ISAAC HOPPER
Isaac Hopper, of the law firm of Willard and Hopper, is one of the most enterprising young business men of whom Atlantic can boast. Coming here in 1875 with no capital save his dauntless energy and integrity of character, he to-day handles a business amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans, is the representative of thirteen insurance companies, has a fine law practice, and holds the responsible position of secretary of the Western Loan and Trust company. He was born in Adrian, Michigan, April 2, 1850. His father, Isaac Hopper, Sr., was a native of Albany, New York, and went with his parents to Adrian, in 1819, and resided there until 1872, when he came to this State, where he died, January ], 1874, at the age seventy-seven years. He was a mechanic by occupation. He had been a member of the Masonic order for fifty-six years. His mother, Alice (Austin) Hopper, is now living with Isaac in this city. She is a native of Monroe county, New York, and is of English-German descent. At the age of nine years our subject commenced the blacksmith's trade, and after having acquired it worked at it and at farming until he had reached the age of twenty years. At this time he came to Iowa, and located at Adel, where he commenced the study of the law with E. Willard. Devoting all his energies to the study of his chosen profession, one year found him so far advanced that he was capable of being admitted to the bar, and his membership in the profession was duly entered into before Judge Mitchell, of Des Moines, 1871. In 1873 he entered the law firm of Willard, Calvert and Hopper, the Willard of the firm being Mr. E. Willard, his present partner. The partnership continued until 1875, when he came to Atlantic, and commenced loaning money in the office of Phelps and De Lano. After eighteen months, he commenced at the new location, and the progress made since that time may be gleaned from the mention of his present business. In the year 1879 he loaned $100,000, and since that time has placed nearly $2,000,000, most of it to the farming classes. He did the law business for McDaniels bank for five years, and is now the attorney for the Atlantic National bank. He was married at Iowa City, June 23, 1874, to Miss Jessie L. Hayden, daughter of Dr. John B. Hayden, of Cincinnati, Ohio. They are the parents of four children, whose names are--Luverne H., Winona, Bella, and Jessie. Mr. Hopper has a handsome residence on the southeast corner of Linn and Sixth streets. The office of the law firm of Willard and Hopper is over the Atlantic National bank, and here the loan and insurance business is transacted.
Contributed by Lisa Varnes-Rex from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pg. 387-388.
