Judge George W. Hopkins, the subject of the following sketch, was born in Hampshire, on June 18, 1827. His father was a shoemaker, and was married in June, 1826. The family lived in Hampshire until the summer of 1834, when they came over to Dresden, Muskingan County, Ohio, and engaged in farming. In November, 1841, they moved to Osage County, Missouri, where they again engaged in farming. His parents being in poor circumstances, financially, Mr. Hopkins had the benefit of only six weeks schooling, but improved every opportunity to study at home of evenings, and his life was thus spent from his tenth to his twentieth year.
At eighteen he had begun to read law, working on the farm in summer and teaching school in winter, to keep the pot boiling. He was admitted to the bar at Lima, Osage county, January 9, 1854, by George W. Miller, judge of the First Judicial Circuit, Missouri. His life work has been in the legal profession, with the exception of three years military service during the war. He has held many official positions of trust, honor and responsibility. Was public administrator of Osage county for four years, swamp-land commissioner eight years, prosecuting attorney for three years, and acted as assistant prosecuting attorney for two years in a circuit of four counties.
He came to Arcata in the spring of 1877, and was admitted to the bar by Judge Haynes in June of that year. His family arrived the following year. In Humboldt County he has held the office of justice of the peace for thirteen years and still holds the same office, and is still practicing in the Superior Court.
Judge Hopkins has been a member of the I.O.O.F. for fourteen years, a Mason forty-one years, a Good Templar four years, Sons of Temperance ten years, and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was N.G. of I.O.O.F. two terms, W.M. of Masons two years, Deputy W.C.T. three years, also Dept. Worthy Patriarch, Sons of Temperance; is Senior Past Commander of Cold Harbor Post 132, G.A.R., and is now Junior Vice Department Commander of the California G.A.R.; was special aide on staff of Commander in Chief, G.A.R., for one year.
Turning to his military record, we find that his executive ability was constantly receiving recognition in the way of numerous official duties to perform. He was Adjutant of the 28th Regiment, Missouri Militia; enrolling officer, with rank of Captain, for one year; also one year in the Secret Service, with rank of Captain, Lieutenant and Recruiting Officer, and First Lieutenant of Company F, 48th Missouri Infantry, and served as Captain in that regiment until the close of the war. In 1862 he was assistant Provost Marshal for Osage County, Missouri, the State being then under martial law. Judge Hopkins was married in 1854, on November 16th, and has had six children, four of whom are living. The foregoing is but a meager outline of the leading details of a very busy life, and it is with regret that the limitation of space compels us to so briefly sketch a career which contains abundant material for a very interesting and instructive volume. Judge Hopkins devotes his time to his law practice in this county, also to a general real estate business and collection agency.
