John Patrick Hopkins

John Patrick Hopkins (October 29, 1858 – October 13, 1918) served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1893–1895) for the Democratic Party. John Patrick Hopkins was the first of nine Irish American Catholic mayors of Chicago.[2]

John Patrick Hopkins
35th[1] Mayor of Chicago
In office
1893–1895
Preceded byGeorge Bell Swift (acting)
Succeeded byGeorge Bell Swift
Personal details
Born(1858-10-29)October 29, 1858
Buffalo, New York
DiedOctober 13, 1918(1918-10-13) (aged 59)
Chicago, Illinois
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceChicago, Illinois

Hopkins was a close friend and a political ally of Roger Charles Sullivan.[3][4]

Early life

Hopkins was born October 29, 1858 in Buffalo, New York.[2]

Career

When Hopkins was young, his brothers and fathers had already died.[5] He became a provider for his family.[5] His first job at a foundry as a boy.[5] He later worked in Bufalo's grain elevators.[5]

In 1879, he moved to Chicago with his mothers and sisters.[5]

He worked for some times at the Pullman works.[5] From 1883 to 1885 he served as a paymaster for Pullman interests.[5]

In 1888 he founded the Started the Arcade Trading Co. in 1888, which later became the Secord and Hopkins Co.[2]

Hopkins forged a career in Democratic politics.[3]

Mayoralty

Hopkins was elected the 1893 Chicago mayoral special election, held after the assassination of mayor Carter Harrison Sr.

At 35 years of age when he took office, Hopkins became the youngest mayor the city had ever had.[4][6][7][5]

His tenure was marred by numerous scandals, criticisms, and shortcomings. This included incidents of political corruption in the city, such as the Ogden Gas Scandal, rampant public gambling that drew the ire of the Chicago Civic Federation, an indecisive response by Hopkins to the Pullman Strike that was assailed by Republican press outlets.[6][4] Additionally, the misappropriation of significant amounts of campaign contributions by Hopkins had upset many in the Chicago Democratic party, including those who belonged to the party's former Harrison faction.[4]

Hopkins did not seek reelection in the 1895 Chicago mayoral election

Post-mayoralty

Hopkins died of influenza on October 13, 1918 in Chicago.[2] His death occurred amid the city's Spanish flu pandemic. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, Illinois.[2]

Personal life

Hopkins never married.[2]

References
  1. "Chicago Mayors". Chicago Public Library. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  2. "Mayor John Patrick Hopkins Biography". Chicago Public Library. Retrieved 2018-07-08.
  3. Morton, Richard Allen (29 June 2016). "Roger C. Sullivan and the Making of the Chicago Democratic Machine, 1881-1908". McFarland. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  4. Lindberg, Richard C. (2009). The Gambler King of Clark Street: Michael C. McDonald and the Rise of Chicago's Democratic Machine. SIU Press. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-8093-8654-3. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  5. Dana, Charles Anderson. A Centennial history of the city of Chicago – Its men and institutions. Jazzybee Verlag. p. 33. ISBN 978-3-8496-8799-1. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  6. Hogan, John F. (2018). Chicago Shakedown: The Ogden Gas Scandal. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4396-6474-2. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  7. Illinois Political Directory. 1899. p. 265. Retrieved 18 May 2020.


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