William Hopper (1820 - 1908)

He lived in his place of nativity until twenty years of age, then moved with his father, John Hopper, to Missouri, in the spring of 1840; stopped a short time in Lafayette county, then moved and settled in Johnson county, about midway between Chapel Hill, in Lafayette county, and Pittsville, in Johnson county, then know as Brushy Knob district.

Here his father died, January 18, 1842.

Excepting four years during the war, Wm. has always lived on the farm his father settled here. He was married to Miss Lettie M. Cobb, January 4, 1844, and six children have been born to them, as follows: Elizabeth J., Martha S., Meredeth W., Mandaville L., Sara A. M. and Mary Rebecca, four of whom are living, the other two are dead. The son and two eldest daughters are married.

His early education was not neglected, receiving for the most part of his early training in the schools of Tennessee.

His occupation has always been that of farmer and stock raiser. Prior to the ware he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal chruch, South; since the ware he has held no membership with any denomination.

During the ware he belonge to the M.S.M. (Missouri State Militia), and was under Colonel Nuget's command. He was in the noted battle of Lone Jack, August 16, 1862.

At htis battle, Mr. Hopper was struck by three bullets; one seered the back part of his hand, the second struck him squarely on the knuckles, but being a spent ball, it did him little injury. The third played a freak by striking and glancing from the side of a building, near to which was, in the act of loading his gun, and struck him on the back part of his head, knocking him sprawling on the face to the ground.

However, he had nothing to do but get up again, though he was considerably shook up. He had a large cord tie round his hat, and singular as it may seem, this cord in the last shot, undoubtedly saved his life. It was tied in a knot behind, and the ball struck squarely upon the large know; thus he received its force more as a blow, with the result already related. He was mustered out of the service in 1863.

Staid in Ray county until the close of the war, then came back to the old homestead in Johnson county, where he has ever since resided.

John Hopper, his father, was a native of North Carolina; was born 1789; was married to Miss Mary Davenport, a native of the same state, who was born 1793.

the had nine children: Jane, Sarah, Elizabeth, James, William, John, David and Robert; the last died in infancy. John Hopper died January 1842 and his wife March 3, 1876, at the extremely old age of eighty-three. She died in Johnson county, and at the time was one of the oldest women living in it.