The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-08-22
Rev. r. R. Hopton.

ing, on Wednesday OF last week, ar
rived in Leon Monday, afternoon.
thneral services were re- held na "a at aesd the
afternoon at 3 o'clock, conducted by
Rev. A. E. Clemens, Of Seymour,
Iowa, assisted by Rev. G. w. Reed
er, Of Leon, large concourse OF
Borrowing friends being. in attend
ance. Interment was in the Leon
cemetery. The following account t Of
Wyoming, Tribune, of August 18th:
The Powell community has sell
dom if ever, received a more severe
shock than when the news spread
about town Wednesday forenoon
that Rev. R. r: Hopton had been
ing about 1890 o'clock, He had
been ailing for some weeks, but was
thought to be recovering. gradually.
That morning he was feeling no
worse than common and had gone
into the bath room at his home to
bathe and shave himself, apparently
in the best of spirits: He remained
come apprehensive at hearing, no
sound from him and upon investiga-
ton she found him lying upon the
floor dead Physicians were sum
moned, who pronounced his death
due to heart failure.
that the Big Horn Baptist associa-
ton convened here and Mr.. Hopton
had much to do with the successful
conduct of that three day gathering,
although his recent illness had pre-
vented his taking an even more ac-
tive part. The Baptist congregation
at Powell had done much Of late in
church edifice, and due to the bust
ness energy of their pastor the pro-
posed building was nearly financed,
The Baptist church has been steadily
growing since Mr.. Hopton's coming
here and it will not be found an
cure minister that will equal him
in executive ability and the power
to win general respect and good will.
He was a hard working pastor; thor
oughly sincere in his calling. One
of his outstanding characteristics
was his devotion to his family and
his home life.
community and to his high character
ministers Of the town. They per-
haps appreciate more than do many
others the work for good that he
did in the community. Rev. S. G..
Ryland, the local Presbyterian pas
tor, says of him:
'When l first met Brother Hopton
l felt that | had met a friend and a
brother. which has been proven in
the past years Of our being together
going about together on the flat
or out fishing for little relax, and
we were happy together fishing. for
souls. Our spirits blended; we liked
being together and counseling to-
man who loved God and his fellow
man. He possessed great heart;
was very useful man in the COM
munity; a good pastor; a broad
minded man; very unselfish man
one who co-operated with his fellow
miss him very much. His memory
shall always be sweet to me; my, life
has been made better because of his
friendship and brotherly love. 1t
can be truthfully said of him, he
hath done what he could. We all
mourn his loss and extend our deep
est sympathy to the bereaved ones
to the care and keeping of the God
whom our dear brother loved and
served. Words are poor vehicles to
convey the deep feelings of the
soul.
Rev. J. l.. Taylor, a retired Bap-
fist minister of Powell and who has
been closely associated with the de-
ity, pens the following tribute to his
memory:
two and one-half years ago l have
been very intimately associated with
Rev. Hopton and have never known
bigger hearted man.. He has al
ways held very prominent place in
never failed in any relation. He was
exceedingly kind and gentle in his
intercourse with all classes of peo-
pie and held strong place in the
hearts of men, both in the church
and out OF it. In fact, he was de.
cidedly a mans man-meeting al
ness that never failed to win conf
dence. He did all his work we'll
Rev. Mark Fields. our Methodist
pastor and a cO-wOrker in the COM
munity with Rev. Hopton, says of
him:
Il feel that great and good man
has gone from us, in the death of
Rev. Hopton. So broad were his
sympathies and so genuine was his
3 fy bs sat lost syesyRG sSsd in he es9ed
mems souls. His interest were as
broad as humankind He wanted
the world to grow better and work
ed vigorously and devoutedly to that
end. He shall receive the crown or
righteousness reserved for him by
our Lord"
Robert Ross Hopton was born at
Jacobsberg, Ohio, August /, 1873,
and died at Powell, Wyoming Aug.
IA, 1918, at the age of As years and
IA days.
When but lad of eight years he
came to Kansas with his father his
mother having died when he was but
a babe. When about twelve years OF
age he went to Iowa. and from that
time on made his own way in the
world. His ambitions for an educa-
ton and a desire to further prepare
himself for his chosen lite ~. pro 91es
trail University of Pella, Iowa, from
which Institution he in later years
became a graduate. When twenty.
Leon, Iowa, to Miss Nora B. Hamil-.
ton, and during their early married
life he worked as a student pastor
while finishing his education. His
earliest pastoral work was at Beth,
lehem, Iowa, but after he finished
college in 1905 he became pastor of