General - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: surname changes from male to female name

DeWashburnHill — 2013-01-27 20:56:40Z

I once read somewhere that there are Arapihoe Indians with the name Hopkins. Don't remember where I read it but if some Indian tribes took the woman's name maybe that could explain it and that is why I come to a dead end with the Hopkins name!

Father of Ambrose Hopkins

TiffinyTempletonLewis — 2012-07-15 21:58:19Z

Researching father of Ambrose Hopkins born in Maryland 1817-died in Pennville, Indiana in 1893.

Re: Catharine Margaret Hopkins, widow...need maiden name

macoibicin2117 — 2012-06-18 14:02:18Z

This will be of no help to you, I'm sorry, but this is my sisters full name, with slight spelling change: Kathryn Margaret Hopkins. History is wonderful isn't it. Best of luck.

Finney/Posey families

jahatch1 — 2012-05-30 18:17:50Z

F.E. Finney family of Hopkins Co. had a daughter Catherine Finney aged 25 in the 1880 census...what Happened to her? I have info on other family members & will share with anyone interested...
Thanks,
Jashatch1@frontiernet.net

Angdal,Tillie

blondee1157 — 2012-02-03 19:54:07Z

This young woman from Sweden shows up on my familys 1880 census. She was 13 yrs. old at this time. Anyone knowing who she may be please respond.

Re: Catharine Margaret Hopkins, widow...need maiden name

imhoppy2_1 — 2011-10-24 03:57:14Z

Wish I could help you.

I'm very interested in Hopkins(RC).
Especially from Roscommon, Mayo area.

Catharine Margaret Hopkins, widow...need maiden name

jmyoung365 — 2011-10-12 22:36:12Z

I'm looking for the maiden name of Catharine Margaret (she went by Margaret) who married Adam GEIGER (later KIGER) widower, on 5 Apr. 1763. The marriage is in the records of Old St. Joseph's RC Church, Philadelphia, PA. However, Adam GEIGER was part of what is referred to as "The New Jersey Mission." He lived in Salem County, NJ.

I believe that after Adam's death she remarried to Capt. Joseph WOOD of the American Revolution. They are buried in Old Jordantown Cemetery in Auburn, Salem County, NJ.

The only other HOPKINS record in the early Old St. Joseph's records is for William HOPKINS and Margaret BROWN (Protestant) listing their children baptized at this church: John, 1789; Catharine, 1792; William Henry, 1794; Henry, 1795; Bartholomew Philip, 1797.

Perhaps the above William HOPKINS is a son of Catharine Margaret and her first husband?

Any information about Catharine Margaret [--?--] HOPKINS GEIGER WOOD would be appreciated.

Joan

surname changes from male to female name

pattigraham11 — 2011-08-08 22:38:19Z

Can anyone tell me why a male would take the female's last name instead of the female taking the males? I know in hispanic traditions this is customary, or with the native Americans such as the Cherokee, but why would the English, Irish, or the Scots have the male take on the famale surname? The name 'Crowe" changes from Voell, to Vowell. to Hooker, TO finally Crow and it is all based on the female

Joachim Lepel

memreezinaflash — 2011-01-24 19:44:25Z

I have posted this in the Fox research group also....

I am looking for information on Joachim Lepel
He was born about 1824...
He died in 1892 in Denison Iowa....

His children are
Wilhelmina Lepel
1850 – 1900
Johann Joachim Theodor Lepel
1853 – 1900
Friedericke Lepel
1855-?
Marie Lepel
1856 –
Caroline Lepel
1863 –
Helena Lepel
1866 –
Wilhelm Lepel
1867 –

He is listed on the 1880 census as living with his daughter Wilhemina and her husband. So he immigrated before this time.

Any help that I could get would be most appreciated!!!

Re: Jonathan Hopkins Mystery

MarieMikolich — 2010-09-26 15:26:57Z

Greetings from Dawdys of Ontario: I am hoping you can help me find some info regarding James Dawdy of NJ, born 1736. He became legal guardian of Drail/Dryal Hopkins in 1794. You mention land being given or sold to James by Jonathon Hopkins in April, 1771. I would love to know more about this. Do you have a document recording the sale of this land. We are making a trip to New Jersey Oct 1/2nd and I was really hoping we could visit land once owned by James Dawdy. Any help you could provide would be most appreciated.
Marie Mikolich, Kitchener, Ontario, Canda.
I am a great grandaughter - 7 generations of James Dawdy

Re: Jonathan Hopkins Mystery

gallagher1973 — 2010-03-23 15:30:34Z

Updated Information:

Jonathan Hopkins / Jonathan Hampton association: Jonathan Hopkins was appointed Sheriff of multiple northern New Jersey Counties ranging from Union County to Somerset County in 1740. Jonathan Hampton is again mentioned in this historical document and could be an indication that Jonathan lived somewhere more central in northern New Jersey and later invested in land in West Jersey. If it weren’t for the association of Jonathan Hopkins with Jonathan Hampton this coincidental appointment would have been overlooked, but since they seem to share each other’s history throughout their lives, there appears to be a closer connection than we previously assessed. Jonathan Hampton was always in good standing with higher English government and held high positions, even at a younger age. There are many Jonathan Hamptons from different times but the one that we are focused on fought in the French Indian War with Jonathan Hopkins as a Quartermaster and kept meticulous records, maintained detailed maps, and historical accounts of military actions.

Hopkins Dawdy or Dowdy Association: Based on a listing of Estates in Sussex County, Chandler Dawdy, Esther Hopkins Dawdy, and James Dawdy all share lot number CA33.

Some remaining questions.
1. Who are Jonathan Hopkins parents and siblings?

2. What are Jonathan and Nathan’s spouses names?

3. Who are the families of Jonathan and Nathan’s spouses?

4. Are there more children of Jonathan and Nathan that we have not accounted for?

5. Is there a connection to David Hopkins and any other Sussex County NJ, Hopkins or even those with the spelling Hobkins, possibly Quakers?

6. Where exactly was Jonathan Hopkins original estate?

7. How and when did Jonathan come to acquire his estate?

8. What land transactions transpired regarding Jonathan’s estate until it was no longer inhabited by any Hopkins family member?

9. What was Jonathan’s connection to Israel and Barnabus/Barney Swayze? They may have been partial owners or had their own land. It is mentioned that they acquired 800 acres at some point but it is not clear if that land came out of Jonathan’s original 2000 acres or was a separate 800 acres.

10. Who was the William Hopkins that gained joint guardianship of Drial and Ester Hopkins? What is his relation to Jonathan, Nathan, Drial and Ester? We believe that he is most likely Jonathan’s brother but need more information to conform his relationship.

11. What occurred between the times when Ester Hopkins was a child and when she married James Schooley?

12. Who is Peter Hopkins and what is his relation to Jonathan and Nathan? He is mentioned in the abstract of wills for Jonathan and Nathan.

13. Is there a DNA link between Drial and Ester and others participating in the Hopkins DNA Project?

14. Where are the remains of French Indian War Veteran Jonathan Hopkins and Revolutionary War Veteran Nathan Hopkins and their spouses?

15. What exactly happened to lead up to a conviction of Esther Hopkins in 1803? Was this Jonathan or Nathan’s wife?

Conclusion: Obviously there is much more to the story but these are the basics of where we are to date. There are other documents that have been archived that are not properly sourced here but will be added later as tabs and attached to Jonathan’s page on Ancestry.com. If anyone has information that can help us answer these key questions, add to this description or clarification, please send your comments and documentation.

Feel free to contact me any time at gal1369@yahoo.com. 808-386-7216, via Skype, Yahoo chat, or even Facebook.

http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/BookView.aspx?dbid=11426&a...

New Jersey’s Line of Defence in the French Indian War, http://www.nps.gov/dewa/photosmultimedia/upload/cmsfiwFORTS....

Index of Sussex Estates, http://search.ancestry.com/browse/bookview.aspx?dbid=11251&a...

Re: Jonathan Hopkins Mystery

gallagher1973 — 2010-03-23 15:23:56Z

In addition to the initial guardianship determination for Drial and Ester, a subsequent change of guardianship occurred for Drial in 1796. Drial was nearing adult age and chose to accept James Dawdy as his guardian. This strange decision cannot be explained but children in future generations under the family of Drial must have continued to hold the Swayze’s in high regard based on some of the names they gave their children. For example, Caleb Swayze Hopkins, older brother of Charles Fern. Hopkins Sr..

In 1803, there was a land dispute and most, if not all of what remained of Jonathan’s estate was seized by the local sheriff to pay for some kind of unknown damages. Coincidentally, the same people who completed the inventory upon Jonathan's death were prosecuted to some extent, including Jesse Parr, Ephraim Colver and Esther Hopkins, who we believe to be Jonathan or Nathan’s wife.

Unfortunately Jonathan died without a will (intestate) and it could have taken all of that time to sort out ownership of the estate within the courts. We have no idea what could have caused this strange occurrence or to what extent the legal dispute occurred but, 119 acres of land were seized as a result in Knowlton.

It is not known why either of Jonathan or Nathan’s wives didn’t gain guardianship of Drial and Ester after their death. We have no idea what the cause of death or what happened to Jonathan, Nathan or their wives was. All of their graves, marriage certificates, and death certificates remain unaccounted for.

Other facts:
The Swayze family is completely intertwined with multiple cross marriages with the Hopkins family but we do not understand their true connection to Jonathan or Nathan at this time. Beaver Dam, Ontario seems to have quite a collection of Swayze’s and Hopkins. It is all quite coincidental but we have yet to successfully build or understand any relationship. Barnaby Swayze purchased 800 acres bordering Jonathan’s estate in 1743 . It still remains unclear if this was part of Jonathan’s estate or a separate 800 acres.

A sketch of a surveyed Jonathan Hopkins Estate, dated 1849 surfaced but it is unclear where on a map that particular estate was located or that it is even the same Jonathan Hopkins we are focused on. The names listed on this document interestingly enough match many of the names in the David Hopkins history and lineage and show indications that the estate may have been located as far north as Hopkins Corner, near Newton.

Drial Hopkins went on to be a school teacher and successful businessman in Hope and raised a large family. Ester went on to marry Chandler Dawdy (source required) and then James Schooley, who we believe to be a descendent of an original New Jersey settler, James Schooley that Schooley’s Mountain is named after.

According to the History of Colony of Nova-Caesaria or New-Jersey by Samuel Smith, 1765
Ship Passenger Lists, New York and New Jersey (1600-1825); “Several ships first transporting proprietors to West Jersey , two Schooleys were among the passengers. Thomas Schooley was on the Flie-Boat Martha in 1677 and Robert Schooley with his wife and children were on the Shield in 1678.”

Based on the undocumented history that has been passed down through the generations and some unsourced but published documents, Jonathan had two brothers, a Francis Hopkins of High Bridge, New Jersey, and a Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island. Stephen went on to be the governor of Rhode Island and signer the Declaration of Independence. The same history goes on to describe links to the Mayflower as well, but we cannot document anything officially beyond Jonathan yet.

Knowlton Township Tax List 1793, http://www.sussexcountyhistory.org/pascal/1793Knol.htm

Conviction Documents, Sussex County Court House, http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.new...

Super Swayze’s, http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=6406&pa...

Descendents of David Hopkins provided by Melvin Hopkins. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/FH2...

JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/pss/1919401

History of Colony of Nova-Caesaria or New-Jersey by Samuel Smith, 1765

Ship Passenger Lists, New York and New Jersey (1600-1825) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wfbishop/o...

Volume II of "A History of Morris County New Jersey-Embracing Upwards of Two Centuries 1713-1913" published by Lewis Historical Publishing Co., New York, 1914. http://pirate.shu.edu/~hopkinca/d0000/g0000057.html#24

Re: Jonathan Hopkins Mystery

gallagher1973 — 2010-03-23 15:17:55Z

Jonathan fought in the French Indian War in support of England but we have not recovered his military records. We suspect that he was a resident of Connecticut at the time. His son Nathan fought in the Revolutionary War as a Sergeant, under Captain Reuben Manning of the 1st Regiment of the Sussex County Volunteer Militia. It remains unclear what the loyalties or alignment the entire family were during the Revolutionary War, but we suspect that a rift to some degree occurred among many Hopkins, causing some of them to move to Ontario Canada, Pennsylvania, or elsewhere during the Revolution. Historical accounts indicate that loyalties to England and the independence of the colonies created great strife in Sussex County, New Jersey. Supporters of independence were actually in the minority in the area. Those who left during the Revolution may have returned, resettled elsewhere in Sussex County, or remained at their new homes after the war.

In 1775, Jonathan was assigned or voted into a Sussex county position as a “Collector” .

Mysteriously, in 1784 Jonathan and Nathan both died; Nathan preceding his father. Their graves are not accounted for and many records pertaining to their lives have yet to be discovered. Numerous Sussex and Warren County Cemeteries have been scoured for their graves. We thought that they would have been buried on Jonathan’s estate but they may have been buried elsewhere outside of Sussex County.

Nathan had two known children at the time of his death, Drial and Ester Hopkins, who may have remained under the custody of their mother or grandmother immediately after Nathan’s death or were taken in by someone else until the courts could officially award guardianship. Discovered in Drial and Ester’s guardianship documents, dated 17 August 1786, Nathan’s wife’s name appears to be Hannah Baker and there appears to be mention of her mother as a Mrs. Thompkins. We had assessed before without this documentation that Nathan’s wife’s name was Esther (Drial, Driel, Dryal or Drial) based on the naming of their son Drial. Nothing further is known about her and/or her family and a connection has yet to be officially documented.

In the same guardianship documents, William Hopkins and Joshua Swayze were jointly awarded custody of Drial and Ester, instead of any other living or present family member. The way the guardianship papers read, Nathan’s wife was either deceased, pronounced deceased due to absence during the court proceedings, or was just absent during the decision.

French Indian War, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_and_Indian_War

Daughters of the American Revolution: http://216.36.105.133/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&a...

Officers and Men of the Revolutionary War, http://ia341315.us.archive.org/2/items/cu31924103073692/cu31...

Bonds and Petitions of Guardianship, http://www.sussexcountyhistory.org/pascal/petguard.html

History of Sussex and Warren Counties: James P. Snell 1881. http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/BookView.aspx?dbid=11142&a...

New Jersey Archives, First Series, Vol. XXXV, Abstract of Wills Vol. VI 1781 - 1785
http://pirate.shu.edu/~hopkinca/wills.html

Re: Jonathan Hopkins Mystery

gallagher1973 — 2010-03-23 15:09:55Z

We do believe that a William Hopkins from Roxbury, Morris County, New Jersey and or Peter Hopkins were brothers or some other relation to Jonathan based on recovered documentation associated with Jonathan. How William and Peter are related, if at all, remains unclear.

One of Jonathan’s children is known, Nathan (1) and two others are unlikely but suspected, Nancy and Caleb. Caleb is suspected to be Reverend Caleb Hopkins of Hope, New Jersey, according to Snell's History and an "Uncle" to Nathan Hopkins. Nancy is suspected to be a twin and a story passed down through the generation’s states that Nancy and Caleb had twin weddings. No documentation has been discovered showing their association with Jonathan or Nathan.

In 1753, Jonathan put the entire plot of land up for sale and ran an ad in the New York Gazette in 1754, however the land did not entirely sell. It is unclear as to the reason why he wanted to sell the land but it may have something to do with the start of the French Indian War in 1754. He may also have just inherited the land and wanted to sell it, to start somewhere new. Jonathan Hampton is mentioned in this add as well, was also a large land owner, and has an illustrious history in early northern New Jersey.

According to history regarding the sale of land in West Jersey, it wasn’t until 1753 that land was authorized by law to be bought or sold outright to individuals and coincidentally Sussex County was officially established with the county seat in Newton in the same year. The land was not sold in its' entirety but portions were sold off as the years went on. There was probably at least some kind of informal deal with Barnaby and Israel Swayze and definitely a sale or transfer of 117 acres to James Dawdy on 16 April 1771, who may have served with Jonathan in the French Indian War.

We had suspected Jonathan’s father could be a Thomas Hopkins, based only on his name being mentioned in a translation of guardianship court documents for Drial and Ester Hopkins, but upon further examination of the actual documents, his name was not discovered.

There are many possible Hopkins lineage choices but we have yet to prove a link to any of them. The David Hopkins lineage is certainly well documented but a link has yet to be proven. It also appears that they were a distinctly separate family of Hopkins focused around Newton and Hopkins Corner.

History of Sussex and Warren Counties: James P. Snell 1881. http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/BookView.aspx?dbid=11142&a...

New York Gazette, 28 Jan 1754, http://pirate.shu.edu/~hopkinca/Miscellaneous.html

Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, http://books.google.com/books?id=gEUVAAAAYAAJ&dq=Jonatha...

Index of Colonial and Ctate Laws between 1663 and 1877 - By New Jersey, John Hood

Northwestern New Jersey A history of Somerset, Morris, Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex counties Publisher: Lewis Historical Publishing Co. 1927 http://nj-files.biofiles.us/NWJersey1927-Index.pdf

Sussex County Clerks Office, Book A, Folio 420 and Book H, Folio 27

Bonds and Petitions of Guardianship, http://www.sussexcountyhistory.org/pascal/petguard.html

Re: Jonathan Hopkins Mystery

gallagher1973 — 2010-03-23 15:04:10Z

The life of Jonathan Hopkins remains a mystery but more facts exist. We suspect but cannot confirm that Jonathan was born in Pahaqaury, West Jersey, Morris County, which was later and later Sussex County and now Warren County, NJ, which is very close to Knowlton, sometime between 1719 and 1725, but have no record of his birth. The date 22 March 1722 propagates numerous family trees but cannot be substantiated with any official records. Birth dates as early as 1719 have been found with no substantial backing.

Other theories include Jonathan settling in Knowlton directly from England or he lived elsewhere in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and even Long Island, New York and then moved to live in West Jersey when he acquired his estate. It remains unclear.

When we started our research, it appeared that Jonathan was either chartered 2000 acres in Knowlton, New Jersey by King James II or III of England or someone under his authority at some point before 1753, purchased stock in the West Jersey Society, or was left an estate by his father or another ancestor, but it remains unclear how or when Jonathan came to acquire the land encompassing his estate. We have confirmed that Jonathan was not a West Jersey Proprietor; leaving another process that he acquired the estate. Proprietors were generally awarded much larger tracts of land. Also, it is highly doubtful that the King of England was involved in awarding a couple of square miles of land at a time. Based on the known landmarks and the size of the original estate, we believe the estate to have been located somewhere between north of Oxford Furnace in the south, about 4 miles east of the Delaware River in the west and near Hope, New Jersey.

Jonathan definitely lived on his estate for many years and raised some kind of a family. Not much, if anything is known about his wife, who we determined to be named Esther. We do not have any additional information regarding her lineage or life.

Chronological History of Sussex County, http://www.sussexcountyhistory.org/pascal/timeline.html

New Jersey County Map, http://www.state.nj.us/state/darm/links/webcat/ctytable.html...

Raub Ancestry, http://raub-and-more.com/

History of Colony of Nova-Caesaria or New-Jersey by Samuel Smith, 1765

Ship Passenger Lists, New York and New Jersey (1600-1825) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wfbishop/o...

East and West Jersey Proprietors, http://www.njarchives.org/links/pdf/proprietors.pdf

Council of West Jersey Proprietors, http://08016.com/proprietors.html

History of Hope, Jew Jersey, http://history.rays-place.com/nj/war-hope.htm

Warren and Sussex County Estates 1789-1918, http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/BookList.aspx?dbid=11249

Jonathan Hopkins Mystery

gallagher1973 — 2010-03-23 14:52:35Z

This is the best message board name Ancestry.com could give me for this specific topic, which is sad but will have to do. I will attempt yo break up the Jonathan Hopkins Mystery into key categories for general discussion.

A genealogical working group was established in early 2010, called the Jonathan Hopkins Mystery Working Group (JHMWG). It was comprise of a wide range of dynamic researchers, interested parties, and family members. We focused on the lineage of the Jonathan Hopkins family during the early settlement of Knowlton, in West Jersey, Sussex, and Warren Counties, New Jersey, generally during the time period between 1720-1810.

Jonathan Hopkins family history is not officially documented or clear during or beyond this point in time, so we embarked upon a comprehensive research project to adequately document this gap in history.

Unfortunately we did not discover what we had set out to but we were successful in bringing an agreed upon position together for all to see.

The history passed down through the years, many published historical writings and documentation, and particulars regarding the Jonathan Hopkins estate remain in question.

JHMWG Research: We have compiled a massive amount of information into a comprehensive family tree on Ancestry.com, produced a final document of our findings as an overview of our research and analysis, and have an archive of official digital supporting documentation, all posted to the page for Jonathan Hopkins here on Ancestry.com. In the future we hope others will submit DNA and participate in the interactive message boards on Ancestry.com and Yahoo.com.

We would have liked to have spent more time doing research in New Jersey County Courthouses and Libraries, the New Jersey State Archives, surrounding states and even the archives in England.

Colonial History of the State of NJ, http://books.google.com/books?id=gEUVAAAAYAAJ&dq=Jonatha...

Knowlton Township Historic Commission, http://www.historicknowlton.org/

Rutgers Historical Maps of New Jersey, http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/MAPS.html

Jonathan Hopkins, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/13914415/person/74046282?pg=3...

Hopkins DNA Project, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~drakerobin...

New Jersey Department of State Archives, http://www.state.nj.us/state/darm/links/archives.html

British National Archives, http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/