THE HOPKINS FAMILY
By Gladys Wheeler Farris


William D Hopkins, born 1803, came to Williamson Co., TN on horseback from Raleigh, N.C. with his cousin, Rev John McCullen, a Presbyterian minister. He married Cynthia Copeland (1802-1834), daughter of James and Mary Frost Copeland Newberry District, South Carolina. William D Hopkins died 13 August 1834. Cynthia died within three months of her husband, leaving three small sons to be cared for by family members:

1 James Copeland Hopkins, born 8 Aug 1826, married 3 Dec 1846, Nancy Davis Adcock, born 27 Sept 1820, the daughter of William Adcock, a Revolutionary War soldier. James and Nancy lived near Versailles where James made saddles, had a transfer business, and operated a cotton gin from about 1840 to 1860. After that time they moved to Winchester, TN. During the Civil War, James served in the Confederate Army as part of the escort troops for General Nathan Bedford Forrest Issue, four children:
a Mary Ann Hopkins (12 Oct 1847-26 Aug 1935) married 18 April 1866, John Wesley Farris. (See Farris history).
b Sallie Hopkins
c Callie Hopkins
d John Morgan Hopkins, born 12 Nov 1861, became quite a prominent educator. He received the A.B. degree from Winchester Normal School and attended Vanderbilt University where he did post-graduate work. In 1900 he received the A.B. degree from Yale University. He later founded the Lake Placid School for Boys in Lake Placid NY.

2 Samuel Meredith Hopkins married Mary Jane Faris, daughter of Richard and Margaret Johnson Faris. She was raised by her uncle, Rev C.B. (Kit) Faris at Versailles, TN. They made their home in the Versailles Community. Issue:
a James S Hopkins
b Charles B Hopkins
c John C Hopkins
d Samuel R Hopkins
e Sidney J Hopkins
f Mary Lena Hopkins
g Herbert F Hopkins

3 William D Hopkins


Ref: Newberry Co., SC records; Williamson, Rutherford and Franklin Co., records; The National Cyclopedia of American Biography; Family Bible records.