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Facts and Events
Archibald Hopkins was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Military Service
- American Revolutionary War Veteran
Revolutionary War Pension Information
Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 2, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
Hopkins, Archibald - entered service in [then Augusta, later became] Rockingham County, Virginia, there born in 1760*; granted Pension 1833 in Brown County, Ohio, where he died 1/25/1848; married 1/1796 to Margaret, Rockingham County, Virginia; widow granted Pension in Brown County, Ohio in 1853, age not stated; children's births: Gordon born 5/24/1797, Benjamin & his twin Thomas born 9/28/1799, Archibald & Harriett; later 2 children made affidavit 1853 in Brown County, Ohio; query letter in file 1922 from Mrs. James H. Woodward, Staunton, Virginia, who was a descendant of John Poage, Jr. of Augusta County, Virginia, & his wife Rebecca Hopkins. F-W3686, R1324.
- Rockingham County, Virginia was formed from part of Augusta County in 1778, so Archibald would have been born in Augusta County.
Will of Archibald Hopkins
- WILL OF ARCHIBALD HOPKINS, RED OAK, OHIO
- 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 all 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, a sufficient stock of provisions for herself and family, and for her creatures for one year after my decease, and all my household and kitchen property except what is here-in-after bequeathed 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, Jane 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 the last half of the legacy bequeathed 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 decease of 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 said 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 the entry, and to the said cellar after the decease of my said wife Margaret Hopkins, if the said Harriet is then an unmarried woman, to her to have and to hold as long as she remains a single woman but no longer, and it is my will and desire that my son Archibald Hopkins shall find and keep my said 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 said wife Margaret Hopkins, find and keep the said 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 said son Archibald Hopkins, the farm on which I now reside subject to the encumbrances before mentioned and legacies bequeathed for him to pay, situate and being 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 two buckeyes and a hickory; thence South one hundred and twenty poles to a lynn and beech; thence West one hundred and seventy four poles to a sugar tree and buckeye; 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 adjoining the above described tract to wit; Beginning at a beech thence South eighty degrees West ninety two poles to a buckeye and elm; thence South fifteen degrees East two hundred and three poles to a stake; thence North seventy six poles to a buckeye; thence East fifteen poles to a beech; thence North one hundred and fourteen poles to the beginning, and the money arising therefrom shall go to the payment 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 from the sale of any personal property that I may then have, shall go to the payment of the legacy of one hundred and fifty dollars to my said wife, the remainder shall then be divided into four equal parts and I give and bequeath to the Bible society of Brown County one part and to the Missionary society of the said county one part and to the Abolition society of said County one part and to the Tract society one part and lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my said 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 testament.
- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of April in the year 1839.
- (Signed) Archibald Hopkins.
Information on Archibald Hopkins
From "A Chapter of Hopkins Genealogy", pg. 42:
THE RED OAK, OHIO, FAMILY
WRITTEN BY THE LATE REV. T. M. HOPKINS, OF DENVER, COLORADO
- II. Archibald Hopkins, first child of John Hopkins and Jean Gordon, was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, near Harrisonburg, in 1760. (Note: Rockingham was formed in 1778 from Augusta County, VA) 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 of 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 Poag 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 him a strong attachment.
- Returning to Kentucky, he told his wife he had found his preacher any way. Very soon after, in 1805, he went with his family to Red Oak, Ohio. He is said 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 the old folks tell of the hardships they had to endure on the road to Ohio. They tied logs to the backs of the wagons 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. It is also said that during these resting times the whiskey was passed around to refresh the weary pilgrims.
References
- Harrison, Ella Warren. A chapter of Hopkins genealogy, 1735-1905. (Chicago: Lakeside Press, 1905)
pg. 42. - Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension application of Archibald Hopkins W3686 Margaret Hopkins f33VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 4/22/14
Of the State of Ohio Brown County SS
Court of Common Please October Term 1833
On this 1st day of November 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Honorable the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Brown and State of Ohio now sitting Archibald Hopkins aged seventy-three years a resident of said County who being first duly sworn according to law deposeth doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1833 [sic, 1832]
That in the year 1779 in the spring of that year he was drafted into the company of Captain Hewett [probably Thomas Hewitt] of the militia in Rockingham County Virginia and was marched under said Captain Hewett to the waters of Greenbrier [River] to a place called clooeslick [?]1, that he served three months guarding to stations on the waters of Greenbrier against the Indians at the end of three months he was discharged and went home – he was under no higher officer than a Captain that he knows of.
In the month of May 1781 deponent was drafted as a militia man in Captain Herron's [possibly William Herring] Company and Colonel or Major (not certain as to rank) McKee's [possibly William McKee's of Rockbridge County Virginia] Regiment of Rockingham County Virginia he was marched to Williamsburg to where and in the neighborhood of which place he served a tour of three months guarding the country against the plundering parties of the British with whom he was engaged in two skirmishes near Williamsburg, at the close of this three months tour deponent was discharged and went home.
In the beginning of September of the same year 1781 deponent was drafted again in Captain Herrons Company – he cannot be positive as to the name of the Captain but believes from his best recollection that it was Herron under whom he served as above stated. On this tour he served one month he was marched to Williamsburg thence to York this tour was the last of deponent's service he was engaged in guarding the country against the plundering parties of the enemy he states that he served in all seven months – he was never in a general battle with the enemy – he never received a written discharge – he has no record of his age – he knew Captain's Hewett & Herron Colonel or Major McKee he knew General Washington – he was never with the regular troops he knows of no living witness by whom he can prove his actual service but is well known to the Reverend James Gilliland, Henry Ralston, Henry Martin, William Dunlap, Abraham Shepherd and others who reside in his neighborhood by whom he can prove his good character for truth and veracity and his having borne the character of a soldier of the revolution – he has resided in Brown County Ohio for twenty-two years, that previous thereto he resided in Kentucky & Virginia he states that he was born in the year 1760 in Rockingham County Virginia he has no record of his age – he has never received a pension. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn and subscribed this first day of November 1833 in open Court
S/ G. W. King, Clerk
S/ Archibald Hopkins
[James Gilliland, a clergyman, and Henry Ralston gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[p 10: On March 8, 1853 in Brown County Ohio, Margaret Hopkins, made application for a widow's pension under the 1848 act stating that she is the widow of Archibald Hopkins, late of said County deceased who was a private in the Virginia militia and a pensioner under the 1832 act; that she married him on or about the month of May 1796 in Rockingham County Virginia; that he died in Brown County Ohio January 25, 1848; that she remains his widow. She signed her application with her mark. She stated that she has no family record of her marriage.]
[p 12: On March 8, 1853 in Brown County Ohio, Archibald Hopkins and Harriet Hopkins, residents of said County and of legal age, gave testimony that there is a family Bible now in the possession of their mother, Margaret Hopkins bearing the imprint Philadelphia printed by Matthew Casey No. 118 Market Street, October 27th, 1802 in which their father in his hand writing Certain records among which are the following – "Gordon Hopkins, born May 24th 1797, – Benjamin and Thomas Hopkins born August 1, 1799 – Elizabeth Hopkins born September 28th 1800": there is in the same handwriting of other records relating to the births of the children of their parents; that tour to Hopkins is the oldest child of their parents; that the same Bible record contains the following record in the handwriting of Harriet Hopkins, one of the affiants, – "Archibald Hopkins died aged 88 in January 1848".]2
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $23.33 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for service as a private for 7 months in the Virginia militia. His widow was pensioned in a like amount.]
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2 This file does not contain the entire family record.
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