Here’s a glimpse at some of the photos and letters that have been shared by our cousin Virginia Murphy in Michigan. Her grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Hopkins, was sister to Francis Xavier Hopkins. I will try to share these regularly between now and the reunion. For now, here is a photo of Frank (L) & Leo (R) (~1916?):

And one of Leo from what must have been the same shoot:

To paint the picture a little more vividly, Leo’s WWI draft card indicates he was tall and of medium build, with blue eyes and red hair. He worked as a chauffeur at the Casey & Kelly Brewing Co. in Scranton in June of 1917. Franks’ WWI draft card indicates he was tall and of medium build as well, with blue eyes and light hair. He worked as an electrical operator at Scranton Electric Co. in Peckville in June of 1917.

Interestingly, Frank’s name is listed as Francis Albert Hopkins. I feel as though there was one other document I came across once that had him as Francis A. Does anyone have any recollection or indication of why this discrepancy may exist??

For those unfamiliar with these twins, they were the youngest sons of William Henry  and Catherine (Lundy) Hopkins. William died on 29 February 1892, just over six months before Frank & Leo were born on 10 September 1892. Their older siblings were Margaret Veronica, Daniel Aloysius, William Henry, Joseph Vincent, and Mary Elizabeth.

Leo enlisted in the Army during WWI on 8 January 1918, achieving the rank of Corporal, serving overseas in France, and dying of disease on 30 September 1918. I have not come across specifics on the disease, but the flu epidemic was sweeping the globe around this time, so chances are high that influenza could have been the culprit. This small photo shows the hospital where Leo died, Base Hospital 6 in Bordeaux, France:

Here are a couple of letters exchanged during the war. The first from Leo written on 10 January 1918, just after his enlistment, from Camp Meade in MD to his parents in Scranton (with my transcription underneath):

                Camp Mead
                Jan 10, 1918
Dear Mother + Hops
          Just a few lines to
let you know how thinks are. Every 
think ok getting to like the 
place now we just got a lot
of suits in so I dont know if
we will get any of them or not
if we dont have them by Sunday
we will have to stay in camp
we all feel fine good eats and
lots of it the bread is fine I was
suprise the weather here is fine how
is it there I met Harry Kirst and a lot
of Scranton Boys they all look fine, we
are sitting around most of the time
and chopping wood to keep the place
warm this morning we were all asked
if we want insurance I took out 10000,00
I will have to pay $6,60 a month


for that and I sign a paper this
morning for you to get $15,00 a month that 
is 1/2 of my pay and you will get $10.00
from the government because you were
under my suport and I told them that
Mary is under my suport and she will
get $5,00 a month if they pass on it they
will look thoes thinks up Mary is
not supose to be working so if you
get that it will be $30,00 a month
for you so dont worry about me 
because this life is not so bad
they asked me what survice I would
like to have I told them the quarter
-masters transportion so if I get that
I will be sent some other place but
I do not know if I will pass or not
and if I get that I will be a 
surgant at 42,00 a month that is
not so bad. I will wright again
when I get exaiment so give my 
regards to all 
                From Leo
       24 Co  154 Depot Brigad
              Camp Mead
                   MD
going down to Harry Krist place tonight
There is not a chance for the navy

And here is a letter from Frank to Leo a few month later, on 9 April 1918:

               147 Melrose Ave
               Lansdowne Pa.
               April 9, 1918.
Dear Brother:-
       We all got settled at last at
our new home. Of course I need
not explain the location.
Joe (?) came out Sunday and is well
satifided with the place.
We had Margaret with us intell this 
morning when she left for Pittsburg by
way of Scranton. She was up to see
us last night but did not know at
that time that she was going intell
this morning she call Margaret and told
her she was leaving on the 12th for
Pittsburg by way of Scranton and was
to see mother and all.
She was down to Camp Mead Sunday
but did not see you or the Mangans
and she was whiled (?) but she was
all right when she returned.
We did not go down Sunday or I don’t 
know when we will go but if we 
go Sunday or when we do I will drop


a wire letting you know when.
So intell that time don’t expect ???
I was out with the boys Sunday night
to Cliffton and had a fine time, with
ice cream + cake.
I am going to a dance Friday night
and expect a good time.
I wrote Maggie McAndrew a letter this
evening also writing to Henry.
It rained today and we nock off at 
1030 am and we got a new suit shoes
+ hat, he paid $35 for the suit, not so 
bad is it?
Well Leo I have now more news so I will
call a close for the present.
With love from all the Hops
             I am Brother Frank.
P.S.
Margaret was appointed yeoman in
the navy and left for Pittsburg. She 
got insurings out for $10,000. and mother
is to get 25 from her from the government
15 of her pay and 10 from the U.S.

As you can see, a few tough areas to transcribe, so if anyone has any better suggestions, please feel free to pass them along.

My favorite parts of those letters are some of the word spellings (until = intell; things = thinks). You can almost hear a slight Irish lilt, probably still imbued in their speech, being only a generation or two removed from the mother land.

Also notice that Frank had just moved to Lansdowne, PA, just outside of Philadelphia. Was this for work? Or did it have to do with the war effort? I have come across no military record for him. And who was he living with down there? He wasn’t married until 1921. Was it with family? He mentions his sister Margaret being with him during the move. And when did he return to Scranton? Upon Leo’s death? When the flu epidemic broke out in Philly later that summer? Perhaps other letters may give clues. As of now, these are all we have available.

If you have any stories about Frank or Leo, please share them here with a comment, or post on the FB page. We’d love to collect and share as many memories or stories as possible.