Silas Hopkins, son of Martin and Rebecca (Baker) Hopkins, was born in Decatur Co., IA, in 1854. His parents were both born in Tennessee, coming to IA in 1849. They traveled down the Tenn. River on a flat boat. At Paducah, Ken., they sold the flat boat for passage up the Miss. River on a steamboat to Alexandria, Mo. They traveled over land to Drakesville, Ia., in Davis Co. They lived a few years in Appanoose Co., moving to Decatur Co. in 1852. Silas, as a young man wanting to see the state of Mo., made the trip in the company of 2 friends, walking the entire way. He also worked part of his younger years in Kansas.

He married Sarah Williams, daughter of Edward and Susanna Williams. Sarah was born in Ohio in 1858. She was a small child when her parents moved to IA. where they purchased a farm in Richland Twp. After their marriage Silas and Sarah farmed in the Tennessee community. They had 3 children, Mamie married Erastus Wilson, Ella married Frank Adams, Leota married Asa Kirkpatrick. When their daughters were small, Silas and Sarah, having friends living in Kan., decided to make a trip there to see about homesteading land. They made the trip by team and wagon, taking quite some time. Arriving in Kan. and Silas not liking what he saw, they stayed overnight and started the return trip the next morning.

They bought a farm in Richland Twp. and lived there until their deaths. Sarah died in the winter of 1932. Silas died in the fall of 1933. Both are buried in Wheelis Cemetery.