Indiana County PA Archives History .....Henry S. Hopkins, Commitment To Reform School August 2, 1899
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Barbara W. Brown buwbrown@comcast.net July 25, 2008, 4:24 pm

Complaint brought before J.H. Ruger, Justice of the Peace of Indiana County, by 
Margaret Hopkins, mother of Henry S. Hopkins, a minor born July 12, 1890.  I am 
about 40 years of age, live and have a settlement in Banks, Indiana Co., Pa.  
Am married but my husband has deserted me last spring, and my family and I are 
a charge upon the Poor District of said Township.  I have eight living 
children, aged respectively 19-16-15-13-9-6-3 years and one 18 months, of which 
six are at my home.  I am unable to properly care for my children and they are 
growing up to be bad boys.  This son is addicted to the use of profane 
language, irreverent, and of a naturally vicious nature and highly 
incorrigible, not obeying me.  (signed by mark)
     Mrs. Irvin Neal deposes that she is 27 years of age and is a neighbor of 
the Hugh Hopkins family, of which Henry S. Hopkins is a son.  The family is 
entirely unfit to rear their children and they are all growing up to be bad, 
worthless persons, a menace to the community.  Henry is incorrigible, of a 
vicious nature, not obeying his mother or any other person.  Uses profane and 
vulgar language.  He is continually fighting with the children and is a menace 
to them.  He often stones the persons going to and from church calling them 
names, etc.  
     Mrs. Norris Cameron deposes that she is 32 years of age, married, and 
lives in Banks Township, a neighbor of the Hopkins family.  I have known Henry 
since his infancy.  He is a bad little boy and appears to have a vicious 
nature, attacking children on the public highway, stoning the buildings of the 
neighbors....a menace to the proper rearing of young children where he lives.
(signed) Serena Cameron; Mrs. Mosas Cameron

Additional Comments:
Notes made upon the boy's arrival at the Pennsylvania Reform School, Morganza:
     Henry S. Hopkins, No. 5739, Division A.  See brother's statement $5741.  
Will not make any admissions.
     Description: Height 4' 3"; weight 65 pounds.  Brown hair, brown eyes, 
medium complexion.  Age: 9 on July 12, 1899; received Aug. 15, 1899.  Born: 
Penna., American parentage.  Baptist.  Neither parent intemperate; parents do 
not own property.  5 older brothers, 2 younger brothers; 1 younger sister.  
Illiterate.  Swears.  Does not lie, steal or use tobacco.  Is not intemperate.  
Has not been arrested before,

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