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Hopkins in Old Mullinacuffe Graveyard, Co. Wicklow

I recently visited this graveyard and found a somewhat illegible tombstone which I think says the following

"This stone erected by Benjamin Hopkins in memory of his son John Hopkins who departed this life Oct 1803 age 26.

and the above named Benjamin Hopkins who departed this life Sept 19 1812 age ???? years.

Also  ????? Hopkins wife of above Ben who deported this life ?????? age 7? years.

Likewise ????  of  ????Hopkins and Benj Hopkins"

I believe this stone was erected by Benjamin Hopkins c1746 - 1812 who held land at Tomacork and was married in 1768 to Mary Leggett c1751 - ? Feb 1824

The son would be John Hopkins c1783 to Oct ? 1803

I believe he was married to an Elizabeth ????

I would suggest that they had a couple of children who were referred to as "likewise.

Can anyone help with my transcription or can they access Brian Cantwell's Memorials of the Dead to see how he transcribed the tombstone?

Betham (MS 261? NLI)  says that Benjamin was a son of Nicholas Hopkins by his second wife 

? Smith.   Benjamin married May Leggett and they had at least 5 children in addition to the John Hopkins who died in 1803.

Any further information on this family would be appreciated.

Ross Hopkins

mrrosshopkins@…

2 replies

For the headstone Cantwell has much the same as you were able to read - he did his survey of this batch of graveyards in 1975/76 :

"This stone erected by Benjamin/Hopkins ..in memory;of his son John/Hopkins who departed this/life ..Oct .../1803 aged (2.. ?) years/also the above Benjamin Hopkins/who departed this life Sept the 19 1812/... Hopkins wife of the above named/Benjamin who depd this life the . . . Feb/182.. aged (72?) years/ likewise two of their children John Hopkins/and Benjamin Hopkins"

It might be worth a look at the CofI registers for Aghold/Aghowle at the RCB Library since Mullinacuffe parish was part of that parish union, and early records survive.

Other burials in the same graveyard mention locations outside the parish, e.g. Ballard Larah Moyne etc, whereas this Hopkins headstone does not - suggests to me that maybe these Hopkins were residents in this parish.. the slightly later Tithe Applotment records dated March 1826 show several entries with surname Hopkins in the parish, including a Benjamin, John and Widow Hopkins.

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you so much for checking the Cantwell transcription even though it doesn't provide much further.

However, FYI I can try to fill in some blanks;

Benjamin Hopkins and wife Mary Leggett held land at Tomacork. Among their children was a Nicholas Hopkins of Gorey ( as shown by Betham).   Betham also shows siblings Robert, , Jane, Ann, and Mary.

Nicholas a merchant in Gorey, died in 1816, and left a Will which mentions the 4 siblings mentioned above, but does not include either John ( as he died in 1803) nor a Benjamin.

Like John, who died in 1803, I suspect that Benjamin was single and must have also died before 1816.  He is not mentioned in Betham, who likely prepared his "tree" with information which appears to have come from Nicholas' Will of 1816.  This would explain Cantwell's transcription of "likewise two of their children...John Hopkins and Benjamin Hopkins".

If both of these siblings died and were noted on their parents' tombstone their burials would have likely been included in the Carnew Parish Register which does not start until 1814.

Hope you find this useful and thanks again.

Happy New Year.

 

mrrosshopkins@…

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