Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-03

Death, on Wednesday, Nov IS. s;
Hollywood. Cal, claimed Marshall
towns first school teachsr-Pitts II.
Hopkins. Pupils Of Mr.. Hopkins here,
and there are some still living. Ions
since have been grandfathers and
grandmothers, tor it was away back in
lS56-I that Hopkins taught the village
school on what later was known as
the "Rirchard corner" Second and
State streets, where the Baptist church
now is situated.
Mr.. Hopkins death occurred at the
home Of his daughter, Mrs E. H.
Cowan, where he had been stopping for
some time. Heart ard Bright's disease
with which Mr.. Hopkins had been
suffering for some time, caused his
death. Mr.. Hopkins had been failing
in health for more than a year. He
was 81 years old.
Sold Much Land to Pioneers.
Mr.. napkins came to Marshal1town
from Elmwood. Ill, in 1854 and entered
me rea! estate business here. He was
mere But three Years and in that time
IN ADDITION 10 his work as a teacher
PROBABLY sold more land 70 pioneers OF
mis- and adjoining counties than any
other one man. Records show that
over 10000 acres Of land were entered
~ Hopkins for the early settlers at
l.25 per acre. In 1857 Hopkins sold
n la -
row at the corner OF Main and First
avenue. where the Woodbury. block
stands to- S200
During the Marietta war" the con-
t7oversE over the removal OF the court
house from Marietta to Narshalltown.
Mr.. Hopkins served Tor q time as a
special deputy sheriff.
Reooilections of Pupils.
2. Howe TAYLOR was county super
-1,ecGea- o: schools when MI Hopkins
taught The first schoo! here. In 1912
Hopkins visited here with his old Elm
wood. Ill. friend. George A Miller 80
No!tH Third street, and al that time
talked interestingly OF the old days Of
MS life n Marshalltown He rerem-
oereG many OF his former pupils, and
Lille Incidents concerning them.
Among his pupils were Theodore
Johnston, Martha Webster. (Mrs. J. NJ.
Parker her sister Mary. who after
wards became Mrs. George Woolston
and Is now dead. her brother, Byron
Webster; and Milton and Warren
Pa--e-t
Byron Webster first entered school
under M. Hopkins, and the latter said
ae remembered well the checked apron
tae little boy wore. Mr.. Hopkins re-
mem s-sd Theodore Johnston well be-
cause he suffered. Mrs. Johnston came
10 ths teacher TO ask him 10 90 some
thing for Theodore Because he
suffered he did not want TO 20 10
scAoo-' and the mother feared her son
"0A-o grow up 10 De an ignoramus"
tod her Iwould co what l could
ara TOOK special pains 10 interest
Ihsooo-e and break him Of the STAN
ner5ng habit the old teacher said.
re only starnme-ed when he was en-
'ar-assec. and got th- children 70
promise they wouldn't laugh at him
u didn't take long 70 get Theodore out
OF the habit. and the progress he made
IN school was quite wonderful. He soon
became Interested and was one. Of the
students ! had"
Native of York State.
Mr.. Hopkins was a naive Of SDar,a
Livingston county, New York. where
ne vas born March q, 1893. When ne
vas a boy Of his parents moved 70
Marshall county, Illinois. where their
son Pitts Mas educated in the district
~ FL
Mr. Hopkins came here in 1854. and re-
NAMED until 1851. when ne returned
10 Eimwood and went into real estate
there.
Ten years later he went to Johnson
county, Nebraska where he engaged in
the real estate business In that and
PaWnee counties. For several years h.
was an immigration agent for the Bur-
lington and Rock Island railroads.
Mr.. Hopkins was united in marriage
with Miss Della NJ. Robins at Rose
field, Ill, Nov. 10, 1856. Mrs Hopkins
died at Tecumseh, Neb., June 6, 100 7.
Until comparatively recent years Mr..
Hopkins kept up active farming opera
lions in Nebraska. At Tecumseh he
was interested heavily in building
projects, among them being the build
ing Of the Hopkins hotel and the Hop
kins block. For several years he was
mayor Of Tecumseh. He was a mem
Der of the Presbyterian church of Te-
cumseh and Of the Masonic Fraternity
at that place.
Mr. Hopkins Is survived by one
daughter, Mrs. Cowan. Two sons Or
10 Arson, and Lewis r.. are dead
Funeral Wednesday.
Mrs. Cowan Is accompanying the
body of her father to Tecumseh for
burial, and reaches there Tuesday
night. The funeral will be held from
the Presbyterian church at Tecumseh
Wednesday afternoon, burial following