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Note: White Thorn- Of this church we have no information of anything very remarkable Elder Matthew Bates their father and first pastor was an amiable and eminent minister of God's Word. The few years in which God permitted him to work in his vineyard were well employed. He died at an early period of life lamented just as far as he was known. WILLIS HOPWOOD their present pastor is a young man of strong and ingenious mind. May he have a double portion of his predecessor's spirit.
Ref: "A HISTORY OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE BAPTISTS IN VIRGINIA" By Robert Baylor Semple
Death annoucement of Elder Willis Hopwood
he died at his residence in Marshall county, Tennessee near Lewisburg, Oct 6 1850. He was bornin Mecklenburg County, Virginia Oct 29, 1777. At the age of 23 he married Penelope P. Moore. They were united with the Baptist Church of White Thorn, 1800. Four years after he was ordained as an Elder to the work of the ministry, In 1810 he emigrated to bedford County, Tennessee. In 1812 he united with the church at Liberty.
In 1840, Elder Hopwood had become famous among the churches throughout the middle part of the state. About this time he determined to unite the with Brethren Craig, Fannin, Spear, Fall and others in the glorious work. On the 3rd of April, he with 130 of his brethren at Liberty was greatly increased, so that the congregation became too large to meet at one place, and was divided into two others. . . . . . . Done by the order of the Church at Liberty, signed David Yancy, Marshall County July 4, 1851
Ref: The Christian Magazine, Vol. 4, pg 288; Marshall County Historical Quarterly, Vol VIII Winter 1977-78
WILL OF WILLIS HOPWOOD
I Willis Hopwood of Marshall Co., State of Tennessee, do make this my last will and testament knowing the certainty of death and being in a sound state of mind I feel it to be a duty incumbent on me to make such a disposition of my world property as I think to be right, taking into view all the circumstances with which said affairs of this world is surrounded and first after my death, and burial in a Christian like manner, I will to my wife, Penelope, all and every thing not hereinafter otherwise disposed of in this my will, during her natural life. I begin with my oldest daughter, Gincy Beck, and as I have all ready given her to assist in getting land some two or three hundred dollars, I will in addition at the death of my wife (her mother) one woman slave named Agga and one slave child named Parilee. My son Clark Hopwood, I also have done something towards getting land say three or four dollars, I will at my death to him twenty-five acres (25) of land joining his east boundary line by running a line North from the creek to Ross's line. I will to my son Willis M. Hopwood at my death the land lying between the last mentioned twenty-five (25) acres and Robert A. Patterson's west boundary line. I will at my death a woman slave named Susamia, to my daughter Belinda B. Willis. I have long ago given to my daughter now Sally Mays and her first children by Ebinezar Beck in land several hundred dollars which is all I can now give and as there is now arrangements being made for her present husband to get his wife's dower, for the benefit of his and his last children and as he is a young man and has had all the land left by Ebinezar Beck for raising both sets of children I will at my death and my wife's death five dollars ($5.00) to each of said Mays children by my daughter Sally. As to my daughter now deceased Nancy Jones, I once bought about all she had when sold by the constable and give it to her and children and afterwards give her a life estate in twenty (20) acres of good land and give about seventy dollars ($70.00) for a house which I put on it which she and husband and children had many years, but now that she is dead, for reasons fully sufficient for me, I will at my wife's death to each of said children Ten dollars ($10.00) when 21 years old to be paid by my executors. As to my daughter Polly Bird the case stands thus. When her first husband, Branson D. Caple and she had then a child's part, which amounted to between five and six hundred dollars, and then married and then in a short time all or nearly all wasted and gone, and I was guardian for two and my son for a third and in a few years not perhaps one dollar left of their estate after they got it, so it looks to me like throwing property or money into fire to give to such. I give these reasons good and valid to me for what follows. I will after after my death and wife that out of my estate three hundred dollars ($300.00) be placed in the hands of my executors or a trustee and that they pay the interest of said money yearly into the hands of my daughter Polly for life and at her death one hundred dollars ($100.00) of said three hundred shall be equally divided among the heirs of her body and the other two hundred return to my estate and be divided as will be hereafter directed. And now as to my youngest daughter Julian, because of natural affliction of body and mind, my will is that six hundred dollars ($600.00) out of my estate at my death and the death of my wife be in the hands of my executors or a trustee as may be most proper, and she draw during life the interest for her support and paid to who ever takes care of her, and that be (if possible) her sisters Ginsey or Belinda and at her death six hundred dollars ($600.00) to go back to my estate and be divided as hereinafter directed in the disposition of all at last. One good bed and bedstead and furniture and chest and bureau that is now in my house and one cow and calf shall be given to Julian at her mother's death. Once more I will at the death of myself and wife to my son Clark Hopwood a servant boy named William provided that said son Clark Hopwood be living at his mother's death but if he die before his mother, said boy shall be with the rest of my estate. As to fifty (50) acres of cedar land I own my will is that a line be run north and south beginning at a stake the southwest corner of ten(10) acres I deeded to E. Beck north 40 poles to his northwest corner, then make a few poles offset west and then north so as to cut off thirty (30) acres then divide said thirty (30) acres equally between Willis M. Hopwood and Clark Hopwood the other twenty (20) acres to remain mine and now finally after my and my wife's death my will is that all my personal property be sold on a credit of 12 months and all my lands on 1 and 2 years credit and after filling every thing requested in this then shall be an equal division of all among my following children (viz) Clark Hopwood, Willis M. Hopwood, and Ginsey Beck, and Belinda B. Willis, and last my will is that my sons Clark Hopwood, my wife, my son Willis M. Hopwood and Thomas Willis be the executors.
Signed, sealed this 12th day of January in the year of our Lord, 1850.
Willis Hopwood (Seal)
And witnessed by
Willis Burgess
William D. Fisher
James O. Stilwell
From Will Book--A, pages 243-246. Entered in Oct. term of court 1850 for probation. Probated Nov. 4, 1850.
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