 537 acres were taken up by Rebecca and Jane Poage, recorded in Grant Book 44, page 478 (in Harrison County); 159 acres by Rebecca and Jane Poage in Harrison County in Grant Book 53, page 456.' There is a tradition that John Hopkins served in the Revolutionary War under General Washington and was in the siege of Yorktown. In a letter written December 7, 1876, by Cyrus Hopkins, of Uppertract, Pendleton Co., Virginia, a grandson of John Hopkins, the pioneer, he says 'John Hopkins lived in Rockingham County and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He also represented his county in the Legislature.' We also have this from the War Department, military secretary's office, at Washington: 'The records of this office sho that one John Hopkins served as a private in Captain David Stephenson's Company, 8th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel Abraham Bowman, Revolutionary War. He enlisted February 21, 1778, to serve three years. He was transferred to Captain William Croghan's Company, 4th, 9th and 12th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel James Wood, in June, 1778; to Captain William Croghan's Company, 4th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel John Nevill, in September, 1778, and to Captain-Lieutenant Leonard Cooper's Company, same regiment, in May, 1779. His name last appears on the roll dated December 9, 1779, without special remark relative to his service.' We find in Henning's Statutes at large, Vol. VII, p. 179 the following: 'To the Militia of the Co. of Augusta and for provisions furnished by sundry inhabitants of said Co. viz-- To Archibald Hopkins, John Shanklin, 35s each.................................................L3, s.10 Lieutenant John Hopkins, ..........................................2....14 In Vol. XLI, page 95, we find: 'Be it therefore enacted that it shall and may be lawful for any person, chargeable with any part of the half tax, for the year 1785 to make payment of any part, not exceeding two thirds thereof, in certificats issued or to be hereafter issued, by John Hopkins, Esq., Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office in this state, for interest due on land office certificates, etc.' Volume XI, page 309: 'Act for surveying the lands given by law to officers and soldiers on continental and state establishments and for other purposes * * * Be it enacted by the General Assembly that it shall be lawful fo the deputations of officers consisting of, -- Major General.........................................Muglenburg ' ' .........................................Chas. Scott ' ' .........................................Geo. Weeden Brigadier General................................Dan'l Morgan ' ' ................................Jas. Wood Colonel..........................................William Heth Lieutenant Colonel....................Towles ' ' .....................Hopkins ' ' ......................Clark, etc. of the Continental line * * * to appoint superintendents for th epurpose of regulating the survey of lands appropriated by law as counties, etc.' The receipt here reproduced may add another bit of testimony. April 7th, 1781. Recd. of Thomas Gordon Twentie two pounds twelve shillings it being his part in order to raise clothes and provisions agreeable to an Act of Assembly passed for that purpose. John Hopkins I, James Rice, a great grandson of said John Hopkins and a great great grandson of said Thomas Gordon, do hereby certify that the above is a full true correct and literal copy of an original receipt now in my possession, it is written on a piece of paper that had been cut out of some old letter or other document and it has some parts of some of the original writing on the back yet. It came to me as being the great great grandson of said Thomas Gordon. April 30, 1895. James M. Rice He was a private in Captain David Stephenson's Company, 8th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel Abraham Bowman, Revolutionary War. He enlisted February 21, 1778 to serve three years. He was transferred to Captain William Croghan's Company, 4th, 8th, and 12th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel James Wood, in June, 1778; to Captain William Croghan's Company, 4th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel John Nevill, in September, 1778, and to Captain-Lieutenant Leonard Cooper's Company, same regiment, in May, 1779. His name last appears on the roll dated December 9, 1779. without special remark relative to his service.   Captain of militia, Augusta County, Nov 1774 - and Rockingham, June 1779 -; was member House of Delegates, 1785,1788 and 1793 - Wayland.

 A letter from the old Cook's Creek church, bearing date of June 4, 1791 speaks of Jane Hopkins as the 'daughter of John Hopkins, deceased.

 Jean Gordon Hopkins is said to have been a good shot and often stood guard over her husband, protecting him with her rifle while he worked.

 From: 'A Chapter of Hopkins Genealogy' Archibald Hopkins, first child of John Hopkins and Jean Gordon, was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, near Harrisonburg, in 1760. HIs father and mother, John and Jean Gordon Hopkins were Scotch-Irish. He grew up to manhood in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley under the shadow of North Mountain, always in sight of the wonderful haze fo the Blue Ridge mountains. He was short of stature, a great talker, and very energetic. He was married about 1785 to Elizabeth Poage. They made their home near the parental roof. To them were born six children, William, John, Jane, Mary, Sarah and Robert. These children were all somewhat under medium size. Elizabeth Poage Hopkins must have died soon after the birth of Robert, for Archibald Hopkins married a second wife, Margaret Shanklin, and her first child, Gordon, was only three years younger than Elizabeth's last child, Robert. By his second wife, Archibald had ten children, Gordon, Benjamin, Thomas, Elizabeth, Elijah, James, Harriet, Archibald, Edwin, and Gracy Ann. These were all larger and more robust than the others. In 1804 he moved from Virginia to Mayslick, Mason County, Kentucky, where his sister, Jane Hopkins Pogue, the wife of General Robert Pogue, had lived for about thirteen years. He did not like the conditions he found there and slavery troubled him so he went into Ohio, prospecting. At Red Oak, Brown County, he met the Rev. James Gilliland and seems to have formed for his a strong attachment. Returning to Kentucky, he told his wife he had found his preacher. Very soon after, in 1805, he went with his family to Red Oak, Ohio. He is siad to have crossed the Ohio River at Ripley with wagons in which were his wife and twelve children, his household possessions, and a barrel of whiskey. One of the great grandsons says he remembers hearing old folks tell of the hardships they had to endure on the road to Ohio. They tied logs to the backs of the wadons to help in holding back in going down steep hills. It was still harder to climb those hills. They carried chunks of wood or stones to block the wheels to let the horses rest. He also said that during these resting times the whiskey was passed around to refresh the weary pilgrims. Four children were born after reaching Ohio, making a family of sixteen, all but one of whom (Elijah) grew to maturity, married and had families. At Red Oak, three miles north of Ripley, Archibald obtained land, an in this fertile but heavily timbered country he proceeded to make a home. With great energy and perseverance he and his sons removed a portion of the heavy forest and erected a comfortable house and barn. The house was built of brick, two stories high, a hall through the middle, and two windows on each side of the front door. This house was the pride of all his grandchildren. The barn was built of logs and plastered so as to hold flaxseed. He also built a flaxseed-oil mill, which he operated. He soon saw his rich acres graced with abundant crops, and prosperity within his borders. He and his sons were excellent horse trainers and kept the finest horses in all that region. At that time, transportation of all kinds was by horse and wagon and they were oftern called upon by their neighbors for help with their magnificent teams. The little boys...were very prout of the Hopkins teams. As his ten sons, one by one, married some excellent maiden, always a memeber of the church, he was settled in the neighborhood on a farm of his own, usually not less and geneally more than a hundred acres. I do not think there was a house in all that region on the floor of which there was anything nicer than a rag carpet. Everything was homemade. The women spun and wove flannel for dresses and blue jeans for the men's clothes. A young girl, with a red flannel dress, cut and made so as to economize material, was just as attractive as the most fashionably dressed lady of today. Shoes were valuable in those days. The farmer killed a beef, took the hide to a tannery (many went to General Grant's father at Georgetown), and got half of the hide in return for leather. Out of this he made his own harness and shoes. I remember one winter day I sat patiently watching my father as he cut and made a pair of shoes for my youthful feet. Some excellent women, who walked two miles or more to church, carried their shoes and stockings until near the church, then retired to the woods, completed their toilet, and came into the church with all the dignity of queens. Grandfather was an earnest protestant, and a devout Presbyterian. Family prayers wre always observed, and the candle needed for the reading of the Scriptures was blown out during the prayers, the great open fire furnishing sufficient light for that part of the service. That grandmother tried to make Sunday attractive for the childrend is proved by the fact that she always had preserves for breakfast on Sunday morning. Grandfather was the patriarch of all these families with their growing children. When William returend from Illinois, in 1833, where he had gone looking for a new home, his father went to see himi and hearing his plans said, 'Tut, tut, William, this will never do. We have lived here together so long and we are not going to be separated now.' They always obeyed 'Old Archie' and for two years William waited for his father's consent. When one of the younger sons was married, his bride refferred to her husband as 'Mr. Hopkins.' Grandfather overheard her and siad, 'Tut, tut, there is only one Mr. Hopkins in this family. I'm Mr. Hopkins.' He visited all the families to see that they attended to their religious duties, that they paid the minister, that they had family worship, and that they greased their shoes on Saturday night ready for the Saddath service. My belief is that all the Hopkins families were very faithful in attending to family prayers morning and evenign, and in teaching the Catechism on Sunday afternoon. I think this was true also of the the majority of the neighborhood. Grandfather Hopkins had always furnished whiskey for barn raisings, log rollings, and in harvest. One day Mr. Gilliland talked with him about the harm of it and asked him if he could not do without it. After that he had no whiskey. This perhaps accounts for the fact that all his sons and nearly all his grandsons were temperate men. Very soon after he came to Red Oak he was made ruling elder in the chruch. The following record is on the church books for November 4, 1808, 'Session met agreeably to appointment. Constiuted with prayer. Members all present. Archibald Hopkins having been duely elected by the congregation to the office of ruling elder on ye 23rd. of May last, now appears and takes his seat in session, having been formally ordained as appears from his certificate.' this position he held for forty years. He always stood by his minister. A daughter of Mr. Gilliland once laughingly said, 'Mr. Hopkins always consults father about everything, event the marriage of his children.' Now think of my experience when a youth. Each family had a pew shut in by doors securely buttoned. Among the families who came to the chruch on Sundays, were the Salsburys, the Dunlaps, the Kinkaids, the Pangburns, the Gillilands, and the numerous Hopkins families. There were grandfather and grandmother with faithful Aunt Harriet, who stood by them until they went to their long home. There was Uncle William, his head always shaking a little with palsy. I remember seeing his sons Joel and John, young men over six feet tall. There was my father, John, with his eight children and mother all packed into one pew. Discipline was nearly perfet in his household. Children were to be seen and not heard. When any one of his children goot a little restless under the one-hour sermon, a single glance from the head of the family was sufficient to to allay all disturbance. The little ones would often look into mother's face and ask, 'When will it be through?' and her kind voice would respond, 'Before long.' Aunt Mary Pogue was there, short, active, red-headed, quick of step. She was proud of her noble husband, Colonel John Crawford Pogue, who was every inch a gentleman. They had no children. Then came Uncle Robert, with so much reverence in his heart that he showed it in his step. His wife was a daughter of the Rev. James Gillilnad. They had four daughters and one son. Uncle Gordon was there, large and stately in his movements, and his wife who was always cheery and bright, and a pew full of children. Aunt Elizabeth Kinkaid was not behind any in the numbers nor the attractiveness of her household. Uncle Archibald came too. He was large and rather solemn and brought his beautiful wife and little ones with him. Then came Uncle Edwin with his young wife and little children, and Aunt Grace Dunlap, the youngest, and one of the handsomest of the tribe, bringing her family. Aunt Jane had married Mr. John Hopkins Pogue and moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana. Aunt Sarah had married Rev. A.B. Gillilnad and gone to Venice, Butler County, Ohio. Uncle Benjamin had died and Uncle Thomas and Uncle James had gone to Ripley where they were engaged in business. Hence they were not present in the church as I remember it. Grandfather thought all his farmer boys needed was to learn to read, write, and cipher to the 'rule of three.' I believe that my father, John, was the only one of the sons who disregarded this rule so farm as to send his children away to school. However, grandfather's sons were naturally so capable that the most of them were at some time elected elders in the Presbyterian Church, and none of them ever took a second place in his influence for truth and right. When grandfather was quite an elderly man he slipped on some ice on his porch and fell, herting his hip so that afterwards he rode horseback on a side-saddle. His saddle horse, Bonny, a beautiful dapple gray, took him everywhere, up and down, over and through places that people would not now attempt. All the last years of his life, his daughter, Harriet, accompanied him, she too riding horseback and sitting as firmly and riding as fearlessly as her father. OLD LETTER WRITTEN BY ARCHIBALD HOPKINS BEFORE HE LEFT VIRGINIA TO MR. JOHN BOYD, MERCER COUNTY Rockingham County, April 16th, 1793 My Beloved friend; We are absent in Body, but if this finds you in Time, far as we are distant, we must shortly meet, and O; what a solemn meeting is approaching, alas; that I can be so insensible, so little conserned about the one thing needful,m daily acknowledging my self to be a candidiat for Eternity, and that I expect to be rewarded according to the things done in the Body whether they be good or evil, and yet no more conserned, so delighted with these perishing time-things, such warm affections for Creature objects, and so Cold and insensible for the God that made me, and ever since supported me and has laid such an Angel Astonishing plan of Salvation for my redemption, Alas that we can be so ungratefull whare the interest is our own. I think if I am not decived; I, the longer I am acquainted with my own Heart and the lives of my fellow mortals, the more I see of that lamentable situation that man is falling into. The Crown is falling from our heads, for we have sinned. We have had since I seen you a Number of the warmest Gospel sermons that ever I have heard, but it appears to be in vain O alas; Alas; What a Deep sleep is fallen on professors of religion in this part. Neither his judgments awaken us, nor his mercies invites us, but we are a saying by our conduct, 'we will not have him to be Lord over us.' We have been making an attempt to settle with Mr. Ervine for time that is past. We fall considerable in Debt and I think, that if it was not for a very few, he would be turned off without recompense at all. I received yours by Mr. Shanklin which affords matter of both rejoicing and mourning. You say you have found an Acquaintance you hope with a number of the Lords people in that Country, but they are thinly scattered, and chiefly middle aged, and elderly people. These are the people that must support the Gospel and it it to be expected that they will endeavor to keep the Church pure and encourage the spirit of religion and if they are Dissiples indeed they will cry mightily for A time of refreshment from the Spirit of the Lord, and when religion is encouraged, by elderly people, it is a great encouragement for youth. Then the Lord is pleased to revive his works and to give his word success. But what a cause of lamentation is it that youth will not serve the Lord when common experience gives us so many examples of the uncertainty of our lives, ant they that seek me early shall find me. Some time last fall one of the Widow Bells sons went out to hunt and shot a Dear, it was a wet Day and he only wounded it and he ran till he was very hot and got wet, came home took sick and died bidding adue to time and all its enjoyments in a few days. In a short time after, one of her Daughters Departed this life, What loud Preachers these things ought to be, if only these youth had been zealously engaged about Religion. Minding scarecely any thing else at all, the Men of the world would soon have said, 'that wont do, how will these people live? why they are a going mad!' But what a pitty it is, that we think so much more about how we shall live, than how we shall Die. We promise ourselves a long time to live here. But when I take a serious View of myself, and Consider the Days past, how short and how triffling they have been spent, and to put the matter to the long period that I can be of any service either to my Master or my fellow mortals, what is it? Why if we ware to live as long again as we have lived, to look before us it would look a great while, but when it is once gone, it is as a tale what is told. But Me thinks I hear the reader a saying now is the acepted time and now is the Day of Salvation and you an me is perhaps verry verry near our home, and that it is high time for us to awake, for our Salvation is nearer now than when we Believed, and not to be Conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind that we may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God, and what a triffling thing it is that we cant deny ourselves and take up our Cross and follow the once despised, But the now exalted Lamb of God, since he has said, 'learn of me for I am meek and lowly and you shall find rest unto your Souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is Light.' You Desired me before I would Write to you to converse with Mr. Ervine on that sentence in my former letter. I had not an opportunity, and I am verry well satisfied that he does not hold it necessary that our first thoughts should be the sins of the world. Far be that from him, and he is far from being satisfied to think that we should be contented in this day when, iniquity abounds, and the love of many, waxes cold, when thare is so few if any, in these parts that is Conserned about the Cause of Zion. The Last Sermon that was preacht at the new Erection was from these words, 'Let God Arise, let his enemys be scattered; let them also that hate him flee before him.' psalm 68--1 and 1 and I think of all Days that I have heard or seen, I never heard Mr. Ervine Preach with as much fervor, and encourage as much for Christians to Pray for a revival, to plead the promises of the Lord for there is surely to be a day as has never yet been seen. Did any of us believe that Jesus had seen enough to satisfy him for his Blood, and that his Converts had yet surpast the Drops of Dew from the womb of the morning, or that the Knowledge of him had covered the Earth as the waters covered the sea? Did we believe that he had got the Heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession? Well all these then is promist to him of his father and what are we a doing, are we a giving him no rest, are we a Crying mightily for a day of his power, that his enemies might flee Before him, the plagues of our hearts might be subdued and every thing that exalted should be abased and those that would not be abased should be obliged to flee, that Religious Conversation might become so universal that those that hate it would be obliged to flee before it. May this be the earnest prayer of you, my fellow mortal, and of me and every Creature that names the Name of Christ. I am yours Arch. Hopkins, LETTER FROM ARCHIBALD HOPKINS TO COL. ROBERT POAGE, STAUNTON, VIRGINIA. (NO DATE) Dr. Sir, I will just inform you that I have wrote to Thomas Hopkins that you are in Virginia and if he gets his letter I make no doubt but he will go and see you but if he should not come, I will take it as a verry great favour if you will go and see him, I expect he will have some money, and I am in so much need of money as I every was since I have anny use for it. I expect you have seen Mr Bodly since I have and, it is probably you had some conversation on my Business and is acquainted with how it stands and if you go and Mr. Parrots have not paid in the money agreeable to promise I have wrote to Thomas Hopkins that they must expect to pay me for my trouble and expence for I dont know but I will be obliged to send for it and I know of not other opportunity of getting it Brough out to me am Sir your friend and humble Servant Archibald Hopkins Robert Pogue. Addressed to Col. Robert Poague To the Mail in Stantion Virginia. Written on back: Joseph & Tom Baxter Ex. apointed by will the will not signed but agreed to by the Legatees. LETTER FROM ARCHIBALD HOPKINS OF RED OAK TO COL ROBERT POGUE Cleremont County July 8, 1807 Dr. Sir, I expect Mr. Scott will be with me before long and he will expect some money, and all my expectation is from you I wish you to let Mr. camble know, that I am in want of money, and cant do with out it and that I will be under the disagreeable necesity of pushning for it and all that is due in Kentuckey our situation is such, that I wish to put off going to Virginia this fall if I can, I want to know when David Hinton goes to Virginia, I wish to write by him to Thomas Hopkins to know if my business really called for me there if Hinton dont return in time for me to get an answer from Virginia, so that if I must go. I would have time before it would be too late in the season I would take as a great favour if you have an opertunity of writing to Virginia, and desire an answer to know whether it is my duty to go to Virnginia or not till another season, an dif you write let him know that I want as much of my money as can be got, and it is likely that some opertunity of bringing it may offer we are all well give my Love to all my friends in Mason Arch Hopkins Robert Pogue Addressed on back: A Hopkins letter to Col. Robert Pogue. WILL OF ARCHIBALD HOPKINS I, Archibald Hopkins, of Brown County, in the State of Ohio, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say; First, it is my will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be fully paid. I give and devise and bequeath to my beloved wife, Margaret Hopkins, in lieu of her dower, one equal undivided third part of my lands, the west end of my house including the kitchen, also an equal interest in the entry and in the lumber-room above the entry, during her natural life, and her riding mare saddle and bridle, her choice of three cows, one-fourth of the sheep, one-hundred and fifty dollars in money, sufficient stock of provisions for herself an dfamily, and for her creatures for one year after my decease, and all my household and kitchen property, except what is here-in-after bequathed to some else of my family, all my books to remain with my wife while she lives and after her death my will and desire is that my children shall divide them equally among them. I give and bequeath to my sons William, John, Robert, Gordon, Thomas, James, and Edwin Hopkins, each five dollars, to the heir of my son Benjamin Hopkins, deceased, five dollars, and to my daughters, Jazne Poage, Mary Poage, Sarah Gilleland, Elizabeth Kinkaid, and Gracy Ann Dunlap each five dollars, and to my daughter Harriet Hopkins, Eight hundred dollars. The above legacies bequeathed to my children, I will shall be paid by my son Archibald Hopkins to them in one year after my decease except teh last half of the legacy bequathed to my daughter Harriet which shall be paid to her as follows, one hundred in two years after my decease, one hundred in three years, one hundred in four years, and one hundred in five years. I give and bequeath to my son Archibald Hopkins, my clock after the deceaseof my said wife, Margaret Hopkins, I further give and bequeath to my said daughter, Harriet, two beds and bedding and bed-steads, and one side-saddle and one bureau and bridle. And further I give unto my siad daughter Harriet Hopkins, the room in the West end of my house, including the kitchen, and the cellar under the same, and the privilege of a pass way in teh entry, and to the said cellar after the deceas eof my siad wife Margaret Hopkins, if the siad Harriet is then an unmarried womabn, to her to have and to hold as long as hse remains a single woman, but no longer, and it is my will and desire that my son Archibald Hopkins shall find and keep my siad daughter Harriet in a suitable riding creature after my decease and so long as she remains a single woman and shall after the death of my siad iwfe Margaret Hopkins, find and keep the siad Harriet in a milch cow and is to find her in provisions and fire-wood and twenty pounds of wool in the grease, a year, as long as she remains an unmarried woman and no longer. I give and devise to my siad son Archiblad Hopkins the farm on which I now reside subject to the encumbrances before mentioned and legacies bequeathed for him to pay, situate and bieng in Union township, in the County and State aforesaid being part of a tract of Sixteen-hundred and sixty-six and two-thirds acres, pattended in the name of Andrew Lewis and bounded as follows to wit--Beginning at a beech and white walnut near a hollow; thence North one hundred and sixty poles to a locust, ash and buckeye; thence East two hundred poles to a lynn and beech; thence West one hundred and seventy poles to a sugar tree and buckey; thence South thirty three degrees West forty nine poles to the beginning, containing one hundred and fifty three acres more or less to him the said Archibald hopkins and to his heirs and assigns forever. And further it is my will and desire that my executors shall as soon as they can after my decease sell at private sale the following described tract of land adjoing the above described tract to wit; Beginning at a beech thence South eight degrees West ninety two poles to a buckeye and elm; thence North seventy six poles to a buckeye; thence East fifteen poles to a beech; thece North one hundred and fourteen poles to the beginning, and the money arising therefrom shall go to the paymetn of my just debts, funeral expenses and for executing this my last will and testament. The balance including any money I may have and that may arise froom the sale fo any personal property that I may then have, shall go to the paymetn of the legacy of one hundred and fifty dollars to my siad wife, ther remainder shall then be divided into four equal parts and I give and bequath to the Bible society of Brown County one part and to th Missionary society of the siad county one part and to the Abolition society of said county one part and to the Tract society one part and lastly I hereby consittute and appoint my siad sons John Hopkins, Robert Hopkins, and Gordon Hopkins, executors of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me made and ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testatment. It testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of April in the year 1839. Archibald Hopkins Brown County was organized in 1817 from Adams (1797) and Clermont (December 9, 1800). In the year 1819 commissioners bought land of John Thompson and James Poage. 50 acres on Straight Creek to build a log courthouse town to be the county seat. Called Bridgewater. Abandoned, moved to Ripley in 1819. Contract to build courthouse in Ripley went to George Poage in 1820 for $2,999. Then moved to Georgetown.

 From the Hopkins Genealogy Ann Hopkins, the daughter of John Hopkins and Jean Gordon, was born August 21, 1780, four miles northeast of Harrisonburg, in Rockingham Co., Virgnia (this was then part of Augusta Co.). She married about April 3, 1802, James Rice, a Virginian, of Rockingham Co. (son of John Rice and Mary Rice, nee Finney), formerly a student at Jefferson Medical College, but at this time engaged in mercantile and land investment. They moved about 1805 to Greenup Co., now Boyd County, Kentucky, where Mr. Rice continued his land investments, and under Robert Poage, his wife's brother-in-law, was appointed surveyor of Greenup County. Here six children were born to them, five boys and one girl. In the winter or early spring of 1815, her husband was drowned, near Catlettsburg, Kentucky, while attempting to cross the Ohio River in a skiff, attended by a negro servant. The boat capsized; he was an expert swimmer, but it is probable that he was seized with a cramp or that the weight of his clothing overpowered him. James Rice was a man of fine humanity, and while not a completed graduate of Jeffeson school, he was called upon by all the people in his vicinity for medical attendance which he gave them free gratis. It was in response to one of these calls that he lost his life. It had been his intention soon to return and complete the course, only a term of which was unfinished, that he might be fully equipped for duty, there being no other so well educated medical practitioner in that county. Mentally he was unusually progressive and clear. Successfully accurate and active in all business places and duties, one of his tenacious purposes was to give the highest educational advantages to his children. Ann Hopkins Rice, a little frail woman, so unexpectedly left with six children (the youngest being born after the death of his father) in a comparatively new country, with her husband's rather extended business interests and plowed lands in the embryo of development, with a brave spirit accepted the trust. When her boys had come to manhood, people used to say 'I would like to see the mother of those young men.' she was delicate and small, with a spirit sweet and pure, and the Gordon blood in her veins. This picture was given me largely by my mother, her esrstwhile daughter-in-law, so that old time legend of inharmony is broken. In 1815, soon after the birth of the youngest child, she removed from Greenup County to Christian County, near Hopkinsville, to be in touch with her brother, Thomas Hopkins. The estate in Greenup had been intrusted to friends, whose administration was unsuccessful, and the children came to majority with nothing except a remnant of old slaves. This deprived them of all opportunities of advnced education, a great regret to them. With Southern inheritance, tradition and blood in their veins, they had come to young manhood just in time to be caught and swpt away by the moral wave of abolition of the slave, and they did not hesitate though at a great personal sacrifice to salute the flag of freedom that it might long wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave, nor to question between personal sacrifice, and duty to humanity; even though it were exteriorly a black humanity, the blackness would be no darker because of their making. Twenty-five dollars each secured outfit membership and transport to a Liberian colony. One old colored man, faithful to the tradition, refused 'to leave missus and the boys,' and with them, in the spring of 1835, came to Henderson, then a part of Warren County, Illinois, travelling in wagons, stopping at wayside inns or hospitable pioneer hearthstones, and occasionally being forced to camp out, but htinking no discomfort a hardship that brought them nearer to a state of freedom. There was no bitterness in their memories of 'the old Kentucky home.' They were born and bred there, and to this day they know 'you're might lucky when you married a girl like sue.' In 1841, after her son George was married, Ann Hopkins Rice made her home wiht him for a number of years, though her last years were with her son Cyrus William at Oquauka, Henderson Co., Illinois, where she died February 16, 1850, tenderly regretted by her children and friends.