John Hopwood
Encyclopedia
John Hopwood was an American civil servant during the American Revolutionary War
and founded the town of Hopwood, Pennsylvania
. John Hopwood was born in Virginia
and married Hannah Bearcroft/Barecroft Humphreys, the young widow of Joseph Humphries, in 1770.
According to local and family lore, he was a neighbor and trusted friend of George Washington
, who in recognition of his merit, selected him as an aide-de-camp and assigned him the responsibility of selecting winter quarters for the French Army
. However, there is no supporting evidence of this beyond local histories compiled in the late 19th century.
Militia in September 1777 and as being a member of the 6th Company, commanded by Captain Thomas Conner, on July 15, 1780; under the Command of Colonel Archibald Orme.
John Hopwood founded Hopwood, Pennsylvania
when he left Stafford County, Virginia
at the close of the War. It is alleged that when George Washington purchased 1600 acres (6.5 km²) in Perryopolis, he talked his friend into coming to this lush and fertile area at the foot of Chestnut Ridge in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
on November 8, 1791, drawing up a rather unique set of 400 level lots, each sectioned into a half an acre. He designed the village town with wide, straight roads and offered the new lots to settlers at a payment installation option, not completely unheard of then, but very uncommon.
New residents had 10 years to pay off the lots, with the stipulation that a dwelling had to be erected on the site within five years of purchase. Hopwood offered new residents all the free stone and timber they needed to construct their new homes. He dubbed the town "Woodstock." The "Charter of the Town of Woodstock" as written by Hopwood was printed by the noted Early American printer/publisher Nathaniel Willis (grandfather of Nathaniel Parker Willis
) in Martinsburg, West Virginia
(then Virginia). The Charter is listed in many libraries' reference microfiche collections (including The Library of Congress and The Library of Virginia) and in reference works (including Sabin's "Bibliotheca Americana" ), as an "Early American Imprint" and is also considered to be one of the earliest known works published in what is now the state of West Virginia.
The village was renamed "Monroe" in 1816 after President James Monroe
stayed at the Moses Hopwood House. However, when it was discovered in 1881 that another town of Monroe already existed in the Commonwealth
, it was renamed "Hopwood" after its founding father.
John Hopwood, a member of the Great Bethel Baptist Church, died June 2nd, 1802 in Hopwood, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Hopwood Cemetery (also known as the Founding Fathers Cemetery) where the following is inscribed upon his original tombstone
His replacement tombstone, raised in 1991 during the Hopwood bicentennial, also states: "Rev[olutionary War] Aide to George Washington - Village Founder".
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and founded the town of Hopwood, Pennsylvania
Hopwood, Pennsylvania
Hopwood is a census-designated place in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,006 at the 2000 census. It is located in South Union Township...
. John Hopwood was born in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and married Hannah Bearcroft/Barecroft Humphreys, the young widow of Joseph Humphries, in 1770.
According to local and family lore, he was a neighbor and trusted friend of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, who in recognition of his merit, selected him as an aide-de-camp and assigned him the responsibility of selecting winter quarters for the French Army
France in the American Revolutionary War
France entered the American Revolutionary War in 1778, and assisted in the victory of the Americans seeking independence from Britain ....
. However, there is no supporting evidence of this beyond local histories compiled in the late 19th century.
Purported military service
According to a roll of Captain Alex Smith, Company of Colonel Rawlings’ Regiment commanded by Colonel J. Hall, a John Hopwood served under Captain Thomas Bell’s Company for a period of three years. The Maryland Revolutionary War Militia muster rolls also list a John Hopwood as being a member of the 6th Company Montgomery County, MarylandMontgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
Militia in September 1777 and as being a member of the 6th Company, commanded by Captain Thomas Conner, on July 15, 1780; under the Command of Colonel Archibald Orme.
John Hopwood founded Hopwood, Pennsylvania
Hopwood, Pennsylvania
Hopwood is a census-designated place in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,006 at the 2000 census. It is located in South Union Township...
when he left Stafford County, Virginia
Stafford County, Virginia
Stafford County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state, and just across the Rappahannock River from the City of Fredericksburg. As of the 2000 census, the population was 92,446, increasing to 128,961 in 2010.. Its county seat is Stafford. In 2006, and again in 2009,...
at the close of the War. It is alleged that when George Washington purchased 1600 acres (6.5 km²) in Perryopolis, he talked his friend into coming to this lush and fertile area at the foot of Chestnut Ridge in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
Hopwood, Pennsylvania
Having purchased several large tracts of land in and around present-day Hopwood, John Hopwood recorded a town plan at the courthouse in nearby Uniontown, PennsylvaniaUniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...
on November 8, 1791, drawing up a rather unique set of 400 level lots, each sectioned into a half an acre. He designed the village town with wide, straight roads and offered the new lots to settlers at a payment installation option, not completely unheard of then, but very uncommon.
New residents had 10 years to pay off the lots, with the stipulation that a dwelling had to be erected on the site within five years of purchase. Hopwood offered new residents all the free stone and timber they needed to construct their new homes. He dubbed the town "Woodstock." The "Charter of the Town of Woodstock" as written by Hopwood was printed by the noted Early American printer/publisher Nathaniel Willis (grandfather of Nathaniel Parker Willis
Nathaniel Parker Willis
Nathaniel Parker Willis , also known as N. P. Willis, was an American author, poet and editor who worked with several notable American writers including Edgar Allan Poe and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He became the highest-paid magazine writer of his day. For a time, he was the employer of former...
) in Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
(then Virginia). The Charter is listed in many libraries' reference microfiche collections (including The Library of Congress and The Library of Virginia) and in reference works (including Sabin's "Bibliotheca Americana" ), as an "Early American Imprint" and is also considered to be one of the earliest known works published in what is now the state of West Virginia.
The village was renamed "Monroe" in 1816 after President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
stayed at the Moses Hopwood House. However, when it was discovered in 1881 that another town of Monroe already existed in the Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
, it was renamed "Hopwood" after its founding father.
John Hopwood, a member of the Great Bethel Baptist Church, died June 2nd, 1802 in Hopwood, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Hopwood Cemetery (also known as the Founding Fathers Cemetery) where the following is inscribed upon his original tombstone
- John Hopwood senior who departed this life June 2nd A.D. 1802, aged 57 years. He who can leave a cottage or a throne and alone with his spacious mind dwell.
His replacement tombstone, raised in 1991 during the Hopwood bicentennial, also states: "Rev[olutionary War] Aide to George Washington - Village Founder".