Hi Vee, Regarding the wedding invitation sent to the Hopkins family regarding the marriage of Sarah Church and Wallace Cornell on 16 Dec 1869 - that was an interesting bit of information for me since Sarah and Wallace were my grandparents. I don't suppose you know which Hopkins family it was sent to. The name Hopkins was used as a middle name fairly often, including Wallace's second child - Willard Hopkins Cornell, and also Wallace's grandfather - Silas Hopkins Dickerson. If I ever get back to Lewiston Historical Assoc. again I would like to make a copy of the invitation. Information I've received regarding the wedding is the wedding was held at the residence of Sarah's father in Lockport and the witnesses were Wm. H. Cornell and Marietta Cornell. During the Civil War Wm. H. was captured and survived imprisonment at Andersonville. Marietta (Church) Cornell was Sarah's sister and the widow of Job Cornell killed at Cold Harbor. Thanks for the interesting information you always share with us. Mariam (Cornell) Standen, Calif.
Wow, Miriam, what a surprise discovery regarding your grandparents! When I first saw the Hopkins name I immediately thought of the prominent Hopkins family who lived on Lower River Road in Lewiston. Now with your mentioning of Willard Hopkins Cornell and Silas Hopkins Dickerson, I was certainly right. Your Church/Cornell families must have been very close if not actually related to the Hopkins family. What follows below is what I just scanned from the book, "Landmarks of Niagara County, New York," edited by William Pool, 1897 Enjoy, vee Pg. 134 Hopkins, S. Silas, was born in the town of Lewiston, Niagara county, March 29, 1852, and has been engaged in farming and fruit growing all his life. He has fifty acres of apple orchard, fifteen acres of pears, and ten acres of plums on the homestead. On the farm situated on the Niagara River Road below Lewiston he has twenty-five acres of quinces, twenty acres of pears and plums and other fruits. He is a member of the Niagara County Farmers' Club and has been its president for two years. In 1875 he married E Amanda Young of Cambria, and they have two children, Edna Young and Arline Douglass. Mr. Hopkins's parents were Silas S and Abigail H. Hopkins. After the Revolutionary war his great-grandfather immigrated to Canada from New Jersey and settled near Hamilton, Ontario, but his two sons, Silas and Benjamin, not liking the country, Silas came to Lewiston, and later Benjamin settled in Michigan. His son Silas was the first judge of Niagara county and was grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Hopkins's father made a valuable permanent improvement in the town of Lewiston by draining the great cranberry marsh opposite his farm and reclaiming a valuable tract of land which is still in possession of the family. He died June 20, 1871, while his widow is still living at the age of eighty years. Mrs. Hopkins's family, the Youngs, came from Pennsylvania about 1810, traveling in wagons and unloaded near Niagara Falls by an old oak tree, the site of which is to-day marked by some willows; there they took up land and settled. These were her great grandfather, John, her grandfather, Samuel, and his brothers, John, Christian and Jacob. They were driven from their homes three times bv the Indians during the war of 1812. Mrs. Hopkins's grandparents on the mother's side, the Hittles, came from Pennsylvania in 1828; her greatgrandfather served through the Revolutionary war as an officer. Pg. 146 Hopkins, Willard, was born in the town of Lewiston and has been engaged in farming and fruit growing all his life. He is in fact one of the most extensive fruit growers in Niagara county, having upwards of 300 acres of fruit farms picturesquely situated on the banks of Niagara River, besides other fruit farms situated in the Model City and on the shore of Lake Ontario, having about 30,000 fruit trees in bearing. He was one of the pioneers in planting extensive peach orchards on the Niagara frontier. He married Sarah A. Peet, and they have two sons: W. Frank and Silas Seward. His parents were Silas S. and Abigail H. Hopkins, and his father was one of the best known and most honored men of his day in the town. His grandfather, Silas Hopkins, was one of the pioneers of Lewiston and was the first county judge in Niagara county. W. Frank Hopkins married Mary Tower of the town of Porter. The name and history of the Hopkins family are inseparably associated with Lewiston from its early days down to the present time, in which the family continues to uphold its old-time prestige.