USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The history of Waterbury, Connecticut; the original township embracing present Watertown and Plymouth, and parts of Oxford, Wolcott, Middlebury, Prospect and Naugatuck. With an appendix of biography, genealogy and statistics > Part 40
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Jan. 18, 1769. Long afterwards, on looking back to the distracted con- dition in which his parish was left-their divisions and destitution for many years-he feared he did wrong to leave them. He might, he said, have given up study and supported himself by laboring on his farm, and at the same time, preached to his people, " after a sort," without com - pensation. Nothing better illustrates the simplicity of his character, his honesty and self-denying nature, than these reflections. At this dis- tance of time and place, it would seem obvious enough that the evils which Hopkins deplored were not of a sort to be removed by his minis- trations.
Our theologian was not fortunate in his early matrimonial enterprises. An engagement which he formed at Northampton was broken off " with - out any fault of his." Another, made in Great Barrington, terminated in the same way, the young lady, " rather of a belle " in the place, and of a bright intellect, preferring, at the critical time, another lover. This, he said, " was a trial, a very great trial ;" but he was, as usual, resigned. At length, however, he conquered adversity, and married, Jan. 13, 1748, Joanna, daughter of Moses Ingersoll of Great Barrington. She is de- scribed as delicate in her person, sprightly, intelligent, of much decision of character ; but of a consumptive tendency and a great sufferer from ill health after marriage. About 1786, she was afflicted with temporary insanity, and died Aug. 21, 1793, aged 67. She was the mother of eight children, all born in Great Barrington. The eldest son was Gen- eral David Hopkins, an influential and wealthy man who lived near Baltimore, Md., and died leaving several children. The second son, Moses, was a magistrate and farmer in Great Barrington, eminent for his strength of mind and sterling virtne. He was County register, and died at the age of 84, having had nine children. The third, Levi, lived and died in Virginia, leaving six children. The fourth, Samuel, was a thrifty farmer, resided on the homestead in Great Barrington, and left three children. The fifth, Daniel, died in Maryland, in 1788, aged 24. The eldest daughter, Elizabeth, was an accomplished lady, married Dr. John Sibley, an eminent surgeon in the Revolutionary army, and died at Fayetteville, N. C., in 1790, leaving two sons. The second, was Mrs. Joanna Fisher of Medway, Mass., who died in 1786, leaving one daugh- ter. The third, Rhoda, married Capt. John Anthony of Newport, and died 1792, aged 26, leaving one child.
Mr. Hopkins' second wife was Elizabeth West, principal of a celebra- ted boarding school for females in Newport, a woman of rare endow- ments, to whom he was married, Sept. 14, 1794. She died in Taunton, Mass., April 9, 1814, aged 75.
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After Mr. Hopkins' dismission, he preached for a time in Canaan, distant twelve miles, while he spent the week days at home, preparing a book for publication. In the April and May which followed, (1769,) he officiated several sabbaths at the Old South church, Boston. Thence he was invited to go to Topsham, Maine, where he preached till July, and was requested to remain longer; but concluded to accept an invitation to go to Newport, R. I., where he arrived, July 21st. He preached five sabbaths, and by a major vote received a call to settle over the First Congregational church and society. He then went home to ponder and decide the question ; and after several weeks returned, determined to accept. But the people had changed their minds, owing partly to " a sarcastic pamphlet," which had been circulated against him, in his absence. A committee of the church requested him to withhold his answer till the opposition should subside. A meeting of the congrega- tion was held, and a vote was passed (thirty-six to thirty-three) that they did not want his services. He was again resigned, and made pre- parations to leave. On the 18th day of March, 1770, he preached his farewell discourse. This wrought a change. His enemies were subdued -adversity was once more conquered. "It is all wonderful," he writes in his journal. " The walls of Jerico are fallen down by the blowing of ram's horns." The congregation again met, and the call was renewed by an almost unanimous vote-such was the effect, under favoring cir- cumstances, of the simple, homely eloquence of Samuel Hopkins. He was installed, April 11, 1770, Dr. (afterwards President) Stiles preach- ing the installation sermon. His congregation then consisted of 135 families, and his church of 70 members, 20 of them males.
Newport, at the time of Mr. Hopkins' settlement, was, in the numbers of its people, the second town in New England, and more populous than it is now. It was a place of wealth, fashion and refinement, where the rough strength of Hopkins, one would suppose, could hardly make amends for his unattractive manner. He, however, spent several years there in successful and pleasant labor. It was "the sunniest period of his ministerial life." At length, however, the Revolution came. The British troops, under Gen. Clinton and Lord Percy, took possession of the town, in Dec. 1776. Hopkins remained till the last moment and then fled. He had two years before sent his family to Great Barring- ton. The four years which followed, he labored in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He spent the summer of 1777 in Newburyport, preach- ing to the Federal Street congregation. In the winter of 1777-8, he was in Canterbury, Conn .; in the spring and summer of 1778 in Stam-
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ford ; and afterwards till the spring of 1780, in North Stamford, then a missionary field.
Mr. Hopkins returned to Newport, now a scene of desolation, in the spring of 1780. IIis meeting house had been used as a barrack and hospital by the invaders. The pulpit and pews had been broken up, the windows demolished and the bell carried off. His congregation was scattered. Those that were left were a mere handful and much impov- erished ; and yet, he resolved to remain without a hope of a salary. He preached first in a private house, and then in the Sabbatarian meeting house. Soon he received a call to settle in Middleborough, Mass., with the promise of a handsome support, but he declined to go. Ile prefer- red to labor in penury with his dear people. ITis congregation did not become again prosperous. Ile died poor.
In 1790, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on Mr. Hop- kins by Brown University. On the 10th of January, 1799, he had a paralytic attack of the right side, which affected his speech, but did not seem to disturb his mental faculties. He so far recovered as to be able to resume his labors. His last sermon was preached Oct. 16th, 1803, during a revival in his congregation. After its delivery and his return to his dwelling, he remarked, with a wearied look, to his granddaughter, "Now I have done ; I can preach no more." Soon afterwards, he was seized with an apoplectic fit. Consciousness returned in a few hours, but he gradually sunk and died, December 20th, 1803. Dr. Levi Hart of Preston, Conn., according to a previous agreement with the deceased, preached the funeral sermon, which was published.
Dr. Hopkins' first published work was in 1759. It was a pamphlet, and entitled-"Sin, through Divine Interposition, an advantage to the Universe, and yet this no Excuse for Sin or Encouragement to it ; illus- trated and proved ; and God's Wisdom and Holiness in the Permission of Sin; and that his Will herein is the same as his revealed Will, shown and confirmed ; in three Sermons, from Rom. III, 5, 6, 7, 8. By Samuel Hopkins, A. M., Minister of the Gospel at Sheffield." These sermons were reprinted in Boston in 1773, and about the same time, in Edinburgh, Scotland. They awakened much opposition. Some were so shocked at the title that they refused to read beyond it. No public attempt was made to refute the doctrines maintained.
Our author's next volume was controversial, the first of that charac- ter, published in 1765, and entitled-" An inquiry concerning the Prom- ises of the Gospel ; whether any of them are made to the Exercises and Doings of Persons in an unregenerate state ; containing Remarks on two Sermons published by Dr. Mayhew, of Boston." Mr. Mills of Rip-
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ton, Conn., attempted an answer to the " Inquiry," in 1767, in reply to which Hopkins wrote his celebrated book of one hundred and eighty- four pages, octavo, entitled, "The true State and character of the Unre- generate, stripped of all Misrepresentation and Disguise : printed at New Haven, 1769." Mills was effectually silenced. Afterwards Rev. William Hart* entered into the controversy, and Hopkins answered him in " Animadversions on Mr. Hart's late Dialogue ; in a letter to a Friend :" New London, 1770. In 1773, he published a book which he called " An Inquiry into the Nature of True Holiness, with an Appendix. Con- taining an Answer to the Rev. William Hart's Remarks," &c.
Dr. Hopkins published several other theological works ; but the most important of them was a system of divinity, entitled, "System of Doc- trines contained in Divine Revelation, explained and defended ; showing their Consistence and Connection with each other. To which is added a Treatise on the Millennium." On this work, in two large octavo volumes, the author spent more than ten years. He was seventy-two years old when it was published. It is regarded as one of the ablest treatises in the language.
Besides his theological works, Dr. Hopkins published a memoir of his friend and instructor, Jonathan Edwards. He also, at the request of the family, prepared himself by six years study of the manuscripts to edit Edwards' works. He succeeded in getting through the press one small volume containing the two dissertations "Concerning the End for which God created the World," and the " Nature of True Virtue," with a preface by the editor. The enterprise was then abandoned for the want of encouragement.
Dr. Hopkins was an active and practical philanthropist. He was one of the earliest opposers of the African slave trade and of African slave- ry, in this country. He devoted himself to the work of elevating the black race with unwearied devotion, and continued his efforts till the infirmities of age obliged him to desist. They who had been the objects of his solicitude, testified their gratitude by attending his funeral in large numbers.
Edwards, Hopkins and Bellamy-the New England triumvirate-were the great theologians of their day and country. They represented Ameri- can Calvinism. If Hopkins was not the greatest, he certainly was not the least of the three. For close reasoning and sturdy strength, for deep views and keen analysis, he had few superiors. He was a bold, adroit man, who, with masterly logic, pursued investigations to their results. He
* Mr. Hart is stated to have been the first who applied the term Hopkinsian or Hopkintonian, to Mr. Hopkins' Theology,
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was an unflinching Calvinist. He has been called hyper-Calvinistic, be- cause he was more consistent and more fearless than some of his class. He was not afraid to carry principles out and encounter the consequences. If two distinct trains of consecutive thought, in which he could see no logical defects, came in conflict and threatened mutual annihilation, he was not affrighted. He reviewed the arguments, examined critically each link in the chain, and if he could see no imperfection-no want of logical sequence-he adopted the conclusions and stated them boldly. With consequences and seeming contradictions, he conceived he had nothing to do. The Calvinistic doctrine of divine sovereignty, he be- lieved in its fullest extent. He adopted it as a metaphysical principle, and put, it into his logic mill. Whatever came out was truth. It did not avail to tell him he destroyed human liberty. He affirmed the free- dom of the will on different grounds, and left others to reconcile the conflicting dogmas.
Dr. Hopkins did not trim his words. He was not skilled in the use of oily phrases. He had a direct way of stating his conclusions. The truth he liked to present naked, even though repulsive in its features. His honesty would not permit him to use ornament. Hence, he was accounted blunt, severe ; his doctrines stern and harsh. His reasonings led him to the conclusion that a Christian ought to be willing to be damned, if thereby the glory of God would best be promoted ; and he was intrepid enough to say so. In his work on Future Punishment, he says of the wicked-" The smoke of their torment shall ascend up in the sight of the blessed for ever and ever; and serve as a most clear glass, always before the eyes, to give them a constant, bright, and most affecting view of all these. And all this display of the divine character and glory will be in favor of the redeemed, and most entertaining, and give the highest pleasure to all who love God, and raise their happiness to ineffable heights, whose felicity consists, summarily, in the knowledge and enjoyment of God." The sentiment expressed in this passage is not new. It is a part of old fashioned Calvinism ; but the language is original. Nobody but Hopkins would have thought of the word " en- tertained." But with him, it was the word, and he dared to use it. He thus excited prejudices. Caricature prints were got up representing him as being " entertained " by the woes of the damned. Ridicule and obloquy he heeded not. Denunciation did not disturb him.
Though plain spoken and uncompromising, Dr. Hopkins was an in- offensive man. He had no guile in his heart. Simple minded and affec- tionate, his whole life was spent in self-denying labors for the good of others. No man had more of the milk of human kindness in him. No man was more unselfish in whatever he did.
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Dr. Hopkins was a hard student of theology and metaphysics, but no rhetorician. He never learned the graces of style-never acquired a full knowledge of his mother tongue. His language was forcible, some- times pithy ; but his words were often badly chosen, and generally clumsily arranged. As a preacher, he was the most uninteresting of men. His tones were drawling and monotonous, his voice sometimes resembling a cracked bell. His pronunciation was ungraceful and in- accurate, and his manner ungainly. The children were sometimes frightened by his appearance. .
In his person, Dr. Hopkins was more than six feet high, erect, with a large chest, broad face, capacious forehead and gigantic proportions gen- erally. He wore a white, full bottomed, powdered wig, a three cornered hat, and silver knee buckles and shoe buckles. His manner was awkward, but his figure was on the whole so commanding, that "strangers, pre suming he was a great man, would at once take off their hats when they met him." In early life, he was distinguished for his agility and athletic feats.
In 1853, an edition of Dr. Hopkins' works was published by the American Doctrinal Tract Society, in three volumes, with an interesting memoir by Professor Park. To this memoir and to Dr. Hopkins' auto- biography and works I am mainly indebted for the materials of this sketch. By the way, the genealogy of the Waterbury branch of the Hopkins family, contained in that memoir, was furnished by the author of this volume.
DANIEL HOPKINS, D. D.,
A younger brother of the preceding, was born Oct. 16, 1734. He pur- sued his preparatory studies with his brother Samuel, and entered Yale College in 1754. During his college course, he was much distinguished as a scholar, and graduated in 1758 with the highest honors of his class. His theological studies were pursued under the direction of his brother, whose distinctive views he adopted and afterwards earnestly inculcated. He was licensed to preach by the New Haven Association.
Soon after receiving his license, he went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, be- ing recommended to a vacant parish there by President Clap of Yale College. He preached with acceptance till his health broke down, when he was obliged to intermit his ministerial duties for eight years, during which time he was occupied in traveling and manual labor, preaching occasionally when his strength allowed.
In 1766, he was invited to preach to the Third Congregational society of Salem, Mass., the former pastor, Rev. John Huntington, having
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recently deceased. "The doctrines he preached, and the plain, direct, and pungent manner in which he preached them, procured for him warm friends and bitter enemies. Such was the opposition awakened against him, that a committee, consisting of some of the most influential men in the town, waited upon him at his residence, and made a formal and earnest request, that for the peace of the community, he would leave the town. With characteristic shrewdness he closed his eyes, smoothed down his face, and mildly said,-‘ Gentlemen, I smoke my own tobacco.' The committee withdrew and gave him no further trouble."* Ile continued to preach for eight years before he became the settled pastor. During this period, he spent a portion of his time in the instruction of youth. Often, he preached in the neighboring vacant parishes in Essex county ; and from Hamilton, received a call to settle in the ministry, which he declined on account of delicate health.
Mr. Hopkins interested himself in the early struggles of the colonies for independence, and was chosen a member of the Provincial Congress in 1775. His counsels were wise and patriotic, and he is said to have received some peculiar marks of confidence from General Washington.t In 1778, "he was elected a member of the council of the Conventional Government," and served faithfully and honorably.
In the mean time, a disruption took place in the Third church. The majority of them went over to Presbyterianism, while the Congrega- tional minority, recognized by an ecclesiastical council as the original Third church, adhered to Mr. Hopkins. Over the latter, Mr. HI. was or- dained, Nov. 18, 1778. He continued the sole pastor till 1804, when a colleague was settled ; and died, after a distressing illness, Dec. 14, 1814.
The subject of this notice was married in 1771, to Susanna, daughter of John Saunders of Salem, by whom he had six children, four sons and two daughters. His widow died March 16, 1838. Ile published two sermons ; one on the death of Washington, in 1800, and one at the ded- ication of the New South meeting house in Salem, in 1805. The de- gree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by Dartmouth Col- lege in 1809.
Doctor Hopkins is described as a laborious and faithful minister, a dis- criminating and interesting preacher, who toiled in season and out of sea- son for the spiritual good of his flock. He had a quiet, peaceable, affec-
* Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit-sketch by Brown Emerson, D. D .- Ministers in those days generally raised their own tobacco.
+ Prof. Park's Memoir of Samuel Hopkins, p. 56.
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tionate and forgiving spirit. His talents were of a high order. His brother Samuel acknowledged himself indebted to him for some important views and reasonings contained in his " System of Divinity." Ile was thoroughly " Hopkinsian " in his opinions and preaching; still, he was not an undiscriminating follower of any man. He is said to have differed from his brother on "the subject of submission," but chiefly in the mode of explanation.
In his social intercourse, Dr. Hopkins was distinguished by affability and courtesy ; in conversation by originality, good sense and pleas- antry. His language was simple, pure and spicy ; rich in anecdote and illustration; so that his company was very generally sought. " His tall and manly figure, surmounted by a high triangular hat, gave such dig- nity and grace to his movements, that no man who walked the streets was looked at with more respect and veneration. The remark was often made that, in his appearance and bearing, he strikingly resembled Washington." In the latter part of his life, he became much interested in benevolent enterprises. He was a pioneer in the cause of Home Mis- sions ; took an active part in the formation of the Massachusetts Mis- sionary Society ; assisted Dr. Spring and others in editing its magazine ; was a member of its Board of Trustees, and for the two last years of his life, notwithstanding his advanced age, performed the duties of its president.
MARK HOPKINS.
He was the youngest son of the family of Timothy Hopkins, Esq. The father at his death (in 1748-9) committed him to the care of his brother Samuel, with the charge to give him a public education, for which there was a sufficient estate. The brother took him to his own house and fitted him for college, bestowing on him the greatest care. After spending five years in Great Barrington, Mark entered Yale Col- lege, where he graduated in 1758, having for his classmates his brother Daniel and Silas Deane. About 1761, he commenced the practice of law in Great Barrington, and resided a near neighbor of his brother Sumuel. He rose quickly to eminence in his profession. He gave in- struction to many law students, among whom was the distinguished Theodore Sedgwick. In 1765, he married Electa Sergeant, the daughter of Rev. John Sergeant, the missionary at Stockbridge. When the Rev- olutionary war broke out, he became distinguished as a patriot, entered the army and received the commission of colonel. He was taken sick at White Plains of a typhoid fever which prevailed there at the time ; and to prevent his falling into the hands of the British army
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which was marching upon the place, he was borne from his sick bed in the arms of the soldier who attended him to a place of safety, and died, it is thought, in consequence of the fatigue and excitement, Oct. 26, 1776, aged 37,* two days before the memorable fight at White Plains. He was much beloved and respected, and left a family of six children, the eldest of whom, Archibald, became the father of President Mark Hop- kins and Professor Albert Hopkins, of Williams College.
JOSEPH HOPKINS
Was the third son of Stephen and Susanna (Peek) Hopkins, and grand- son of John Hopkins, the miller. He was born in the southeast quar- ter, (in the limits of present Naugatuck,) June 6, 1730. ITis father was a man of influence and a frequent representative to the General Court ; and the celebrated Samuel Hopkins of Newport was his first cousin. He learned the silversmith's trade, married, Nov. 28, 1754, Hepzibah, a daughter of Dea. Thomas Clark, and settled in the town center as a silversmith and watchmaker. He made plated knee buckles and shoe buckles, silver sleeve buttons and other silver and plated ware. A set of silver vest buttons, worn by Mr. William Garnsey of Water- town, (and previously by his father, Mr. Abijah Garnsey,) made ninety years before by Mr. Hopkins, was lately shown to the editor of the Water- bury American. They are deseribed in that paper.
Mr. Hopkins was appointed town treasurer in 1758, and held the office six successive years. In 1762, he was made a justice of the peace, and was continued in office till 1776. In the spring of 1764, he was chosen a representative to the General Assembly, and from that period till 1796, was reelected forty-four times, or for nearly two thirds of the sessions. He was an active and earnest patriot during the war of the Revolution, and for most of the time was a respected member of the lower house. In consequence, probably, of his knowledge of metals, he was put at the head of a committee, in 1775, to visit the lead mines of New Canaan, and examine the quality of the ore, the state of the mines, &c. In 1776, he was selected for a similar service, the com- mittee being charged to search for lead mines. (Great, at that time, was the dearth of lead.) Ile was one of those appointed, in 17 77, to sign the small bills for currency.
In the year 1777, Mr. Hopkins was appointed one of the "justices of the quorum," which post he held till his decease. When the Probate District of Waterbury was established, in 1779, he was made its first
* Manuscript letter of President Hopkins of Williams College.
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judge, and was continued in office during his life. He was also a dea- con of the church, to which office he was chosen, probably, about 1780, though there are no known records in existence which inform us of the exact date. He was a man of affable manners, of good intellect and kind heart. By a mild, conciliating and persuasive way, he sometimes subdued hard-headed men when arguments were of no avail. For more than thirty years before his death, he was more widely and advantage- ously known than any other man of the town.
So numerous were Mr. Hopkins' public engagements, that he gave up his trade many years before his death. He lived in a house which stood a little in front of that in which Scovill M. Buckingham now re- sides. It was built, it is said, (and occupied for a time,) by Ebenezer Warner, the father of Justus, and was taken down in 1834. After Mr. Hopkins' death, it was occupied successively by Rev. Edward Porter and Rev. Luke Wood. His shop stood a little distance west, and was erect- ed after an older one was burnt, soon after the war. It was removed in 1834, when C. C. Post's house was built, and now stands on the west side of Willow street, south of William Brown's. It bears on the map the name of "J. J. B. Kingsbury."
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