Historical Biographies - A stan klos Company
HOPKINS, John Henry, P. E.
bishop, born in Dublin, Ireland, 30 January, 1792; died in Rock
Point, Vermont, 9 January, 1868. He came to this country with his parents in
1801, and received a large part of his education from his mother.
Contrary to his own desire, he was persuaded to engage in
the iron business in western Pennsylvania, first at Bassenheim near Economy, and
afterward, in partnership with James O'Hara, in Ligonier Valley. But the peace
with England ruined the iron business, and the furnace was blown out, Mr.O'Hara
paying all the indebtedness, of which Mr. Hopkins in later years repaid his
half.
He then studied law--his original preference--and was
admitted to the bar in Pittsburg in 1818, where he rapidly rose to the first
rank in business and influence. He became a vestryman and communicant in Trinity
parish, which was then very feeble, and, on a vacancy in the rectorship, was
elected at a parish meeting to fill it when he was not even a candidate for
orders, and entirely ignorant of its action.
He considered this a call from above, and gave up an
income of over $5,000 a year for $800 in the ministry. He was ordained deacon,
24 December, 1823, after a candidacy of a little over two months, and priest
scarcely five months later. He was architect of a new building for Trinity
church, and presented 137 candidates for confirmation at Bishop White's only
visitation beyond the mountains in 1825.
In 1826 he would have been elected assistant bishop of
Pennsylvania but for his peremptory refusal to vote for himself. During the
seven years of his rectorship he founded seven other churches in western
Pennsylvania, and brought seven young men into the ministry, besides three
others that were ordained shortly after he left.
His desire to found a theological seminary at Pittsburg was
not approved by his bishop, and when he was invited to Boston as assistant
minister of Trinity church, and to help in founding a seminary there, he
accepted, and left Pittsburg in 1831.
In 1832 he was elected the first bishop of Vermont, and was
consecrated on 31 October He soon established the Vermont Episcopal institute at
Burlington, but the financial panic of 1837-'8 ended the work in disaster,
leaving him penniless. From the beginning of his episcopate he was also rector
of St. Paul's church, Burlington, and so continued for twenty-seven years. The
building was twice enlarged in accordance with his designs. In 1854 he revived
Vermont Episcopal institute, raising the money by personal solicitation, and
left it solidly established.
On the death of Bishop Brownell in 1865 he became the
seventh presiding bishop of his church in the United States, and as such
attended the first Lambeth conference in 1867--an assembly which he had been the
first to suggest as early as 1851, and took an active part in its most important
deliberations.
Shortly after his return he died after an illness of two
days, which was brought on by exposure to severe weather in holding a
visitation, at the request of the Bishop of New York, in Plattsburgh.
Bishop Hopkins was an accomplished painter, both in
water-color and in oils, a musician and composer, a poet, and an architect,
having been one of the first to introduce Gothic architecture into this country.
He was an extemporaneous speaker of great readiness, force, and fluency; but was
specially remarkable for a singular independence of character, being perfectly
willing to stand alone when he felt convinced that he was in the right.
He was a voluminous author, beginning in his fortieth year.
Among his works are "Christianity Vindicated" (New York, 1833); "The Primitive
Creed" (1834); "The Primitive Church" (1835); "Essay on Gothic Architecture,"
with plates (1836); "The Church of Rome in her Primitive Purity compared with
the Church of Rome at the Present Day" (1837); "Twelve Canzonets," words and
music (1839); two "Letters to Bishop Kenrick" (1843); "The Novelties which
disturb our Peace" (1844); "The History of the Confessional" (1850); "The End of
Controversy Controverted," a refutation of Milner's "End of Controversy" (3
vols., 1854); "The American Citizen" (1857); "A Scriptural, Historical, and
Ecclesiastical View of Slavery" (1864); "The Law of Ritualism" (1866); "The
History of the Church in Verse" (1867); "The Pope not the Antichrist" (1868);
and many pamphlets.
-His son, HOPKINS, John Henry, clergyman, born in
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 28 October. 1820, was graduated at the University of
Vermont in 1839, and at the General theological seminary, New York City, in
1850. He was ordained deacon in the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1850, founded
the "Church Journal" in February, 1853, and was its editor and proprietor till
May, 1868. He took an active part in the erection of the diocese of Pittsburg in
1865, and those of Albany and Long Island in 1868, and in 1867 accompanied his
father to the Lambeth conference.
He was ordained priest in 1872, became in that year rector
of Trinity church, Plattsburgh, New York, and in 1876 of Christ church,
Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Racine college gave him the degree of D.D. in 1873.
Dr. Hopkins is the author of many pamphlets and review
articles, has published a life of his father (1868); "The Canticles Noted" (New
York, 1866); "Carols, Hymns, and Songs" (4th ed., 1887); and "Poems by the
Wayside" (1883); and has edited his father's "The Pope not the Antichrist"
(1863). "The Collected Works of Milo Mahan," With a memoir (3 vols., 1875); and
"The Great Hymns of the Church." by Bishop Young, of Florida (1887).
--Bishop Hopkins's second son, HOPKINS, Edward Angustus,
merchant, born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 29 November, 1822, after studying for
one year in the University of Vermont, then for a few months in Kenyon college,
Ohio, entered the navy as a midshipman. After five years he resigned, and was
appointed special commissioner to report whether the republic of Paraguay was
entitled to the recognition of her independence by the United States.
On his favorable report, that independence was recognized,
and he was sent as the first United States consul at Asunción, Paraguay, in
1853, being at the same time general agent of an American company for
manufacturing and mercantile. The act of the Paraguayan government in breaking
up this company in September, 1854, was one of the causes of the United States
expedition against Paraguay not long afterward.
Mr. Hopkins was the first to introduce into the La Plata
valley saw mills, railroads, and telegraphs, and for more than a quarter of a
century he has been the chief advocate of American influence there. He prepared
the book of statistics for the Argentine Republic that accompanied their
contribution to the Centennial exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, and through
his agency, many of the features of the educational and land systems of the
United States have been introduced into the Argentine Republic.
-Another son, HOPKINS, Caspar Thomas, journalist, born in
Alleghany City, Pennsylvania, 18 May, 1826, was graduated at the University of
Vermont in 1847, and the same year established "The Vermont State
Agriculturist." He went to California in 1849, and in 1861 established the
California insurance company, the first insurance company on the Pacific coast,
was its secretary till 1866, and afterward its president till 1884, when he
retired on account of impaired health.
He was secretary of the San Francisco chamber of commerce
from 1868 till 1870, and was one of its principal organizers. He was promoter
and president of the California immigrant union in 1870; has been president of
the Pacific social science association of San Francisco, secretary of the first
musical society on the Pacific coast, and was the first organist who ever took
charge of a Protestant choir in California. In addition to numerous magazine
articles and pamphlets, he published a "Manual of American Ideas" (1872).
--Another son, HOPKINS, Charles Jerome, musician, born in
Burlington, Vermont, 4 April, 1836, was educated at home, and passed one year at
the University of Vermont. He early developed a talent for music, but, with the
exception of home instruction, was self-taught. He was for five years a
professor at Cooper Union, New York City, and for twenty-eight years an organist
and choir master in Burlington and New York City. He has traveled extensively
throughout the United States, and has given concerts and lecture concerts in one
hundred and twelve cities.
He founded the New York Orpheon free classes for choir boys
in 1866, originated piano lecture concerts for lyceums in 1867, and was the
first musician in America that trained children to sing Handel's "Hallelujah
Chorus." In 1874 his orchestral music was played at the Crystal Palace, London,
a distinction never before enjoyed by an American musician, and in 1885 his
chamber music was rendered at Liszt's house at Weimar, Germany. In addition to
songs, secular and sacred, two symphonies, and three operas, he has published
"First Book of Church Music" (1860); a class book of notation study (1865); and
"Second Book of Church Music" (1867).
--Another son, HOPKINS, Frederick Vincent, physician, born
in Burlington, Vermont, 23 May, 1839, was graduated at the University of Vermont
in 1859, and studied medicine. He was surgeon and professor of geology in
Louisiana state university, in charge of the geological survey of that state
from 1868 till 1874, surgeon to the New Almaden and Sulphur Bank quicksilver
mine in 1876-'82, and since then has practiced medicine in San Francisco. He has
originated a method of killing the bacilli of tuberculosis and leprosy by
half-inch sparks from a Ruhmkorff coil.
In addition to articles published in newspapers, he has
written four reports on the "Geology of Louisiana" in the "Reports of the
Louisiana State University" (Baton Rouge, 1870-'3), and a report, in conjunction
with Professor Eugene W. Hilgard, on borings made by the engineer department of
the United States army between the Mississippi river and Borgne Lake
(Washington, 1878).
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia by John
Looby, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM
HOPKINS, John Henry, P. E. bishop, born in Dublin, Ireland, 30 January, 1792; died in Rock Point, Vermont, 9 January, 1868. He came to this country with his parents in 1801, and received a large part of his education from his mother. Contrary to his own desire, he was persuaded to engage in the iron business in western Pennsylvania, first at Bassenheim near Economy, and afterward, in partnership with James O'Hara, in Ligonier valley. But the peace with England ruined the iron business, and the furnace was blown out, Mr.O'Hara paying all the indebtedness, of which Mr. Hopkins in later years repaid his half. He then studied law--his original preference--and was admitted to the bar in Pittsburg in 1818, where he rapidly rose to the first rank in business and influence. He became a vestryman and communicant in Trinity parish, which was then very feeble, and, on a vacancy in the rectorship, was elected at a parish meeting to fill it when he was not even a candidate for orders, and entirely ignorant of its action. He considered this a call from above, and gave up an income of over $5,000 a year for $800 in the ministry. He was ordained deacon, 24 December, 1823, after a candidacy of a little over two months, and priest scarcely five months later. He was architect of a new building for Trinity church, and presented 137 candidates for confirmation at Bishop White's only visitation beyond the mountains in 1825. In 1826 he would have been elected assistant bishop of Pennsylvania but for his peremptory refusal to vote for himself. During the seven years of his rectorship he founded seven other churches in western Pennsylvania, and brought seven young men into the ministry, besides three others that were ordained shortly after he left. His desire to found a theological seminary at Pittsburg was not approved by his bishop, and when he was invited to Boston as assistant minister of Trinity church. and to help in founding a seminary there, he accepted, and left Pittsburg in 1831. In 1832 he was elected the first bishop of Vermont, and was consecrated on 31 October He soon established the Vermont Episcopal institute at Burlington, but the financial panic of 1837-'8 ended the work in disaster, leaving him penniless. From the beginning of his episcopate he was also rector of St. Paul's church, Burlington, and so continued for twenty-seven years. The building was twice enlarged in accordance with his designs. In 1854 he revived Vermont Episcopal institute, raising the money by personal solicitation, and left it solidly established. On the death of Bishop Brownell in 1865 he became the seventh presiding bishop of his church in the United States, and as such attended the first Lambeth conference in 1867--an assembly which he had been the first to suggest as early as 1851, and took an active part in its most important deliberations. Shortly after his return he died after an illness of two days, which was brought on by exposure to severe weather in holding a visitation, at the request of the Bishop of New York, in Plattsburg. Bishop Hopkins was an accomplished painter, both in water color and in oils, a musician and composer, a poet, and an architect, having been one of the first to introduce Gothic architecture into this country. He was an extemporaneous speaker of great readiness, force, and fluency; but was specially remarkable for a singular independence of character, being perfectly willing to stand alone when he felt convinced that he was in the right. He was a voluminous author, beginning in his fortieth year. Among his works are "Christianity Vindicated" (New York, 1833); "The Primitive Creed" (1834); "The Primitive Church" (1835); "Essay on Gothic Architecture," with plates (1836); "The Church of Rome in her Primitive Purity compared with the Church of Rome at the Present Day" (1837); "Twelve Canzonets," words and music (1839); two "Letters to Bishop Kenrick" (1843); "The Novelties which disturb our Peace" (1844); "The History of the Confessional" (1850); "The End of Controversy Controverted," a refutation of Milner's "End of Controversy" (3 vols., 1854); "The American Citizen" (1857); "A Scriptural, Historical, and Ecclesiastical View of Slavery" (1864); "The Law of Ritualism" (1866); "The History of the Church in Verse" (1867); "The Pope not the Antichrist" (1868); and many pamphlets.-His son. John Henry, clergyman, born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 28 October. 1820, was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1839, and at the General theological seminary, New York city, in 1850. He was ordained deacon in the Protestant Episcopal church in 1850, founded the "Church Journal" in February, 1853, and was its editor and proprietor till May, 1868. He took an active part in the erection of the diocese of Pittsburg in 1865, and those of Albany and Long Island in 1868, and in 1867 accompanied his father to the Lambeth conference. He was ordained priest in 1872, became in that year rector of Trinity church, Plattsburg, New York, and in 1876 of Christ church, Williamsport, Pennsylvania Racine college gave him the degree of D.D. in 1873. Dr. Hopkins is the author of many pamphlets and review articles, has published a life of his father (1868); "The Canticles Noted" (New York, 1866); "Carols, Hymns, and Songs" (4th ed., 1887); and "Poems by the Wayside" (1883); and has edited his father's "The Pope not the Antichrist" (1863) . "The Collected Works of Milo Mahan," With a memoir (3 vols., 1875); and "The Great Hymns of the Church." by Bishop Young, of Florida (1887). --Bishop Hopkins's second son. Edward Angustus, merchant, born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 29 November, 1822, after studying for one year in the University of Vermont, then for a few months in Kenyon college, Ohio, entered the navy as a midshipman. After five years he resigned, and was appointed special commissioner to report whether the republic of Paraguay was entitled to the recognition of her independence by the United States. On his favorable report, that independence was recognized, and he was sent as the first United States consul at Asuncion, Paraguay, in 1853, being at the same time general agent of an American company for manufacturing and mercantile. The act of the Paraguayan government in breaking up this company in September, 1854, was one of the causes of the United States expedition against Paraguay not long afterward. Mr. Hopkins was the first to introduce into the La Plata valley saw mills, railroads, and telegraphs, and for more than a quarter of a century he has been the chief advocate of American influence there. He prepared the book of statistics for the Argentine Republic that accompanied their contribution to the Centennial exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. and through his agency many of the features of the educational and land systems of the United States have been introduced into the Argentine Republic.-Another son, Caspar Thomas, journalist, born in Alleghany City, Pennsylvania, 18 May, 1826, was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1847, and the same year established "The Vermont State Agriculturist." He went to California in 1849, and in 1861 established the California insurance company, the first insurance company on the Pacific coast, was its secretary till 1866, and afterward its president till 1884, when he retired on account of impaired health. He was secretary of the San Francisco chamber of commerce from 1868 till 1870, and was one of its principal organizers. He was promoter and president of the California immigrant union in 1870; has been president of the Pacific social science association of San Francisco, secretary of the first musical society on the Pacific coast, and was the first organist who ever took charge of a Protestant choir in California. In addition to numerous magazine articles and pamphlets, he published a "Manual of American Ideas" (1872).--Another son, Charles Jerome, musician, born in Burlington, Vermont, 4 April, 1836, was educated at home, and passed one year at the University of Vermont. He early developed a talent for music, but, with the exception of home instruction, was self-taught. He was for five years a professor at Cooper Union, New York city, and for twenty-eight years an organist and choir master in Burlington and New York city. He has travelled extensively throughout the United States, and has given concerts and lecture concerts in one hundred and twelve cities. He founded the New York orpheon free classes for choir boys in 1866, originated piano lecture concerts for lyceums in 1867, and was the first musician in America that trained children to sing Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus." In 1874 his orchestral music was played at the Crystal Palace, London, a distinction never before enjoyed by an American musician, and in 1885 his chamber music was rendered at Liszt's house at Weimar, Germany. In addition to songs, secular and sacred, two symphonies, and three operas, he has published "First Book of Church Music" (1860); a class book of notation study (1865); and "Second Book of Church Music" (1867).--Another son, Frederick Vincent, physician, born in Burlington, Vermont, 23 May, 1839, was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1859. and studied medicine. He was surgeon and professor of geology in Louisiana state university, in charge of the geological survey of that state from 1868 till 1874, surgeon to the New Almaden and Sulphur Bank quicksilver mine in 1876-'82, and since then has practised medicine in San Francisco. He has originated a method of killing the bacilli of tuberculosis and leprosy by half-inch sparks from a Ruhmkorff coil. In addition to articles published in newspapers, he has written four reports on the "Geology of Louisiana" in the "Reports of the Louisiana State University" (Baton Rouge, 1870-'3), and a report, in conjunction with Professor Eugene W. Hilgard, on borings made by the engineer department of the United States army between the Mississippi river and Borgne lake (Washington, 1878).
