Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 579
PETER W. HOPKINS

Among the enterprising farmers of Lincoln township, Harrison county, Iowa, may be mentioned Peter W. HOPKINS, whose whole career of two score and four years thus far has been spent within the limits of this county. His father was one of the earliest settlers of the county, the family settling here in 1871 on the farm which is now owned by Peter W. As a farmer and stock raiser he ranks high among the men of the county who have engaged in agriculture and in every way has demonstrated that he is one of the progressive farmers of his community. He takes an active part in its civic life and has filled various official positions with credit to himself and satisfaction to his fellow citizens.

Peter W. HOPKINS, the son of Michael and Mary (STRANSKEY) HOPKINS, was born in Woodbine, Harrison county, Iowa, March 27, 1871. His parents were natives of Ireland and Austria, respectively, and they both came to the United States after they were grown. They were married in Boone, Iowa, where Michael HOPKINS was being employed at the time on the Chicago & Northwestern railway.

About 1868 Michael HOPKINS brought his family to Woodbine, Iowa, and for three years was employed by William JONES. In 1871 he bought the farm which his son, Peter W., now owns. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land for which he paid six dollars an acre and on this he lived until his death in 1880. His widow continued to manage the farm with the assistance of her children until Peter W. was twenty-one years of age, when he took charge of the farm, his mother going to live with a sister. Her death occurred March 3, 1914.

Peter W. HOPKINS built his present comfortable home in 1890 and in 1910 he installed an up-to-date heating system and made many other improvements which have added to the attractiveness as well as to the convenience of his home. He has placed many improvements upon his farm and today it stands out as one of the best and most attractive farms of the township. He carries on general farming and stock raising and handles a high grade of live stock. He annually sells about one carload of cattle and two carloads of hogs, fattening his stock from the produce of his own farm. In every way he tries to keep abreast of the latest advances in agriculture and his success along all lines shows that he is succeeding to a marked degree.

Mr. HOPKINS was married November 15, 1894, to Etta MCWILLIAMS and to this union have been born four children, Sidney, born December 17, 1895, educated in the common schools and the normal school at Normal and now at home; Effie, born July 13, 1897; Uta, born December 7, 1898; and Harry, born July 6, 1905. The two daughters are now students in the Woodbine Normal School, preparing themselves for teaching.

Mrs. HOPKINS was born May 18, 1870, in Jackson township, in this county and is the daughter of Thomas B. and Julia (COLE) MCWILLIAMS, natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively. The MCWILLIAMS family came to Iowa in 1856 and located in Harrison county and lived here the remainder of their days.

Mr. Hopkins and his family are loyal members and workers in the Methodist Episcopal church and are interested in everything which pertains to its general advancement. He has given his hearty support to the Democratic party, and has been one of its leaders in local affairs for many years. He has served as township clerk for three years and held the important office of assessor for a term and a half. In discharge of the duties connected with these positions, he handled everything which came before him in a conscientious and painstaking manner. Personally, Mr. Hopkins is a man of genial and unassuming demeanor and well merits the high esteem in which he is held by all who know him.

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