on July 16th.
William(6) HOPKIRK was born 9 May 1811 in Melrose to William(5) HOPKIRK and Isabella HOME. As a young man William(6) and his older brother John(6) worked in the linen mills in Galashiels, a nearby town.
On the 3rd of March, 1834 William(6) married Jane REDPATH, and along with brother John, immediately set out for America. They first went to Rochester, New York, and worked in the linen mills as dyers of cloth. Jane was also known as Jean, as referred to in some letters and Mary as referred to in a family history. Her name was most likely Mary Jane or Mary Jean, since more than a few of her daughters named their daughters Mary Jane. It is Scottish naming tradition to name the first daughter after the the mother's mother.
They moved on briefly to Ohio and West Virginia.
In 1838, John(6) and William(6) became the first landowners in the Township of Lockeridge, Jefferson County, in what later became the State of Iowa.
William's wife Jane didn't want to go to Iowa until there was a house with a floor in it. In an excerpt from a letter written by John on 27 Sep 1840 from Jefferson County, Iowa Territory, he writes to his brother William(6): "Dear Brother, I received your letter two days ago and I now find time to answer your questions. First, you ask what it would take to put up a house and remark that your wife will not come unless there is a house put up for her. Now, with regard to that, I say let her come on, and if there is no house ready, let her camp out, as many have done and do, that are ten times more able to pay for putting up a house than you are. I shall try by some means or other to get a samll set of logs together so that a house can be put up in a day when you do come, and your wife can cook something to eat. This will be the principle cost, except I have to hire the hauling of them, for you will find enough to do with your money, and it is no use putting up a large house till you know where you can get good water."
John(6) continues: "You say consider your family, well it is for you to do that. They are none of my making. You are rolling them out at a great rate. Why man, it will take a corn field to keep them in mush. Now laying all nonsense aside, and looking at the matter soberly, you seem to be in it bad for if you stay where you are, you must have money, and if you come here, you must have money to start with after you are." John(6) then explains what he thinks William(6) needs to do, and what it will cost.
At the end of the letter, it is clear that sister Elizabeth(6) HOPKIRK is with William(6) HOPKIRK and brother Walter(6) HOPKIRK may also be with William(6) HOPKIRK, and that brother David(6) HOPKIRK has just recently left John(6) HOPKIRK in Iowa. John writes: "Since David left I have had strong vigorous health. If Elisabeth comes with you I will do a brother's part as far as God shall grant me means to do so. Give my love to Walter and tell him to get religion not by excitement for that will cool. Let him set his vigorous mind to work upon it and determione to gain heaven, the grace of God helping him. I long to see him and you and father and mother and all of them. But I fear. Adieu. God bless and keep you all. J. Hopkirk"
Eventually William(6) HOPKIRK did arrive in Lockridge, and in 1846 the
first Church in the Township was built on his property. What is now
known as the "Hopkirk Cemetery" was undoubtedly the church cemetery. The
cemetery was used from 1846 until 1891, when William
diedon July 16th.
William's(6) daughter Jane(7) HOPKIRK was also buried at the same location. She died at the age of 21.
William's(6) wife Jane died 12 Feb 1869, and is also buried in the Hopkirk Cemetery.
Thanks to extensive research by John D. Hopkirk, we believe the following photo is that of William Hopkirk, his wife (Mary) Jane Redpath and their youngest daughter Jane, probably taken between 1862 and 1864.
William(6) and his wife were Presbyterian. William(6) served 13 years on the school district board, mostly as Secretary and Vice President. He also was elected to 3 terms in the Iowa State Legislature, and is known for the "Hopkirk Bill", gaining him the ill-will of all railroad incorporators. This bill provided that railroad property should not get preferential tax treatment.
William(6) and Jane had the following children:
Elizabeth(7) HOPKIRK, b.10 Jan 1835, Rochester New York. She married Robert Stephenson on 15 May 1856
Isabel(7) HOPKIRK, b. @ 1836, Jefferson County, Ohio. She married William Bankhead on 2 Aug 1860.
William(7) HOPKIRK, b. @1838, Jefferson County, Ohio. He married Laura Ann FERRIS on 9 Nov. 1861. He was killed shortly thereafter in the Civil War.He was wounded at Bryces Crossroads, Mississippi, and died at Memphis, Tennessee. There is a Memorial Plaque at the entrance to the Lockridge cemetery.
Anna(7) HOPKIRK, b @1840, Jefferson County, Ohio. She married Robert STAMM on 9 Nov 1865. Robert served in the Civil War, in the 2nd Infantry, Company E, from 6 May 1861 to 23 Dec 1863.
Mary U.(7) HOPKIRK, b. 25 Feb 1842, Lockridge, Iowa. She married David L BROWN on 10 Dec 1867.
Robert(7) HOPKIRK, b. @ 1843, Lockridge, Iowa. Robert died in 1864 fighting for the North in the Civil War.
Lillian(7) HOPKIRK, b.30 Jun 1846, Lockridge, Iowa. She married Benjamin Hanson on 16 May 1868.
James(7) HOPKIRK, b @1848, Lockridge, Iowa. He married Harriet Emma Toothaker on 7 Aug 1871.
Jane(7) HOPKIRK, b. 20 Aug 1850, Lockridge, Iowa. Unmarried. She died 19 Jun 1872. Buried in Hopkirk Cemetery. Jane shares the stone above with her father William.
Alexander(7) HOPKIRK, b. 25 Oct 1853, Lockridge, Iowa. He married Addie L. Ripley on 26 Apr 1883.
Walter(7) HOPKIRK, b. 1856 Died at the age of 18 months.
20 years after taking this photo, I finally have confirmation that this is the gravestone of my great great grandmother (Mary) Jane (Jean) Redpath. I've been told by historian Verda Baird that the cemetery plot map shows that the stone to the right of William Hopkirk's stone is that of his wife. If you look to the left of this photo, you will see the stone of her husband William HOPKIRK and their daughter Jane.
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This page last updated on April 4, 2011
