The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-31
The Will Of the Late Mrs. Hopkins
Searles offered for Pro-
bate.
Every Gent OF Her Immense For
tune Left to Her Young
H. Husband.
ReminIscence OF Mark Hopkins, Her First
Husband-Hnw She Met Her Soc-
ond, Mr.. Searles.

bequeaths all her property OF whatsoever
kind and wheresosver aituated, to her hns-
band, Edward +. Searles, his heirs, execu-
tors, administrators and assigns forever.
In the document she says: "Ihs omission
to provide in this will for my adopted son,
Timothy Hopkins, is intentional. and not
accustomed by accident or mistake" The
will, which is dated July 16, 1883,
further says: "Whereas, My said husband
this day makes a will in my favor. / do
now declare my intention, and my under
standing of his intention, that he be free at
any time during my life. without notice to
me, and after my death if he survive me, to
cancel, revoke his said will. or make any
new will or Wills, codicil, or codicils, and
shall lave entire freedom to dispose by
such new will or codicil or in any other
manner, whether by deed, sale, gift or
and l reserve similar freedom and rights
for myself during his life and after his
death, IL / survive him."
The executors of the will are Edward I.
Searles and Mrs. Searles' partners, Thomas
E. Stillman and Thomas Hubbard, who are
exempted from giving bonds. The wit
nesses to the will are William w. Dodge, Of
Cambridge, Charles M. Thornton, of law
renee, Mass, and William 0. Morris. of
Methuen. The above comprises the en-
tire diction of the will, save fifty or seventy
words of legal verbiage.
Mrs. Hopkins Searles (for such she be-
came by her second marriage, Nov. 8. 1887
was a beautiful girl who lived in this city
half a century ago. The Sherwood family
was an excellent one, and she. with her sis
ter and two brothers, were widely known in
local social circles. Mary Hopkins, a ma
tive of central New York, was her cousin.
His courtship was a long one, and they
were finally married in this city in 1849, go
ing to the Pacific slope in the following
year. At Sacramento, where they made
their home after two years had been spent
in California, Hopkins and Huntington be-
gan the partnership that led to the fame
n fortune of both. 80.
At that time there we're two other mer-
chants in Sacramento whose interests were
subsequently allied with those of Hopkins
u Huntington. These were Leland Stan
ford and Charles Croeker. When, in the
course of the western empires affairs, it
became necessary to connect Sacramento
with Placerville, an interior mining town,
these four merchants built the road and
laid the foundation of their vast fortunes.
f1lb0lN alo, WhCA SOAlSlCoS gave v Ill
mense subsidies to the Central Pacific
Railroad company, Hopkins & Hunt
ington took the contract for fur
nishing the iron and other materials.
Huntington subsequently came to New
York to control the eastern end of the en-
tsrprise, while Hopkins built the road and
sold the bonds. When he died in April,
1878, he was said to be worth 5000 600.
Mrs. Hopkins, whose energy had been
constant throughout her husbands upward
career, WAS easily fitted to take his place.
The firm confined as before, and the for
tune increased year by year. A great deal
of her money was invested in railroad in
terests and in real estate, both in the east
and west. Her philanthropy became known
everywhere. A writer in a New Yofk
journal ten years ago in speaking of this
estimable woman, said: "The many bur-
dens that she has lifted from weary shout
ders, the POOR she has aided, the boys she
has educated, the whole families thar she
has taken to her beautiful western home
that some ailing member might be bene-
flied, are enduring memorials of her kind
ness and generosity"
After the death of her husband Mrs. Hop
kins made her residence in San Francisco,
where Mark Hopkins had purchased whole
block ct ground on oalifornia-street
ally a palace, that cost 81, 5o,0Oo.
This house was perfection in its
way. Beautiful frescoings, grand salons
whose walls were covered with paintings,
music halls in which organs ana pianos
contributed to the entertainment of her
friends. were among tho features of Mrs.
Hopkins splendid home. Besides being q
connoisseur in music and printing, Mrs.
Hopkins was a famous collector of rare old
laces, and some of her specimens are said
to be invaluable.
Mrs. Hopkins had no children, but early
in her California career she adopted a boy,
the son of a lonely woman named
Hagan, who had gone from the
east in search OF her husband,
only to find him dead when she ar
rived. Both mother and son were taken
beneath Mrs. Hopkins hospitable roof,
and when the boys mother married
again the boy took the name of Timotay
Hopkins. Later, while in this city, he mar
ried Miss C~rittenden, a niece of his bene-
factor. and thus he became one of the heirs
apparent to the immense estate. He is still
living in San Francisco, whore he has charge
of all Mrs. Hopkins affairs.
A few years after her husbands death
Mrs. Hopkins returned to the east and
made her home at Kellogg Terrace, Great
Darlington, Mass, where she hud at
tended school in earlier years. Her fond
ness for building costly residences be-
came Il veritable hobby, which the wealthy
woman indulged to it's fullest extent.
She built a home in Paris, another at Me
thuen, Mass, and another ut Block Island,