My Genealogy Hound

Rev. William M. Hopson is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and, although born in Coweta County, Ga., January 1, 1840, he has been a resident of the State of Arkansas since 1859, in which year his parents, Briggs W. and Sarah Franklin (Walden) Hopson, came thither. They were born in Walton and Jasper Counties, Ga., respectively, and the father died in Cleveland County, Ark., when about fifty-nine years of age, his widow still surviving him, her age being about seventy-two years. She is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, as was her husband, and during his lifetime they were well-to-do and successful farmers. He was a Mason, and in his political views a Democrat, and while in Georgia was tax receiver of Randolph County for some time. He was a soldier in the war with the Creek Indians. Rev. William M. Hopson was the eldest of eleven children, seven now living, and his youth was spent in his native State. In the fall of 1861 he joined the Ninth Arkansas Infantry, Confederate States Army, with which he remained until the close of the war, participating in the battles of Corinth, Baker’s Creek, Jackson, Port Hudson, and was in the famous Georgia campaign, taking part in the battles of Jonesboro, Lovejoy, Atlanta and Moon Station, after which he went back to Tennessee, and participated in the battles of Franklin, Columbia, Pulaski, Sugar Creek, Franklin, also two days’ battle at Nashville, Tenn., and was wounded in the right arm by a minie-ball, in the engagement at Bentonville, N. C., this being the first wound he had received. He was in fifteen regular engagements, not counting the numerous skirmishes, and acted as a sharp shooter, at Jackson, Miss. After the war he returned home and commenced to farm for himself in the neighborhood of where he now lives, his capital at that time consisting of 75 cents. He manfully put his shoulder to the wheel, and by industry and good management has become the owner of 400 acres of land, as good as there is in the county, and has his property well improved. February 3, 1869, he was united in the bonds of matrimony to Miss Martha J. Wilson, a daughter of James and Mary Wilson. She was born in Marion County, Ga., September 1, 1844, and her union with Mr. Hopson has resulted in the birth of nine children: Annie L. (born November 25, 1869), James W. (born May 12, 1871), Mary F. (born August 3, 1872), Eugenia O. (born August 17, 1876), William B. (born October 9, 1877), Amanda C. (born November 23, 1878), Alva B. (born October 22, 1880), Charles F. (born February 22, 1882), and Laurence R. (born July 20, 1884). Mr. Hopson united with the Missionary Baptist Church, in 1861, and in 1874 was licensed to preach the gospel, and in the month of June, 1887, he took charge of the church at Kingsland. His wife and eldest daughters are also members of that church, and he is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and a Democrat in his political views. It is characteristic of the man only to claim himself a corn-field preacher, contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.