John Henry Hopkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Henry Hopkins
8th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
Church	Episcopal Church
In Office	1865–1868
Predecessor	Thomas Church Brownell
Successor	Benjamin B. Smith
Other posts	Bishop of Vermont (1832-1868)
Orders
Ordination	May 12, 1824
Consecration	October 31, 1832 by William White
Personal details
Born	January 30, 1792 (1792-01-30) Dublin, Kingdom of Ireland
Died	January 9, 1868 (1868-01-10) (aged 75) Burlington, Vermont, United States
Nationality	Irish
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	Thomas Hopkins & Elizabeth Fitzakerly
Spouse	Melusina Mueller
Children	14
Signature

John Henry Hopkins (born January 30, 1792 – died January 9, 1868) was an important leader in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. He was the very first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont. Later, he became the eighth Presiding Bishop of the entire Episcopal Church.

John Henry Hopkins was a very talented person. He was an artist, a lawyer, and even an iron manufacturer. He also loved music and composed songs. He was a deep thinker about religion and an architect. He is known for bringing the Gothic style of building to the United States.

Early Life and Learning

John Henry Hopkins was born in Dublin, Kingdom of Ireland, on January 30, 1792. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Hopkins. He was their only child.

When John was very young, he lived with his grandmother in Ireland. She taught him to pray every day and to read the Bible. He continued these habits throughout his life.

After returning to his parents, John's mother taught him at home. By age eight, he had read many famous books. He was also good at music, French, and drawing.

Moving to Philadelphia

In 1801, John's family moved from Dublin to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The journey across the ocean was long and stormy. Young John prayed for safety during the trip.

His parents valued education greatly. His mother started a school for girls in Trenton, New Jersey. She also continued to teach John at home. Later, he went to a boys' school to prepare for Princeton University.

John loved studying Greek and Latin. In his teenage years, he read books that questioned Christian faith. But he also read Christian writers. These books convinced him to become a strong Christian believer.

John was a skilled musician. He was one of the best violinists in Philadelphia. He also learned to play the cello and was the only solo cellist in the city for some years. He was also talented at drawing and painting.

His First Jobs

Before becoming a priest, John Henry Hopkins had several different jobs.

Working with Iron

At age sixteen, John decided to become an ironmaster, someone who manages iron production. He studied books about chemistry and foundry work for three years. He also worked for other ironmasters.

When he was 21, he moved to Butler County, Pennsylvania, to manage an ironworks. He built and managed a furnace there. After two difficult years, he realized this job was not for him.

He then partnered with James O'Hara, a wealthy businessman in Pittsburgh. But after peace with England in 1815, the iron business slowed down. Their partnership failed, and John lost money.

Becoming a Lawyer

After the iron business failed, John and his wife moved to Pittsburgh. He taught drawing and painting, and his wife taught music.

In 1816, John became interested in law. He borrowed law books and studied them. By April 1819, he became a lawyer in Pittsburgh. His law practice quickly became very successful. He continued practicing law until he decided to become a priest.

Marriage and Family Life

John Henry Hopkins met Melusina Mueller, who came from a wealthy German merchant family. Her family had moved to America because of the wars in Europe.

They met in Western Pennsylvania. They both loved music, art, and culture, which brought them together.

On May 8, 1816, John married Melusina Mueller in Harmony, Pennsylvania. They lived in a log cabin. Melusina's sister, Amelia, lived with them and helped raise their children.

John and Melusina were married for 54 years. They had 14 children, and 11 of them lived to adulthood. Their children became leaders in many fields, like ministry, education, music, and medicine. By 1937, their family had almost 150 descendants.

Serving as a Priest

John's strong Christian faith grew during his time working in the Ligonier Valley. He felt a deep connection to Christ.

Because there were no churches nearby, John started holding Sunday services for his workers. He used the Book of Common Prayer and read from the Bible.

Trinity Church, Pittsburgh: 1823

In Pittsburgh, John and his wife first attended a Presbyterian church. But John was soon invited to be the organist and choir director at Trinity Episcopal Church. They began to take communion there.

In 1823, the church needed a new leader. John was chosen to be the rector (head priest) while he was away at court. He felt this was a call from God. He closed his law practice and began studying to become a priest. This meant he earned much less money.

John quickly passed his exams. He became a deacon on December 14, 1823, and a priest on May 12, 1824.

Trinity Church was the only active Episcopal church in western Pennsylvania at the time. John helped it grow. He also started a day-school for boys and girls to earn more money for his growing family. He taught painting and drawing and composed music for the school.

John also designed a new church building for Trinity Church. He used the Gothic Revival style. The new church could seat 1,000 people and was often full. John became a leading expert on Gothic architecture in the U.S.

During his time at Trinity Church, John started eight new Episcopal churches in the Pittsburgh area. He traveled long distances, even through snow, to establish these churches.

In 1831, John accepted a job at Trinity Church in Boston. He hoped to start a seminary (a school for training priests) there.

Trinity Church, Boston: 1831

John's time in Boston was short. The promise of starting a seminary near Boston was not fully kept. So, in May 1832, he accepted an offer to become the first bishop of the new Episcopal Diocese of Vermont.

Bishop of Vermont

John Henry Hopkins was consecrated (officially made a bishop) on October 31, 1832. Three weeks later, he and his family moved to Burlington, Vermont. He lived there until his death in 1868.

He also became the rector of St. Paul's Church in Burlington. Under his leadership, the church grew and needed three expansions. John designed these expansions himself, just as he had in Pittsburgh. He held both roles, rector and bishop, for 27 years.

The churches in Vermont offered him a salary of $500 a year, which later increased to $1,200.

Vermont's population grew slowly because many young people moved west. This made it hard for churches to grow and raise money.

In 1834, a sad event happened. John returned home from a trip to find his family sick with typhoid fever. His third daughter, Melusina, died at age eleven.

School for Boys and Financial Troubles

John started a school for boys in Burlington. It was very successful at first, with 80 students. He planned a large expansion for the school. His wife worried about the cost, but John went ahead.

He borrowed money for the expansion. But then the Panic of 1837, a major economic crisis, hit. The school failed, and John lost all his property. He was left with no money.

He traveled to Great Britain to raise funds, but he only raised a small amount. The school had to close. John was in debt for many years.

In 1841, his property was sold to pay debts. His family had to find a new home. Kind friends helped them buy land at Rock Point, where they built a new house.

Later, John faced another difficult moment. While giving lectures in Boston, a former creditor had him arrested for an old debt. Friends helped him by paying his bail.

Growth in the Diocese

By 1853, the Vermont diocese had grown significantly. John reported that the number of clergy had increased from 11 to 25. The number of church buildings grew from 16 to 28. Many churches were improved, and more parsonages (homes for clergy) were built.

He also noted that the church property was mostly free from debt. Despite Vermont's population staying about the same, the church had become much stronger. Divisions among the clergy had also disappeared.

In 1860, John helped build a new church in Rutland, Vermont, and another in Brandon, Vermont.

Leading the Church as Presiding Bishop

On January 13, 1865, John Henry Hopkins became the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. He became the leader because he was the longest-serving bishop. He served in this role until his death in 1868.

During the American Civil War, John played a big part in reuniting the Northern and Southern Episcopal churches. After the war ended, he invited the Southern bishops and delegates to rejoin the General Convention. They accepted his invitation, which helped heal the church.

Lambeth Conference, 1867

In 1867, John was invited to the first Lambeth Conference in England. This was a meeting of bishops from around the world. His diocese helped raise money for his trip.

At the conference, John preached the opening sermon. He had suggested such a meeting back in 1851. He was very active in the discussions. While in England, Oxford University gave him an honorary degree.

Return Home and Death

When John returned from the Lambeth Conference, he received a warm welcome. He preached his last sermon on December 1, 1867.

The church in Burlington had been enlarged, and a new rector was in place. This meant John could focus more on his duties as bishop.

Friends offered to help him with his remaining debts and raise his salary if he focused only on his bishop duties. He agreed and closed his school.

Despite being unwell, John continued his work. He made a difficult journey to Plattsburgh, New York, where he led his final Holy Communion service. The journey in the cold weather caused him to get pneumonia.

John Henry Hopkins died on January 9, 1868, in the arms of his son Theodore.

Funeral and Burial

After John's death, there was a great outpouring of sympathy. News spread quickly, and letters came from many people, from the Archbishop of Canterbury to the poor he had helped. Churches across the country held services in his memory.

Five bishops and 50 other clergy came to St. Paul's Church in Burlington for his funeral. Many people came to view his body. The coffin was covered with a purple cloth and his pastoral staff.

The funeral service was held in the church. The Bishops of Quebec and Connecticut gave speeches. After the service, a large crowd followed the procession to the cemetery.

John Henry Hopkins is buried under a beautiful marble Celtic Cross at Rock Point cemetery. Many people donated money for this monument. His son, John Henry Hopkins, Jr., designed it.

Views on Slavery

In 1861, John Henry Hopkins wrote a controversial pamphlet called The Bible View of Slavery. In it, he argued that the Bible did not forbid slavery. He believed slavery was wrong but should be ended by agreement, not by war.

His views were very unpopular in the North during the Civil War. He was strongly criticized by other church leaders. However, his stance made him popular in the South.

After the Civil War, John's views helped him play a key role in reuniting the Northern and Southern Episcopal churches. His ability to connect with both sides was important for healing the church.

His Family

John Henry Hopkins and Melusina Mueller had 13 children. Eleven of them lived to adulthood.

• Charlotte Emily was a talented musician and artist. She married and had nine children.
• Matilda Theresa became a minister's wife.
• John Henry Hopkins, Jr. was born in Pittsburgh. He became a priest and a famous hymn writer. He also wrote a book about his father's life.
• Edward Augustus joined the navy and later became the first U.S. consul in Paraguay.
• Melusina Elizabeth died young from typhoid fever.
• Caspar Thomas became a successful insurance company president in California.
• Theodore Austin became a principal of a boys' school in Vermont.
• Clement Eusebius worked as a city editor and a U.S. consular official.
• William Cyprian became an Episcopal clergyman.
• Charles Jerome Hopkins was a well-known organist, composer, and music teacher. He founded a free choral school for children. His music was played in London and Germany.
• Caroline Amelia managed the family home at Rock Point and was involved in church activities.
• Frederick Vincent became a physician and a professor of geology.

In 1866, John and Melusina celebrated their golden wedding anniversary (50 years of marriage) with their family at their home.

Legacy and Impact

John Henry Hopkins is remembered as a dedicated and energetic bishop. He worked hard to create new churches and find clergy for them. A newspaper in 1932 described him as a man of "tremendous energy and great versatility."

He was a pioneer bishop in the American Church, known for his many talents:

• He was an artist and a composer.
• He played the cello, violin, and organ.
• He was an architect who helped bring the Gothic Revival style to the U.S.
• He wrote over 50 books and pamphlets.
• He was a scholar and historian.
• He was a poet and an expert on early Christian writings.
• He was a powerful speaker and a wise leader as Presiding Bishop.
• He was a successful lawyer.

English Lutheran Church, Zelienople, PA

Many of his architectural designs have been lost, including his Gothic Saint Paul's Cathedral in Burlington, which burned down in 1972. However, Saint Paul's Lutheran Church in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, which he designed in 1826, still stands today.

His Writings

During his 36 years as Bishop of Vermont, John Henry Hopkins became a well-known figure. He published more than 50 books and pamphlets. He also composed music for hundreds of psalms and hymns.

Some of His Books

• The Primitive Creed, Examined and Explained (1834)
• The Primitive Church, compared with the Protestant Episcopal Church of the present day (1835)
• The Vermont Drawing Books (1838)
• A Letter to the Bishops and Delegates of the Protestant Episcopal Church now assembled at Montgomery (1861)