Evening journal., 1891-08-01
SEARLES' STRANGE RISE
How a Poor Man Captured
Over 100000, 900. -
LOVED BY MARX HOPKINS WIDOW.

Mrs Mark Hopkins-Searles left TO her
husband. One Of the Searles executors
who was seen by reporter and question
cd as to the clause in the will relating to
the lady's adopted son. Timothy Hopkins.
said that Mrs. Hopkins-Searles transferred
very considerable amount OF property to
her adopted son in her lifetime, and that
he was so well provided for then that there
was no occasion for making any provision
for him in her will. Il was believed that
II young Hopkins had been disinheiited
he would have contested the will Hop
kins Is now on his way from Japan to Sam
Francisco, where be resides
Timothy Hopkins was born In Maine
about thirty years ago. His parentage
was humble, his fathers name being No
Ian. His father went TO California when
the boy was an infant and was given em-
ployment by Mark Hopkins. Later Nolan
sent for his wife TO come on, but when she
arrived she found that her husband had
been drowned while she was en- route. A.
Mr. and Mrs Hopkins were childless they
adopted the boy. After the death OF her
husband Mrs Hopkins adopted Timothy
legally just before he reached the age OF
twenty-one years He was given good
education Later he married a niece Of his
Ahtc lhothtf py adoption.
searles' Romantic Story.
Some men are born rich, some men get
rich and some men have riches thrust
upon them. To the last class belongs Ed
ward +, Searles. just how many millions
his fortune amounts to he hasn't probably
yet found out himself II has been COM
puted all the way from S25, ,0o0, 600 to s70-
100000 A conservative estimate, which
Az II 10 F.a - Al.
places IL at $40, 600 600 Anyhow, it is quits
enough to put Mr.. searles in the very
front rank among the rich men OF Amer
lea
He Is Handsome Man.
Mr.. Searles is about fifty years old. Ha
is slngularly handsome and we'll pre-
served man, Of medium height and slender
build, with delicate and well nodded
features. His type Is Of the aesthetic. He
was born at Methuen, Mass, where his
wife, at that time probably the richest
woman in America, died last Saturday
/ Books interested him much more than
| turnips, potatoes and things Of that sort.
Aftar gettinR coed but NOT costly educa-
tion he went TO Boston and took up "busi-
ness" as a means Of livelihood, meanwhile
absorbing all the culture he could get.
Gentlemanly and unassuming but with
manners as highly polished as the finest
piece Of mahogany ia the establishment,
he made success as a salesman.
Not simply a Salesman.
His fame reached New York, and big
furniture firm secured his services They
paid him very steep salary, too. He
wasn't a mere salesman, for he was well
up In all the fads aud theories Of dccorm-
tive art and was very adept at giving
points and suggestions to rich patrons.
Ia those days he was regarded as con-
flrmed bachelor He had no pronounced
vices. Moderation was his motto IN all
things. His hobby was music especially
classical music. His favorite instrument
was the organ, on which he performed
very well In 1881 he went TO California.
Up to that time had done nothing to dis
tinguish himself In fact, without any
disparagement of Mr.. Searles' manifold
merits, il may be said that he never did
anything to distinguish himself until he
married Mrs. Hopkins, old Mark Hopkins
rich widow.
The Two Husbands.
just when and where he met Mrs HOr-
kins contemporaneous history fails to ret-
ord. Even In California they are very
much mixed about that important event
But to appreciate the impression he musF
have made on Mrs. Hopkins thoroughly
matured but still tender heart, something.
must be understood about her own pre-
vious history and what manner Of man het
first husband had been. Like Mr.. Searles
Mark Hopkins was born In New England
and came of prime old New England stoc..
But there the similarity between the tus,
men ended. "Uncle Mark" never had 4
chance TO absorb any Boston culture. H.
was a tough fbred, hard grained, cIosr
listed sort OF man. He was thirty-five
years OF age when he sailed for Cali.
fornia in 1S49 But before that he had
found time TO fall in love with his pretty
first cousin, Mary Frances Sherwood, wh1
was then teaching school and never dream
cd that she would one day become one OF
the richest women in the world.
How Hopkins Made His Fortune.
Mark kept grocery in Sacramento. At
the end Of four years he sold out, and with
a snug little pile returned east and n.,..-
ried his cousin. He returned 60 California
with her in 1865 and started in to make his
pile a big one. He formed a partnership
with Coils 2. Huntington, and when tie
Central Pacific railroad was completed It
was estimated that he was worth over So,
0O0,00O. Bnt he always remained the snnls
tough fbered, crossgrained sort of man
She Had More Culture.
His wife had much more culture. When
her husband began to get rich she found
time to get ideas about society and art and
furniture. Her husband at length decided
to build house commensurate with his
fortune 1t cost $i,25O,000. But before
the inside Of it was all fixed up he died.
That was in 1878 and he was then sixty-six
years old, his wife being several years his
junior.
And They Were Married.
The interior fxings of the big San Fran
cisco house had not been finished when
Mr.. Searles made Mrs. Hopkins acquaint-
ance In every respect he presented a
striking contrast to the late Mr.. Hopkins
He was delicate, refined, handsome, pok
ished and with ideas about houses and
decorating. He was the sort OF man she
had read about in novels. Mrs. Hopkins
was many years his senior. That made il
easy for her to fall in love with him first
He fell in love with her later
To keep him about her it is said, she
gave him employment. He helped to pue
the finishing touches on the San Fran
cisco house, and took a hand in super
intending the decorations Of the Great
Darlington palace just when Mr. Searlea
made his declaration of affection nobody
but himself probably knows The mar
riage took place on Nov. s. 1887, at Trinity
chapel, New York. 1t was q very<quiek
wedding. The adopted son, Timothy, was