John Covey Hopkins

John, the first of James Arton and Lucinda Howard Hopkins’s ten children, was named for his maternal grandfather, John Covey Howard.¹Emma Ewers Taylor Hopkins, “Our Family History” (KY, Loyall, 1969-1977), scanned copy of fill-in-the-blanks family history privately held by Linda F. McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY; Linda is Emma’s granddaughter; pg 10; birth order. Lula M. Hopkins (FL), letter to Jean Hopkins Carpenter, 25 Nov 1970; copy held privately by Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY; family information Lula was told by her mother Lucinda Howard Hopkins; middle name Covey, named for grandfather. He was born on 9 November 1886 in the Harlan County, Kentucky, community of Wallins Creek.²Emma Ewers Taylor Hopkins, “Our Family History” (1969-1977); birthdate. Elmer Dennis Hopkins, son of James Arton Hopkins and Lucinda Howard; he and all siblings born before the move to Rockcastle were born at Wallins Creek.

In 1904, when John was seventeen years old, the family moved to Brodhead, Kentucky, in Rockcastle County.³Rockcastle Co., KY, Deed Book 20: 498-499, Joshua & S.Monie Dunn (grantor),  J. A. Hopkins (grantee), 16 Mar 1904; Rockcastle Co. Clerk, Mt. Vernon. John attended Berea College in nearby Madison County prior to joining the U.S. Army, which he made his career.⁴Patricia Hopkins Howard, granddaughter of John Covey Hopkins. He first enlisted for three years on 27 January 1905 in Somerset, Kentucky, at age eighteen and was assigned to Company B of the 19^th Infantry. John was described in military records as 5 feet 8 inches tall with brown eyes and hair and ruddy complexion.⁵Army of the United States, Discharge Papers, Cpl. John Hopkins, 26 Jan 1908; scanned copy in possession of Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, scanned 1 Aug 2007 from original sent by John’s nephew Gerald G. Hopkins.

John spent several years stationed in the Philippine Islands in three separate deployments. He arrived there for the first time on 5 May 1905 and stayed two years. In 1906, he was involved in the Battle of Bud Dajo on Jolo Island from March 5^th to 8^th. He departed the Philippines on 9 May 1907 and arrived back in the United States on 8 June 1907. He apparently spent the rest of that enlistment in Texas and became a Corporal on 21 December 1907.⁶Army of the United States, Discharge Papers, Cpl. John Hopkins, 26 Jan 1908.

He was discharged on 26 January 1908 at Fort Bliss, Texas, and re-enlisted there the next day for another three years.⁷Army of the United States, Discharge Papers, Cpl. John Hopkins, 26 Jan 1908. He became a Sergeant on 10 February 1908, was reduced to Private on 22 June 1909, appointed Corporal on 13 December 1909, and again became a Sergeant on 22 June 1910.⁸Army of the United States, Discharge Papers, Sgt. John Hopkins, 26 Jan 1911; scanned copy in possession of Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, scanned 1 Aug 2007 from original sent by John’s nephew Gerald G. Hopkins.

John returned to the Philippines for a second time on 4 March 1910 and was stationed at Camp Jossman on Guimaras Island. He was discharged there on 26 January 1911 and re-enlisted the next day for another three years.⁹Army of the United States, Discharge Papers, Sgt. John Hopkins, 26 Jan 1911. He left the Philippines on 15 May 1912 and was discharged on 14 August 1912 at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.¹⁰Army of the United States, Discharge Papers, Sgt. John Hopkins, 24 Aug 1912; scanned copy in possession of Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, scanned 1 Aug 2007 from original sent by John’s nephew Gerald G. Hopkins. It is unclear why he was discharged after only one year, six months, and 28 days, rather than serving the three years for which he re-enlisted.

John likely returned home for a break between 14 August and late September. He arrived back in the Philippines for the third time on 3 October 1912. He re-listed the next day at Fort William McKinley, which was just south of Manila. He was assigned to Company M of the 13^th Infantry. John was appointed 1^st Sergeant on 1 November 1914. He had transferred to Company I of the 26^th Infantry by the time he was discharged on 3 October 1915 at Fort Mills, Philippine Islands, and again re-enlisted the day after his discharge.¹¹Honorable Discharge from the United States Army,1st Sgt. John Hopkins, 3 Oct 1915; scanned copy in possession of Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, scanned 1 Aug 2007 from original sent by John’s nephew Gerald G. Hopkins. He transferred to Company G of the 36^th Infantry on 27 July 1916. John was discharged at Camp Funston, Leon Springs, Texas, on 5 June 1917 to accept a commission as Captain and re-enlisted on 6 June.¹²Honorable Discharge from the United States Army,1st Sgt. John Hopkins, 5 Jun 1917; scanned copy in possession of Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, scanned 1 Aug 2007 from original sent by John’s nephew Gerald G. Hopkins. Army of the United States of America, Discharge Papers, Maj. John Hopkins, 21 Oct 1919; scanned copy in possession of Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, scanned 1 Aug 2007 from original sent by John’s nephew Gerald G. Hopkins.

While stationed in Texas, John married Idress Jane Howard on 3 November 1917 in Bexar County.¹³FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/004820210 : accessed 25 Sep 2022), digital film 004820210, image 591, Bexar Co., TX, Marriages, 12: 370, John C. Hopkins & Ida J. Howard, 13 Nov 1917. Ida was born in Harlan County on 6 June 1894, the daughter of William Frye Howard and Mintie Laura Howard.¹⁴“U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3693 : accessed 25 Sep 2022), entry for Ida Hopkins, Apr 1986, SS no. 402-72-4287; from Social Security Death Index Master File, Social Security Administration; birth date. Emma Ewers Taylor Hopkins, “Our Family History” (1969-1977); Ida’s parents, pg. 49. Mintie Laura’s mother was Cindy’s sister, Idress, making John and Ida 1^st cousins once removed.¹⁵Emma Ewers Taylor Hopkins, “Our Family History” (1969-1977); pg. 49. John and Ida did not live together for long. She returned to Harlan County, where she taught school until retiring.¹⁶1920 U.S. census, Harlan Co., KY, population schedule, Layman, enumeration district (ED) 107, sheet 1A, dwelling 10, family 10, W. F. Howard; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061 : accessed 25 Sep 2022); from NARA microfilm T625, roll 574; Ida and one-year-old son living with her parents. “Ida Hopkins” clipping dated Mar 1986, Harlan (KY) Daily Enterprise, copy attached to Helton, Noe, Lankford & Gregory Ancestry.com tree by AlnmanMarlow; Ida’s obituary, she was a retired school teacher.

During World War I, John served in Europe for a year. On 20 June 1918, he sailed from New York City onboard the Harrisburg heading to England. He was assigned to the 357^th Infantry, 90^th Division.¹⁷“U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910–1939,” digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61174 : accessed 24 May 2022), Outgoing > Harrisburg > 22 Jul 1918-18 Oct 1920 > image 197, entry for John Hopkins; from Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92, NARA, College Park, MD. John and Ida’s only child, John Howard Hopkins, was born in Layman in Harlan County two months later on 24 August.¹⁸Kentucky, U.S., Birth Index, 1911–1999, database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry/search/collections/8788 : accessed 25 Sep 2022), birth certificate no. 37219 (1918), John H. Hopkins; from Kentucky Birth, Marriage, and Death Databases: Births 1911-1999, Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort; birth date. “U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238 : accessed 25 Sep 2022), John Howard Hopkins, serial no. 130; from Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri; middle name. While in Europe, John was stationed in France and Germany and saw action between August and November 1918.¹⁹Army of the United States of America, Discharge Papers, Maj. John Hopkins, 31 Oct 1919.

John arrived at St. Mihiel salien on 24 August 1918 and participated in the St. Mihiel offensive on 12 September. That was the first major offensive in Europe led by the American Expeditionary Forces. St. Mihiel salient was a triangular area of land between Verdun and Nancy and had been occupied by the German army since 1914. By 16 September, this area of France was liberated from German occupation.²⁰Army of the United States of America, Discharge Papers, Maj. John Hopkins, 31 Oct 1919; service dates and locations. “Saint-Mihiel Offensive,” Library of Congress, (https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/september-12/ : accessed 19 May 2022); information about Saint-Mihiel Offensive.

American forces moved on to a new front, participating in the Meuse-Argonne offensive starting on 26 September. This was part of the final Allied offensive in the war and was the largest operation of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I with over a million American soldiers participating. It was also the deadliest campaign in American history, resulting in more than 26,000 American soldiers killed in action and over 120,000 total casualties. John was there from 25 October until the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918. He was wounded on the night of 9-10 November at Mouzay, France.²¹Army of the United States of America, Discharge Papers, Maj. John Hopkins, 31 Oct 1919; service and wounded dates. “The Meuse-Argonne Offensive,” National Archives, (https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww1/meuse-argonne : accessed 19 May 2022); information about Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

John remained in Europe until July 1919. He was stationed in Germany from 11 December 1918 to 8 July 1919 and in France from 10 July 1919 to 19 July 1919.²²Army of the United States of America, Discharge Papers, Maj. John Hopkins, 31 Oct 1919. He returned to the United States onboard the S. S. Zeppelin, sailing from Brest, France, on 19 July and arriving in Hoboken, New Jersey, ten days later.²³“U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910–1939,” digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61174 : accessed 24 May 2022), Incoming > Zeppelin > 20 Apr 1919-29 Jul 1919 > image 171, entry for John Hopkins; from Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92, NARA, College Park, MD.

Returning to Texas after arriving back in the United States, John was discharged on 31 October 1919 at Camp Travis and re-enlisted there on 1 Nov 1919. He was discharged to accept another appointment on 17 Sep 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.²⁴Army of the United States of America, Discharge Papers, Maj. John Hopkins, 31 Oct 1919. Honorable Discharge from the United States Army,1st Sgt. John Hopkins, 17 Sep 1920; scanned copy in possession of Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, scanned 1 Aug 2007 from original sent by John’s nephew Gerald G. Hopkins.

At some point, while their son was still a young child, John and Ida divorced. Ida raised their son in Harlan County. John never remarried, but Ida had a brief second marriage to Nathan Blanton.²⁵Patricia Hopkins Howard, granddaughter of John Covey Hopkins.

Details about most of the remainder of John’s service are not known, but he served another sixteen years. He was stationed in Buffalo, New York, in 1932 as a recruiter.²⁶“He’ll Toot Horn for Uncle Sam” clipping with photo dated 24 Mar 1932, Buffalo (NY) Times; copy provided to Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, 1 Aug 2007, from Pat Hopkins Howard; identifies John as the local recruiting officer. In July 1933, he was Commander for a Civilian Conservation Corps camp near San Diego, California.²⁷“CCC Camp Near San Diego, Cal.,” unidentified clipping with photo from July 1933; copy provided to Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, 1 Aug 2007, from Pat Hopkins Howard; identifies Capt. John Hopkins as the Camp Commander. He retired on 30 April 1936 with the rank of Major.²⁸“U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985,” digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2345 : accessed 24 May 2022), John Hopkins, 1945, pg 1228; Official Army Register, 1 Jan 1945, Adjutant General’s Office, Oregon State Library, Salem.

After he retired, John settled in Tampa, Florida. He had two houses there—the first at 802 East Hanna Avenue and the second at 1427 E. Paris Street.²⁹1945 FL state census, Hillsborough Co., FL, population census, Precinct 37, Sheet #36, John Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1506 : accessed 5 May 2022); from microfilm series S 1371, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee; address 802 East Hanna Ave. His only sister, Lula, who was living with their parents at that time, went to live with him in Florida.³⁰Uta Faye Hopkins McCauley, daughter of Elmer Dennis Hopkins, granddaughter of James Arton Hopkins & Lucinda Howard. They lived in the Hanna Avenue house from at least 1943 when their niece Edna married there until at least 1957.³¹Edna Hopkins and Aubrey Chesnut wedding, photograph, 19 Jun 1943; digital image scanned by Linda McCauley from Edna Hopkins Chesnut, 18 Jan 2008; Edna and Aubrey in front of Hanna Street house. “U.S. Telephone Directory Collection,” digital image, Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/ : accessed 27 Jun 2022), Tampa Florida White Pages & Yellow Pages, Aug 1957, image 80; Maj John Hopkins, p. 120; from LOC Preservation Microfilming Program, Telephone Directory, Tampa, Florida, Peninsular Telephone Company, Aug 1957; address Hanna St. They moved to the Paris Street house by summer 1960.³²Family visiting John & Lula Hopkins, photograph, abt. 1960; digital image scanned by Linda McCauley from Edna Hopkins Chesnut, 18 Jan 2008; Edna, John, Lula, and others in front of Paris Street house.

John died on 4 March 1969 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa at age 82.³³FL Dept. of Health, death certificate no. 69-017112 (1969), John C. Hopkins; Bureau of Vital Statistics, Jacksonville. His funeral was held at the F. T. Blount Funeral Home with Rev. Kenneth G. Cave, pastor of the Otterbein United Methodist Church officiating. He was buried in Garden of Memories Cemetery in Tampa with full military honors accorded by MacDill Field.³⁴“Major John C. Hopkins,” Tampa (FL) Tribune, 7 Mar 1969, p. 21, col. 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 18 May 2020).

Ida died on 3 March 1986 in Harlan County.³⁵“Kentucky, U.S., Death Index, 1911–2000,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3077 : accessed 26 Sep 2022), death certificate no. 6182 (1986), Ida H. Hopkins; from KY Dept. for Public Health, Frankfort. She was buried in the Howard Cemetery in Laymon.³⁶Kathryn Howard Trail, Cemeteries in Southwestern Harlan County, Kentucky; Fresh Meadows to the Bell County Line (Louisville, KY; Trail’s Enterprises, 1989).

John Howard Hopkins

John married Opal L. Burchett on 4 March 1939 in Coldiron in Harlan County.³⁷FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007731863 : accessed 26 Sep 2022), digital film 007731863, image 1093, Harlan Co., KY, Marriages, 118: 350, John Hopkins & Opal Burchett, 4 Mar 1939. Opal was born on 21 June 1920 in Bell County, Kentucky, to George Burchett and Bessie Jane Miller.³⁸Kentucky, U.S., Birth Index, 1911–1999, database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry/search/collections/8788 : accessed 25 Sep 2022), birth certificate no. 20678 (1920), Opal L. Burchett; from Kentucky Birth, Marriage, and Death Databases: Births 1911-1999, Dept. for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort; birth date and place.

John and Opal had four children.³⁹Emma Ewers Taylor Hopkins, “Our Family History” (1969-1977); pg 11. John died on 25 April 1970 in Lexington, Kentucky, and was buried in Howard Cemetery at Laymon.⁴⁰“John H. Hopkins,” Manchester (KY) Enterprise, 3 May 1979; copy provided to Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY, 30 Sep 2005, from Pat Hopkins Howard. Opal died on 19 February 2008 at her home in Coldiron and was buried in Howard Cemetery.⁴¹“Opal Hopkins,” Harlan Daily Enterprise, (www.harlandaily.com : accessed 21 Feb 2008).

Cite this page: Linda F. McCauley, "John Covey Hopkins" Documenting the Details, 10 Oct 2022 (https://documentingthedetails.com/jchopkins : accessed [enter current date]).

Written by: Linda F. McCauley
Copyright © 2022 Linda F. McCauley. All rights reserved.

My Connection: James Arton Hopkins & Lucinda Howard (great-grandparents) > Elmer Dennis Hopkins (maternal grandfather > Uta Faye Hopkins (mother)