Hopkinsf
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
FRANK ARTHUR HOPKINS is one of
the pioneers of Lincoln county and has so successfully wrought here that
he is the possessor now of four hundred acres, well stocked and improved,
which lies about three miles north from Sherman. Mr. Hopkins has
shown commendable industry and wisdom in his efforts in this county and
is classed as one of the influential and substantial citizens. He
was born in Iowa on May 6, 1855. His parents were Miles S. and Laura
A. (Culver) Hopkins, natives of New York. The father came to Council
Bluffs, Iowa, in 1852 and there engaged in mercantile business. Later,
he went to Nebraska and followed merchandising in that state. He
was descended from Stephen Hopkins a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The family is an old and prominent one, having many members of literary
distinction, both in the professions and in commercial life. Our
subject was educated in Iowa and Nebraska, then learned the printer's trade,
being engaged on the Burt County Pilot and The Burtonian,
both newspapers in Burt county, Nebraska. He continued in this occupation
until 1877, when he came to Walla Walla. He immediately took the
contract of freighting military supplies during the Bannock and Nez Perce
wars. In 1878, Mr. Hopkins took a pre-emption in the Palouse, which,
however, he sold in 1880, coming thence to Sherman, Lincoln county.
Thus we see that for nearly a quarter of a century, he has devoted himself
to improving and building up this party of the country, achieving a success
commensurate with his efforts. In 1884, Mr. Hopkins settled on a
portion of his present estate as a homestead and has since added until
he has now the large farm mentioned above.
On March 15, 1887, Mr. Hopkins married Miss
Caroline A., daughter of Henry and Martha (Taylor) Shane. The mother
was born in Ohio where also Mrs. Hopkins was born on September 13, 1856.
The father was a native of Ohio also and came to Nebraska in 1874.
The grandparents of Mrs. Hopkins were early pioneers of Ohio and among
the first settlers of that now thriving state. Mrs. Hopkins has one
brother, Stanley and six sisters, Mrs. Ellen Crabbe, Mrs. W. Jack, Mrs.
Martha Wallace, Mrs. Esther Clark, Mrs. Margaret Rogers, and Blanch Shane.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins the following children have been born, Mrs. Nellie
Houston, Stanley, who died at the age of seven, Edgar A., William H., Ralph,
who died when an infant, and Ruth E.
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