Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/370

 HOPKINS

HOPKINSON

he was a member of the naval committee. He had for liLs colleague in the first and second ses- sions Samuel Ward, his political opponent in the annual contests for governor of Rhode Island, (1755-64), and to etfect a reconciliation with whom he declined further to be a candidate after 1764. His colleague in the third session was William Ellery. He served as a member of the committee of safety of Providence during the Revolution; and as delegate from Rhode Island to the conventions to promote tiie common defences of the borders of the Xv>\v England states, and presided over the meetings at Providence, R.I.. in 1776, and Springfield, Mass., iu 1777. He wasadele- gate to the Continental congress in 1778, and was a member of the committee that drafted the Articles of Confederation. He founded the town library of Providence in 1750. It was burned in 1758. and re-established by him the following year. He is the author of: The Grievances of the American Colonies Candidly Examined [17 d-i); History of The Planting and Growth of Providence (Gazette, 17G5). William Eaton Foster published in 1884, Stephen Hopkins, a Rhode Island Statesman. He died in Providence. R.I., July 13, 1785.

HOPKINS, William Fenn, educator, was born in Connecticut in isoi. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy in 18-^5, and received the honorary degree of A. ^I. from Yale in 1831. He was assistant professor of natural sciences at West Point, 1826-27, and acting professor of chemistry, mineralogy and geology, 1827-85. He resigned from the army in 1836 and engaged in mercantile pursuits. He declined the chair of mathematics in Jefferson college. La., in 1837; accepted tiie principalshipof the academy at Nor- folk, Va., 1843, superintended and was professor in the Military institute, Georgetown. Ky., 1846-40; was president of the Masonic university, Clarks- ville, Tenn., 1849; professor of chemistry at William and Maiy CvoUege, Va., 1849-50, and pro- fes.sor of natural and experimental philosophy in the U.S. Naval academy. 1850-59. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from H.jbart col- lege, N.Y., in 1853. In March, 1859, lie was ap- pointed by President Buchanan U.S. consul to .Jamaica. W.I.. wlu-re he died, July 13, 1859.

HOPKINSON, Francis, signer of the Declara- tion of Independence, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 21, 1737; son of Thomas and Mary (.Johnson )Hopkinson. His fatlier (born, 1709, died, 1751), <a native of London, England, emigrated to America and settled in Piiiladelphia in 1731, where he was a public court official, member of the provincial council, an incorporator of the Phil- adelphia Library company, charter member and trustee of the College of Plnladelphia, and first president of the Philosophical society. Fran<-is was graduated at the College of Philadelphia.

A.B., in 1757, A.M., in 1760, and received an honorary A.M. degree from the College of New Jersey in 1763. He was admitted to the bar in 1761; and was librarian and secretary of the Philadelphia Libraiy compaii}', 1764-65. He vis- ited Europe in 1766, with the view of an appointment as com- missioner of customs for North America, but failed to secure the office. He re- turned to Philadel- phia in 1767, and practised law and at the same time con- ducted a store. He was a member of the American Pliiloso]ih- ical society, 1768-91; a director and secre- tary of the Library company, 1771-73; collector of customs at New- castle, 1772-76, when he was removed as a dis- loyalist. He removed to Bordentown and Avas a member of the provincial council of New Jer- sey. 1774-76. He was a delegate from New Jersey to the Continental congress, 1776-77. He was on the committee that drafted the Articles of Confederation, voted in favor of the independence of the colonies and signed the Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776. He was chief of the navy department of the confederation, and treasurer of the Continental loan office. He was judge of the admiralty appointed b}' the state of Pennsylvania, 1779-89, and first judge of the U.S. district court of Pennsylvania, 1790-91. He was a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, 1778-91, and received the honorary degree of LL.D. from that institution in 1790. He was married to Ann, daughter of Joseph Borden, of Bordentown, N.J. He is the author of: The Treaty, a poem published soon after he was secretary at a treaty with the Indians in 1761; The Battle of the Kegs, a mock-heroic ballad descri|)tive of the attempt to destroy the British ship[)ing at Philadelphia in 1777; The Xew Poof: a Song of Federal Mechanics, besides polit- ical writings including: The Pretty Story (1774); Tlie Prophecy (1776); The Political Catechism (1777), and essays: The Typogritphical Mode of Conducting a Quarrel, and Tlionghts on Di.'ieases of the Mind. See The MisceUaneoiis Essays and Oecasiontd Writingsof Francis Hopldnson (1792). IT.' di.^d in Philadelpliiji. Pa.. May 9, 1791.

HOPKINSON, Joseph, jurist, was born in Philailclphia. I'.i.. Nov. 12, 1770; son of Francis and Ann (Borden) Hopkinson, and grandson of Judge Thomas Hopkinson. He was graduated ac