Samuel Hopkins (1753 - 1819)

Born 9 Apr 1753 in Albemarle, Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 16 Sep 1819 at age 66 in Spring Garden, Henderson, Kentucky, United States

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Samuel Hopkins is Notable.

Biography

Samuel Hopkins was born 9 Apr 1753 in Albemarle Co., Virginia. He was the son of Samuel Hopkins and Isabella (Taylor) Hopkins

He was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War, including service under Gen. George Washington.

General Samuel Hopkins died in Spring Garden, near Henderson, 16 September 1819 and was buried at Spring Garden Cemetery in Henderson County, Kentucky.^[1]

Hopkins County and the city of Hopkinsville, both in Kentucky, are named in his honor.

Research Notes

Col. Samuel Hopkins was born April 7, 1753 in Albemarle County, Virginia. At the beginning of the American Revolution, he was a member of the Mecklenburg County Committee of Safety. In early 1776, following a request for more troops for the Continental Line, he formed a company of soldiers and became captain of 4th Company of the 6th Virginia. He fought at the battles of Trenton, Second Trenton, Princeton, the Forage War, and Brandywine; was wounded while leading a Battalion of Light Infantry at Germantown in 1777, promoted to Major, served as one of Washington’s aides at Valley Forge. Fought at Monmouth Court House, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, fought at Savannah and commended the 1st Virginia at Charleston where he became a POW when the garrison was surrendered. Hopkins received 7,833 acres of land for his services in the Revolution. He was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Hopkins married Elizabeth Branch Bugg of Mecklenburg County, Virginia on January 8, 1783. They established a home called “Logsdale” in Mecklenburg County until they moved to Kentucky in 1797. Six of their seven children were born in Virginia. The last was born when they resided in Danville, Kentucky.

While living in Virginia Hopkins built 3 of the early buildings on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus. He was active in Virginia politics serving on the Virginia legislature, as a Justice of the Peace and on the Virginia Federal Constitution Convention of 1787 where he helped develop the Federal Bill of Rights with George Mason and Patrick Henry. He was appointed Colonel in 1785 and then Major General in 1794 of the Virginia militia commanding armies raised to put down the Whiskey Rebellion and to support General Anthony Wayne’s campaign against the Indian uprising led by Little Turtle which culminated at Fallen Timbers.

Hopkins was hired by the Transylvania (Henderson) Company to survey and lay out the plat of the village and county of Henderson at the mouth of the Green River. He was appointed resident agent for the Henderson Company and lived the rest of his life when not on campaign or serving political office at his estate Spring Garden near Henderson.

In Henderson, Hopkins was appointed Chief Justice of the first court of criminal common law and chancery jurisdiction. He was elected several times to the Kentucky General Assembly and also served in the State Senate. He served as a Major General of the Kentucky Militia and commanded an army raised to force the Spanish out of New Orleans following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Governor Charles Scott commissioned Hopkins a major general in 1812. Hopkins served as commander-in-chief of the western frontier (Illinois and Indiana territories) in the War of 1812. From 1813 to 1815 he represented Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He died at his home, Spring Garden September 16, 1819.

Hopkinsville in Christian County established in 1804 and Hopkins County established in 1806 to the north of Christian County were both named in his honor.

Thomas [Taylor Towles] married Nancy Hopkins, a daughter of General Samuel Hopkins, in 1809. They had one son, Thomas Towles, Jr. before Nancy's death.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #54249234 accessed 28 May 2020, memorial page for Gen Samuel Hopkins (9 Apr 1753–16 Sep 1819), citing Spring Garden Cemetery, Henderson, Henderson County, Kentucky, USA. Tombstone photo attached. Inscription: Sacred to the Memory of General Samuel Hopkins Who was born 9th. Apr. 1753 and Died Sept. 16th 1819.
2. ↑ Edmund L. Starling, History of Henderson County, Kentucky, Henderson, KY: n.p. 1887, p. 781-2, bio of Judge Thomas Towles; image copy, Internet Archive, (https://archive.org/details/historyofhenders00star/page/780/mode/2up : accessed 26 Sep 2021).

• Decendants of Arthur Hopkins, M.D. of Virginia compiled by Carol Shabowski Sheedy.
• Life of Samuel Hopkins Jr., By Robert J. Gang III, To Be Published By Permission Only
• Wikipedia
• General Samuel Hopkins, Western Kentucky History
• Edmund L. Starling, History of Henderson County, Kentucky, Henderson, KY: n.p. 1887, p. 781-2, bio of Judge Thomas Towles; image copy, Internet Archive, (https://archive.org/details/historyofhenders00star/page/780/mode/2up : accessed 26 Sep 2021). Accessed 1 Feb 2022.
• Mecklenburg Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 9, pp. 340-1; 5 Oct 1797, Samuel Hopkins deeds 198 acres along Cotton Creek to Austin Wright Sr..