Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Hopkins, William T 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 1:56 pm

Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900

William T. Hopkins, deceased, was one of the founders and builders of Morris 
and a prominent character in the history of the city and of Grundy county. He 
was born in Lincoln county, Maine, October 5, 1819. His parents were David and 
Esther (Trask) Hopkins, both natives of Maine. His father, a farmer by 
occupation, was born in 1779 and died in Maine in 1860; and his wife was born 
in 1781 and died also in Maine, in 1872. These parents had had five daughters 
and nine sons.

Of the sons, William T., the sixth, was educated in his native state, and 
studied law at Bangor. He came to Morris, Illinois, in 1849, and was admitted 
to the bar here in 1850, and at once began the practice of law, in which he 
continued the rest of his life. He was a strong lawyer and possessed an 
analytical mind. His knowledge of the law was profound, and his earnest and 
conscientious handling of matters professional made him of strong influence at 
the bar. For a brief time (from 1853 to 1855) he also followed merchandising 
in Morris. He held several positions of honor and trust and did as much for 
the up-building of Morris as any man who ever lived in the place. He served 
one term as superintendent of public instruction, and was ever a strong friend 
of both school and church. In the early years of his residence in Morris he 
taught vocal music a great deal, and was a leader of singers. For years he 
sang in the Baptist church choir. In 1863-4-5 he was the president of the 
Sanitary and Christian Commission for his district. He became an ardent 
supporter of the Republican party at the very birth of that organization, and 
was a member of the first convention that organized the Republican party in 
Illinois, and ever afterward bore conspicuous part in politics. He was an 
intimate friend of President Lincoln from 1850 to the time of the latter's 
death, and was at the convention at Chicago that nominated Mr. Lincoln for the 
presidency, in 1860. In 1864 he was one of the electors on the Republican 
ticket, which cast the vote of Illinois for Abraham Lincoln for president. 
When Mr. Lincoln came to Morris he was always entertained by Mr. Hopkins. In 
1861 Mr. Hopkins was elected the judge of the Grundy county court, and he 
served in this office one term. In 1864 he was elected a representative to the 
legislature from Grundy county for two years, and in 1865 and 1866 served as. 
general agent for the internal-revenue department of the United States. Judge 
Hopkins went out in the three-months' service in the civil war. He raised a 
Grundy county company, known as the "Grundy Tigers," was made its captain, and 
it was a component part of the Eleventh Illinois Regiment.

While a member of the state legislature, Judge Hopkins was instrumental in 
securing the necessary legislation for constructing the bridge across the 
Illinois river at Morris. He built the old Hopkins House at Morris, the first 
good hotel erected in that town, and it was a good one, too. It was the best 
hotel in the northern portion of Illinois, at that time, outside of Chicago.

Judge Hopkins was also prominent in Masonic circles. He was a Royal Arch and 
Council degree Mason, and held many of the offices of the fraternity.

He was married in Maine, in 1846, to Clara H., a daughter of Simon Prescott. 
She was born in Maine, September 20, 1824, and survived him only a few years. 
Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins had no children of their own, but they reared two nieces—
Hannah Hopkins, who is now the wife of Allen F. Mallory, of Morris; and Nora 
J. Abbott, now deceased. Mr. Hopkins and wife were members of the Baptist 
church, and for many years numbered among the prominent citizens of Morris. 
Perhaps no other citizen who lived in Morris was ever held in higher esteem by 
his fellow-citizens than was Judge William T. Hopkins.

Additional Comments:
Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p768-772

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