George Washington Hopkins

George Washington Hopkins (February 22, 1804 – March 1, 1861) was a nineteenth-century United States politician, diplomat, lawyer, judge and teacher.

George W. Hopkins
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Washington County
In office 1860 – 1861
In office 1850 – 1852
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 13th district
In office March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859
Preceded by	LaFayette McMullen
Succeeded by	Elbert S. Martin
In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847
Preceded by	William Smith
Succeeded by	Andrew S. Fulton
Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
In office 1858 – 1859
Preceded by	Thomas Lanier Clingman
Succeeded by	Thomas Corwin
Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
In office 1850 – 1852
Preceded by	Henry L. Hopkins
Succeeded by	Oscar M. Crutchfield
United States Chargé d'Affaires to Portugal
In office November 4, 1847 – October 18, 1849
President	James K. Polk
Preceded by	Abraham Rencher
Succeeded by	James Brown Clay
Chairman of the House Committee on Post Office and Post Roads
In office 1843 – 1847
Preceded by	George N. Briggs
Succeeded by	William L. Goggin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 18th district
In office March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1843
Preceded by	John H. Fulton
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Russell County
In office 1833 – 1835
Preceded by	Multi-member district
Succeeded by	William Jessee
Personal details
Born	February 22, 1804 Goochland County, Virginia
Died	March 1, 1861(1861-03-01) (aged 57) Richmond, Virginia
Resting place	Sinking Spring Cemetery, Abingdon, Virginia
Political party	Democratic (1837-1839, 1841-onward) Conservative (1839-1841) Jacksonian (1835-1837)
Alma mater	Hampden-Sydney College

Biography

Born in Goochland County, Virginia near Goochland Court House to the Episcopal minister Charles Hopkins, Hopkins attended the common schools as a child. He later taught school, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1834, commencing practice in Lebanon, Virginia. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1833 to 1835 and was elected a Jacksonian Democrat and Conservative to the United States House of Representatives in 1834, serving from 1835 to 1847. There, Hopkins served as chairman of the Committee on Post Office and Post Roads from 1843 to 1847.

President James Knox Polk appointed Hopkins as Chargé d'affaires to Portugal in 1847; he served as until 1849. He returned to the House of Delegates as Speaker succeeding his brother Henry L. Hopkins from 1850–1852 and was a member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention in 1850 and 1851. He served as judge of the circuit court of Washington, D.C. and other counties and was elected back to the House of Representatives in 1856, serving again from 1857 to 1859. There, he served as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs from 1857 to 1859. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1858 and resumed practicing law in Abingdon, Virginia.

Hopkins served in the House of Delegates for a third time from 1859 until his death in Richmond, Virginia on March 1, 1861. He was interred in Sinking Springs Cemetery in Abingdon.

References

• Jamerson, Bruce F., Clerk of the House of Delegates, supervising (2007). Speakers and Clerks of the Virginia House of Delegates, 1776-2007. Richmond, Virginia: Virginia House of Delegates.

External links

• United States Congress. "George Washington Hopkins (id: H000774)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• George Washington Hopkins at Find a Grave

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by John H. Fulton	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 18th congressional district 1835 – 1843	Succeeded by Constituency abolished
Preceded by William Smith	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 13th congressional district 1843 – 1847	Succeeded by Andrew S. Fulton
Preceded by LaFayette McMullen	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 13th congressional district 1857 – 1859	Succeeded by Elbert S. Martin
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Abraham Rencher	Chargé d'Affaires to Portugal 1847 – 1849	Succeeded by James Brown Clay
Political offices
Preceded by Henry L. Hopkins	Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates 1850 – 1852	Succeeded by Oscar M. Crutchfield