The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-05-21
FOUNDER OF JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY.


thropist and founder of oJhns Hop
kins university, was born in Anne
Arundel county, Md, May 10, 1894.
His given name Johns, comes from the
old Maryland family of that name, of
which he was descendant. Both his
parents We're of Quaker ancestry. His
mother was Hannah Janney of the
Virginia Janneys. She was 4 woman
of intellect and will, one of the guild
ing spirits of the Baltimore yearly
friends meeting Johns spent his early
youth on the farm of his father,
where he worked during the summer
and went to school in winter. At seven
teen he came to Baltimore with an
uncle to learn the wholesale grocery
business. His only capital was health,
thrifty habits and unusual capacity
for industry His uncle left him in
charge of the business at nineteen years
of age, and though the British army
was in the neiehborhood of Washing
ton and Baltimore, the young man had
mastered it, and increased the bust
ness in spite of the hard times. At
twenty four he had saved $500, and
went into business for himself. Finally
he went into partnership with his two
younger brothers. He remained in this
business over twenty five years, retiring
then to leave it in the hands of his
two younger brothers and two of their
clerks
But he continued to manifest great
interest in the commercial life of the
city of Baltimore; and was elected
president of the Merchants bank of
the city, and filled this position until
his death. He was also stakeholder
in many other banks. While exercis
ing his power to lend money he be-
came known for his willingness to aid
worthy people. He also held stock in
some cases in large accounts, in the
Georges Creek Coal company, the Mer
chants and Miners Transportation COM
pany and the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road in which he was director and for
a time chairman of its finance commit
tee. He was also instrumental in sus
tanning the credit of the company,
and in insuring the completion and sue
cess of the road, for when the road was
embarrassed during a panic, he en-
dorsed the notes of the company, thus
risking his private fortune in the en-
terprise. Mr.. Hopkins provided for a
convalescent hospital in country
neighborhood, by will, and for a home
in Baltimore for needy colored chill
dren.
At his request an incorporation was
formed in 1867, for the promotion of
education in the state of Maryland.
The trustees found on the death of Mr..
Hopkins that after providing for his
near kin, he had left the bulk of his
fortune to the two institutions which
bear his name Each received an en-
dOwment of $3,5O0,000. He made pro-
visions for students from Maryland,
North Carolina and Virginia, for he
realized that these three states had
contributed greatly to his popularity.
The trustees he had selected liberal
minded men, with broad foresight
made no attempt to evolve an institu-
ton of the first grade with single
effort, and the university as it stands
today is a product of time and brains.
1t is a monument worthy of the man.
There are however few points of in
terest about the life of Johns Hopkins
He acquired his property by slow and
sagacious methods. He bought a large
library and many oil paintings, but
did not live in costly fashion. He
never married and had no immediate
family. The significance of his life
lies in the fact that he labored to ac-
emulate a fortune with a direct and
definite object in view-to do good to
his fellow men. He died in Baltimore
Dec. "a, 1873