Stephen Tyng Hopkins (March 25, 1849 – March 3, 1892) was a U.S. Representative from

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

Early life and career

Born in New York City, Hopkins attended the Anthon Grammar School and became an iron merchant and broker. He later moved to Catskill, and was connected with several coal and iron syndicates in West Virginia and Tennessee. Hopkins served in the New York Militia, and was

Adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an 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 forces as a non-commission ...

of New York's 86th Infantry Regiment. In 1871, Hopkins married Mary Warner Munn, (died January 28, 1887). Their children included Louis Davis Hopkins (born January 24, 1874), a New York City businessman. A Republican, he was a member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

( Greene County) in

1885 Events January–March * January 3– 4 – Sino-French War – Battle of Núi Bop: French troops under General Oscar de Négrier defeat a numerically superior Qing Chinese force, in northern Vietnam. * January 4 – ...

and

1886 Events January–March * January 1 – Upper Burma is formally annexed to British Burma, following its conquest in the Third Anglo-Burmese War of November 1885. * January 5– 9 – Robert Louis Stevenson's novella ''Strange ...

. As an Assemblyman he was identified with the

Stalwart Stalwart is an adjective synonymous with ''"strong"''. It may also refer to: Relating to people: * Stalwart (politics), member of the most patronage-oriented faction of the United States Republican Party in the late 19th century In ships and mil ...

Republicans, and was accused of using some of his children's inheritance to buy legislators' votes for Levi P. Morton during the 1887 election to succeed

Warner Miller Warner Miller (August 12, 1838March 21, 1918) was an American businessman and politician from Herkimer, New York. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as a U.S. Representative (1879-1881) and United States Senator (1881-1887). A nat ...

. Hopkins was elected to the Fiftieth Congress (March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889). During his congressional term, there were reports that he was behaving erratically, and observers presumed that he was mentally ill or drinking excessively in response to the death of his wife. After leaving Congress, he was a Watchman in the

New York Custom House The United States Custom House, sometimes referred to as the New York Custom House, was the place where the United States Customs Service collected federal customs duties on imported goods within New York City. Locations The Custom House ...

from April to August 1890.

Death and burial

He was found dead by a train crew alongside the railroad tracks near Pleasantville, adjacent to

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

on March 3, 1892. He had apparently traveled to Atlantic City following medical treatment for alcoholism at a facility in White Plains, New York. The circumstances of his death were unclear, although observers indicated that based on the condition of his body when it was found, he did not appear to have fallen or been thrown from a train. Because he had not been robbed and there were no signs that he had been murdered, Hopkins was presumed to have committed suicide by poison or drug overdose because of business reverses and alcoholism.Philadelphia Times
The Body of a Man Discovered Near Pleasantville, N.J. A Probable Suicide
March 4, 1892 He was interred in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

References

External links

*
Stephen T. Hopkins
a
''The Political Graveyard''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hopkins, Stephen Tyng 1849 births 1892 deaths Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) 19th-century American legislators