David HOPKIRK was the fifth child of William HOPKIRK & Isabella HOME
David was christened in Melrose, Scotland, on 23 October 1814.
It is believed David was a seaman, but he became a landowner in Lockridge Township, Jefferson County, in what would become the State of Iowa, a year after his brothers John & William, in 1839.
It seems that farming was not in David's blood and he went back to the sea. Some time after 1846 and before 1851, David died at sea. David's sister Elizabeth died at sea in 1847, returning to Scotland as requested in a letter written by their mother from Scotland in 1846. Read the letters written in 1846, 1851 and 1854 for the mentions of sister Elizabeth being requested to return home in 1846, the mentioning of Elizabeth's and David's death in the 1851 letter.
Attached
is a .pdf file of David's Will , written on 30 June 1847 and probated
in 1855.
(Our thanks goes to Richard Thompson, a Jefferson County, Iowa, genealogist,
for supplying us with a copy of David's will.
Following is a transcription of the will, thanks to cousin Colin Hopkirk:
Jefferson Co. Iowa June 30 1847
I David Hopkirk considering the uncertainty of life
and being of sound mind and memory in this my will
and testament do give and devise to my parents the East
half of North East quarter of section No. thirty five in
Township No. seventy two North of range No Eight West.
Also the North half of North West quarter of section
No. one in Township. No. seventy one North of range. No eight
West. In case of their death I devise the third of the value
of the farm to my sister Elizabeth the remainder to
be equally divided among my brothers. Any thing articles
that at this belonging to me that at this date are in the
hands possession of any of my brothers I leave to those who
are in the possession of them. And I do appoint John and
William Hopkirk (of Jefferson Co.) executors of this my will. In witness
whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 30th
of June 1847
(signed) David Hopkirk ((seal))
Signed sealed and declared by David Hopkirk
to be his will and testament In the presence of us
who at his request and in his presence have subscribed
our names as witnessed thereto
Robert Stephenson
Thomas Duncanson
This page was last updated on 11 January 2011