E. W. Hopkins

E. W. HOPKINS, deceased, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, was for many years one of the influential farmers living in Hackberry township, Labette county, Kansas. His home farm was in section 15, township 34, range 2, and consisted of a quarter section. He also owned 40 acres in section 9, and eighty acres in section 3, township 34, range 20. Mr. Hopkins was born in Portage county, Ohio, in 1846, and is a son of Horace and Eunice (Puffer) Hopkins. Horace Hopkins died in Labette county, while visiting his son. Mrs. Hopkins is still living in Ohio; a daughter, Ida also lives in Ohio.

E. W. Hopkins was reared and schooled in Ohio, and grew to manhood in that state. He was very fond of hunting and trapping, and this proved a favorite sport with him during his younger days. Mr. Hopkins removed to Labette county, Kansas, in 1870, and in the spring of 1872 settled in Hackberry township on a farm in section 15, township 34, range 20. In 1862 he placed the cabin which had stood on the land for a number of years, by a comfortable frame structure, and later added large barns and outbuildings. He set out a fine orchard, and made many valuable improvements in general, until the farm became known as one of the finest in the county. A high grade of cattle is raised, and everything grown on the place is of the best. Since Mr. Hopkins' death, which occurred in February, 1899, at the age of fifty-two years, his son, Clarence, has managed the farm. Mr. Hopkins won the confidence of all who met him, and there was no better man in his section of the county. He taught the first district school in Hackberry township, which was where District No. 26 is now located. He was universally respected and esteemed, and his death was sincerely mourned by his fellow citizens.

Mr. Hopkins was united in marriage with Anna Downing, in the state of Arkansas. She is a daughter of George S. and Caroline (Davis) Downing, and the latter still lives in Colorado. George Downing was an early settler of Labette county, but removed to Arkansas, where he farmed for three years. Thence he went to Colorado, where he was engaged in farming until his death, in the winter of 1900-01. On his arrival in Labette county, Mr. Downing organized a Sunday-school in District No. 26, Hackberry township. He also preached the Gospel, but never accepted pay for his services. He was known far and near as a very devout Christian. He had seven girls and five boys, namely: Marietta; Nathan; William; Laura; John; Anna, the wife of Mr. Hopkins; Ellen; Kate; Abraham; Victoria; Alice; and George S. Most of the children live in Colorado. Mrs. Hopkins was born in Fulton county, Illinois, in 1853, and in 1861 removed to Miami county, Kansas, where her parents lived for a short time. When she was sixteen years old, her parents removed to Labette county, and thence to Arkansas, where she remained until her marriage, and then returned to Labette county.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins was blessed by the birth of two sons and four daughters, as follows: Clarence, who is manager of the farm since his father's demise; May; Carrie E.; Ethel; Edna; and George. The two last named are dead. Politically, Mr. Hopkins was a Republican for a number of years, but later in life became a Populist. He was a man of strong convictions, and took an active interest in local politics. In religious views he was liberal, giving his support to all denominations. He was very well known in Labette county, and was always a public-spirited and useful citizen.