JOSEPH M. HOPKINS

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 349
Boone

JOSEPH M. HOPKINS, president of the Bank of Danville
and a dealer in timber and coal lands and general real
estate, is one of the leading business men of Boone
County, and one who has had a constructive influence upon
his times. While he has achieved a material success, his
accomplishments in the way of good citizenship and the dis-
charge of personal obligations are equally admirable.

The birth of Joseph M. Hopkins took place in Boone
County, West Virginia, January 9, 1856, and he is a son
of Henry H. and Julia A. (Hill) Hopkins, both of whom
were natives of Virginia. During the war between the
North and the South he served for a few months. For a
number of years he was a farmer and merchant, and he
always took an active part in public affairs, and belonged
to the School Board. The Hopkins family is one of the
old and honored ones of the South, and sprung from Scotch-
Irish stock.

Joseph M. Hopkins attended the district schools, one
year at Saint Albans, and four months at Emery and Henry
College. His days of usefulness, however, began when he
was only twelve years old, when he commenced work on the
farm. Losing his father when only eighteen years old, the
responsibilities of manhood came early to him, and he was
kept busy looking after the homestead for a time. In 1879 he
had things in shape so that he was able to branch out.
He went into the timber business, and for seventeen years
was engaged in logging. In 1896 he was elected to the
office of county clerk, and held it for twelve years, or until
1908. During all of this time he was interested in the
timbering business, and began to handle coal lands in 1903.
Since 1908 he has been concentrating on the handling of
timber and coal lands and general real estate, but is also
interested in farming, which calling he has never entirely
abandoned, always owning one or more farms. In 1914 he
and his son-in-law, H. R. Izard, and others, organized the
Bank of Danville, of which he was made president. Under
his conservative and wise management, this bank has been
developed into one of the sound and reliable institutions
of the county, and he still continues its chief executive.

In 1877 Mr. Hopkins married in Boone County Dora E.
Stollings, a daughter of Joel E. and Martha (Kesinger)
Stollings, both of whom were born in Virginia. Mr. and
Mrs. Hopkins became the parents of eight children, as
follows: T. J., who married Alice Thompson, of Danville,
has three children, Gladys, Ralph and Elouise; Martha L.,
who married H. E. Izard, cashier of the Bank of Danville,
has four children, Ralph Stead, Martha Hopkins, Joseph
and Jean; Clarence C., who married Mattie Fulton, of Dan-
ville, has two children, Louise and Harold; Ella M., who
married A. B. Chambers, general merchant of Danville, has
two children, Julia and Dora Joe; Eva G., who married
Roy Smith, of Spencer, West Virginia; and Luther,
Joseph H. and Lee S., all of whom are unmarried. Luther
Hopkins volunteered for service in May, 1917, and went
into the infantry. After a period of service on the Mexi-
can border he was transferred to the First Division and
went overseas, where he had twenty-two months of active
service. He was in the battle of Cantigny, where he was
wounded May 30, 1918. He was at St. Mihiel in September
and the Argonne offensive in October, being wounded
October 9, in Argonne. He arrived in the United States
April 14, 1918, and was honorably discharged at Camp
Meade, Maryland, on April 25, 1919.

Mrs. Joseph M. Hopkins is a zealous member of the
Baptist Church, but Mr. Hopkins is not connected with any
religious organization. He is a Blue Lodge Mason, and be-
longs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. and Mrs. Hop-
kins have reared a fine family and have every reason to be
proud of their children, all of whom have justified their
parents' faith in them.


==== WV-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ====
**********************************************************************
WV-FOOTSTEPS/USGENWEB NOTICE:
These messages may NOT be reproduced in
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent.
**********************************************************************