James M. Hopkins

Company C, 3rd Illinois Cavalry

The Neodesha Register, Thursday, December 27, 1917

 

JAMES M. HOPKINS.

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The funeral of James M. Hopkins who died Wednesday, December 19, 1917, at 3:15 p.m., was held last Friday afternoon from the family residence, 623 Iowa street, in Neodesha. A large gathering of friends and comrades assembled to pay their last respects to an old soldier and pioneer settler. Rev. H. J. Withington, of the Presbyterian church, conducted the services. A male quartette, composed of Messrs. E. A. Warren, J. T. Floyd, F. A. Traul and Irwin Shoemaker rendered several beautiful selections, among which was the deceased’s favorite song, “Brave Boys.” The floral offerings were many and beautiful. The members of Humphrey Post G. A. R. attended the funeral in a body and acted as a guard of honor. The pallbearers were E. P. Moulton, J. R. Eson, A. M. Sharp, B. H. Hill, F. B. Kimball and W. A. Rankin. Interment was made in the family lot in the Neodesha cemetery.

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James Madison Hopkins was born October 7th, 1839, near Virginia, Cass County, Ill., the tenth child of Henry and Elizabeth Beggs Hopkins. His mother was a daughter of Capt. Chas. Beggs, who commanded a company of cavalry in the Battle of Tippecanoe during the war of 1812. His great grandfather was an officer in the Revolutionary War and died in the service.

With four brothers and seven sisters, Mr. Hopkins was raised on the Hopkins homestead near Virginia, which was settled by his parents in 1825. He grew to manhood there and enlisted in Company C, Third Regiment Illinois Cavalry, August 8th, 1861 and served three years in the Civil War, being discharged at Springfield, Ill., September 5th, 1864, on the completion of his term of enlistment. Like many of the cavalrymen of that day Mr. Hopkins furnished his own horse and the animal was his faithful companion through the entire war, and lived for a number of years after the return to Virginia. Comrade Hopkins was a sergeant in his company and soldiered in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky and was under fire in twenty-four battles, the most important of which were the battles of Pea Ridge, Fayetteville, Vicksburg, Gunstown and Tupelo. Most of his service was in the Western Army under Generals Curtis and Freemont.

On being mustered out he returned to his home at Virginia to educate himself for a commercial life, which included a course in a business college at Chicago, but the lure of the west was too much for him and in April 1870, was married to Miss Ellen Skilles, of Virginia, and their honeymoon was a trip to Kansas where they were to make their permanent home. They came by rail to Garnett, to which point had been shipped what few household effects they possessed along with a wagon and several horses. From Garnett they made the trip to Neodesha overland, arriving here August 1st, 1870. A short time later Mr. Hopkins purchased the old homestead, five and one-half miles northwest of town, which he still owned. He lived here until 1882 when he moved his family to Kansas City and engaged in the commission business. But the business life was too confining and after two years returned to Neodesha, where he has since resided.

During his early years here the deceased was engaged in the stock business and was one of the most extensive byers in this section of the state. He traveled horseback year in and year out, hundreds of miles each week, buying stock for shipment. There was no limit to his territory and he knew about every cow-path and Indian trail in southeast Kansas. In 1877 he made the first shipment of import cattle to New York from Southeast Kansas, shipping twelve cars to the far east market.

It was while in the stock business that his hearing was affected as a result of a railroad accident at Lebanon, Mo., about twenty-eight years ago. He continued in the stock and grain business until compelled to retire, several years ago on account of his eyesight, but despite his affliction of later years he never complained and was cared for devotedly by his children.

The deceased was a member of Humphrey Post, No. 145, G. A. R., of which organization he had been associated since 1885. He had served as commander, adjutant and sergeant-major of the Post and was one of the Post’s faithful members, always retaining a great interest in the organization and its members.

Mr. Hopkins was the father of four children, three of whom survive him. They are: A. S. Hopkins and Misses Lela and Bess Hopkins, all of this city, also a grandson, James H. Hopkins, who has made his home with his grandfather since the death of his father, Oswell Hopkins, four years ago. Mrs. Hopkins died in August, 1909. Three other grandchildren, Tom, Grace Ellen and Rosemary , are the children of Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Hopkins. Mr. Hopkins lost his eyesight before his youngest granddaughter was born and he never saw her. Besides his immediate family, he leaves three sisters, Mrs. Sarah Cunningham, of Virginia, Ill., Mrs. Mary Elder, of Denver, Col., and Miss Ruth Hopkins, of Virginia, Ill. Yesterday, the day of his death, was the 93rd birthday of his oldest sister, Mrs. Cunningham, who lives at Virginia.

Mr. Hopkins came from a sturdy old family and even in his later years retained his mental and physical powers, despite his afflictions. For years he had walked to and from the business section of town to his home, making his way only through his familiarity with various streets and locations he knew years ago. “Uncle Jim” as he was best known in recent years, enjoyed a large acquaintance throughout the county and this section of the state, with which he had been so closely associated for 47 years. He was a man known to his friends as of forceful character and totally honest in all his dealings with his fellow men, and he will be greatly missed not only by his family but by a large circle of friends and his old comrades in arms, with whom he was always glad to associate and talk over the stirring days of the war.

 

Done