Peter W. Hopkins (February 1, 1826 – February 7, 1879) was an American lawyer and politician from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

Life

He was born in Clifford,

Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania Susquehanna County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 38,434 Its county seat is Montrose, Pennsylvania, Montro ...

, the son of Peter Hopkins (c.1785–1879) and Mary Ann Hopkins (1789–1876). The family removed to a farm in New York when Peter was still an infant. He attended the common schools, worked on his father's farm, and then taught school in Owego. In 1846, he began to study law, and was admitted to the bar in 1850. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

he fought with the 109th New York Volunteers, and became

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an Officer (armed forces), officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of “human resources” in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed ...

and

quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land army, armies, a quartermaster is an officer who supervises military logistics, logistics and requisitions, manages stores or barracks, and distri ...

of the regiment. In 1864, he married Julia Keeler (c.1840–1866). After the war he resumed the practice of law in

Binghamton Binghamton ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the con ...

. He was District Attorney of Broome County from 1868 to 1874; and a member of the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...

(24th D.) in

1878 Events January * January 5 – Russo-Turkish War: Battle of Shipka Pass IV – Russian and Bulgarian forces defeat the Ottoman Empire. * January 9 – Umberto I becomes King of Italy. * January 17 – Russo-Turkish War: ...

and

1879 Events January * January 1 ** The Specie Resumption Act takes effect. The United States Note is valued the same as gold, for the first time since the American Civil War. ** Brahms' Violin Concerto is premiered in Leipzig with Joseph Joachim ...

. He died on February 7, 1879, at the Eldridge House in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...

, of "

apoplexy Apoplexy () refers to the rupture of an internal organ and the associated symptoms. Informally or metaphorically, the term ''apoplexy'' is associated with being furious, especially as "apoplectic". Historically, it described what is now known as a ...

," and was buried at the Spring Forest Cemetery in Binghamton.

Sources

''Civil List and Constitutional History of the Colony and State of New York''
compiled by Edgar Albert Werner (1884; pg. 291 and 402)
''The State Government for 1879''
by Charles G. Shanks (Weed, Parsons & Co, Albany NY, 1879; pg. 64)
''THE SENATE IN MOURNING''
in NYT on February 8, 1879

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hopkins, Peter W 1826 births 1879 deaths Republican Party New York (state) state senators People from Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania Politicians from Binghamton, New York County district attorneys in New York (state) People from Owego, New York Lawyers from Binghamton, New York Burials at Spring Forest Cemetery 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century members of the New York State Legislature