Francis Hopkins Sr. (abt. 1720 - 1779)

Born about 2 Feb 1720 in East Greenwich, Kent, Rhode Island

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Mercy (Joslin) Hopkins — married 1 Sep 1742 in East Greenwich, Kent, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died 22 Apr 1779 at about age 59 in Tory Ford, Washington, Virginia, USA [uncertain]

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Biography

Francis Hopkins Sr. served with Loyalists during the American Revolution.

Francis Hopkins was born on Febuary 2,1720 in Kent County,Rhode Island to Joseph Hopkins and Martha Whalley . (His birthplace has also been given as "Suffolk,Massachusetts") ^[1]

Excerpt from "Are You Your Own Cousin?" by Claris Conner Phillips. ^[2]
"When Joseph Hopkins moved to "the traditional home of the otherwise minded in unknown," but his son Francis was born in "Rogues' Island," the squatter colony, Rhode Island, which Baptist Roger Williams established in 1636, when Puritans banished him from Boston. In 1721, the approximate year of Francis' birth, Boston still sneeringly called "Little Rhodey" that sewer in which the Lord's debris has collected and rotted. But despite, or perhaps because of its early outcast/exiled citizenry, Rhode Islanders enjoyed numerous blessings. They exercised simple manhood suffrage from the start, demanded no oath as to a man's religious beliefs, and produced strongly individualistic and stubbornly independent citizens."

Marriage

Francis married Mary Joslin Sept. 1, 1743 in East Greenwich Rhode Island. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Crimes

• In Wash. C. May 4, 1778 Francis Hopkins was held on suspicion of his feloniously counterfeiting or erasing and altering sundry treasury notes: he said he was in no wise guilty.
• May 19, 1778 the Grand Jury returned to the Bar and presented as followeth: Viz Francis Hopkins for knowingly passing two bad ten dollar bills and buying bad money at an under rate.
• Aug. 19, 1778 Ordered that Francis Hopkins be fined 50 pounds lawful money of Virginia and 6 Months imprisonment for passing counterfeit money.
• Aug. 20, 1778 Ordered the Francis Hopkins be imprisoned within the walls of the Fort at William Cocks old Place on Renfroes Creek. William Hopkins was one of his securities.^{[citation needed]}

Violent Death of Francis Hopkins

Francis died 22 April 1779 near Holston, Washington, Virginia. ^[6]
This is now James Byar's Farm in Washington County, Virginia. ^[7]
A verbatim excerpt from History of southwest Virginia 1746-1786, ^[8]
"At this time, there lived in Washington county two men by the names of Francis Hopkins and William Hopkins. Frances Hopkins was a counterfeiter and, at the May term of the County Court in 1778,^[9] he was tried by the court on suspicion of his having counterfeited, erased and altered sundry treasury notes; the currency of this Commonwealth, knowing the same to be bad. He was found guilty [on 19 May 1778],^[10] fined fifty dollars lawful money of Virginia, sentenced to six months in prison, and [on 20 Aug 1778] was ordered to be confined with the walls of the Fort at William Cocke's (now C.L Clyce's), on Renfro's creek, alias Spring creek, until the county gaol was completed. He was conveyed to Cocke's Fort, but, within a short time thereafter, made his escape and began a series of very bold and daring depredations upon the Whig settlers of the county. He organized a band of Tories, whose occupation was to steal the horses of the settlers and intimidate the citizens whenever possible. He went so far as to post notices at and near the home of Colonel William Campbell warning him that if he did not desist from his prosecution of the loyal adherents of George III, a terrible calamity would befall him, either in the loss of his property or his life."

"On a quiet and beautiful Sabbath in the spring time of the year 1780 [22 Apr 1779], General Campbell accompanied by his wife (who was a sister of Patrick Henry), and several of their neighbors, attended a religious service at a Presbyterian house of worship known as Ebbing Spring Church in the upper end of this county. As they were returning to their homes they happened to be conversing about the audacity of the Tory who had been so bold in his declarations and was suspected of having posted these notices above referred to. Just as they arrived at the top of a hill, a short distance west of the present residence of Colonel Hiram A. Greever, they observed a man on horseback on the opposite hill, coming towards them. General Campbell was riding beside his wife, with an infant on before him. One of them remarked that the individual meeting them was the Tory of whom they had been speaking, probably now on a horse-stealing expedition, as he was observed to be carrying a rope halter in his hand. Hearing this, Colonel Campbell, without halting, handed the infant over to its mother and dashed out in front. Seeing the movement and recognizing the man whom he so much feared and hated, the Tory wheeled his horse and started back at quite a rapid gait, pursued at full speed by Colonel Campbell and one of the gentlemen of his company, whose name was Thompson. Never, it may be presumed, either before or since, has such a dashing and exciting race been witnessed upon that long level between the residences of Colonels Greever and Beattie. As they reached the branch at the base of the hill a little west of Colonel Beattie's, Colonel Campbell dashed up alongside the fleeing Tory, who, seeing that he could be caught, turned short to the right down the bank and plunged into the river. As he struck the water, Colonel Campbell, who had left his companion in the rear, leaped in beside him, grasped the Tory's holsters and threw them into the stream, and then dragged him from his horse into the water.

"At this moment Mr. Thompson rode up. They took their prisoner out on the bank and held what may be termed a "drum-head court". The Tory, who, bad as he was, had the virtue of being a brave, candid man, at once acknowledged the truth of the charge preferred against him and boldly declared his defiance and determination to take horses wherever he could find them. But he was mistaken in his man, for in less than ten minutes he was dangling from the limb of a large sycamore that stood upon the bank of the river, the stump of which was to be seen a few years ago, and may be there yet for aught the writer [Charles B. Coale] knows."

It is interesting to note, that Hannah (Hopkins) Lewis (1766-1852) was the daughter of Francis, the bandit Tory, and the wife of Thomas D Lewis (1755-1849), the DAR recognized Revolutionary War Soldier. Francis’s son, Gardner Hopkins (1750-1832) is also a DAR-recognized American patriot.

In 1779, Francis Hopkins was hung by Colonel William Campbell.

In 1780, Thomas Lewis served under Colonel William Campbell, the man who hung Francis.

In 1784, Thomas Lewis married Hannah, Francis Hopkins daughter.^[11]

Research Notes:

Ongoing research and profile cleanup.Lykins-104 18:16, 5 May 2018 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899
2. ↑ [1]
3. ↑ Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899 [2]
4. ↑ Hopkins Family Marriage Index, 1652-1890 [3]
5. ↑ Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
6. ↑ Need accurate source
7. ↑ [4]
8. ↑ "Washington County 1777-1870" by Lewis Preston Summer. Richmond, VA: T.L. Printing Company, 1903, pp. 275-278 _1746_1786.html?id=DSUSAAAAYAAJ
9. ↑ Need source
10. ↑ need source
11. ↑ The Rising Tide Blog [5]

See Also:

• Arnold, James Newell. Rhode Island Vital Extracts, 1636–1850. 21 volumes. Providence, R.I.: Narragansett Historical Publishing Company, 1891–1912. Digitized images from New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.