Letter #1

A letter dated July 22^nd, 1933, from Lester C. Hoppes, cashier of the Corbin State Bank, on the Bank’s letterhead stationery to Mrs. Minnie H. Shankweilder, Allentown, Pa. states:

My dear Mrs Shankweilder:-

I have your valued letter of the 18^th this morning and note well its contents. I believe I was guilty of writing a book on the Hoppes Family a few years ago, and aside from a few errors – some by myself and some by the publishers – I was reasonably proud of the work. However I have wished several times that I delayed the publication for another year or so and gathered some more useful information. Will say that I spent some three years getting together my material and needless to say it was quite a task and some expense.

I have never sold a volume to anybody. Have a few left and am sending you one under separate cover. If it is worth something to you, you may send me $2.00 and I will appreciate your kindness.

I am filing your letter for the Hoppes information it contains. I hope some day that some able writer among our clan will take it upon himself to write a really worth while book on our family.

Thank you very much for your invitation to call on you if I am ever in the east. Likewise if you and your family ever come west we will welcome you, if you call at our home.

With best personal wishes I am,

Very truly yours,

(signed) L. C. Hoppes

Cashier

Letter #2

A letter dated March 25^th, 1937, from Lester C. Hoppes, cashier of the Corbin State Bank, on the Bank’s letterhead stationery to Mrs. Minnie H. Shankweiler, Allentown, Pa. states:

Dear Mrs Shankweiler:-

I have yours of the 19^th enclosing clipping of the Zion Church at West Penn, and the article about the Hoppes family War record, and have enjoyed your letter and the articles very much. Also your check in the amount of $2.00 is appreciated. I did not keep a record of those to whom I sent the little book, “Hoppes Family” and had no recollection of having sent you a copy, but am glad you enjoyed reading it – imperfect as it is.

I have not worked much of the family history since I had the book printed, but have gotten several articles sent to me which I wish I could have had earlier, so that I might have gotten them in the book.

I have copied off the War Record of your branch and am returning the original.

Am wondering if the Jonas Hoppes of your branch and the George Hoppes of my branch were not brothers, and the brother of Jonas who went to Virginia was not my great-great grandfather George Hoppes. I have a letter from a Nephew of mine who now lives in Ohio, who made a search through some library and found that my Great-great grandfather once lived in Virginia and owned slaves. He (George) was born in 1754 and your article relates that Jonas was born in 1753. Have you any information as to the name of Jonas’ father?

We notice your kind invitation to call on you if we are ever in your part of the country. We surely thank you and will be glad to do so. We usually take a trip somewhere each year. In 1935 we went to Indiana and then south to Chattanooga Tenn and back home through the southern states. Last year we went to Yellowstone National Park and toured the Rocky Mountains quite extensively. I have been quite ill for a part of this winter, and have been in the Hospital a part of the time, but am glad to say that I feel pretty good now. I rather expect that our vacation will be very short this year if we take any at all. But will try to come out your way within a few years. . Have always wanted to see the eastern part of the old U.S.A.

Again thanking you for your letter and information and trusting you will write again, I am,

Very truly yours,

(signed) L. C. Hoppes

Cashier

Letter #3

A letter dated July 9^th, 1940, from Lester C. Hoppes on the stationery of The Home Insurance Company, Farm Department, Chicago, Sub-agency at Caldwell, Kansas to Mrs. Minnie H. Shankweiler, Allentown, Pa. states:

Dear Mrs Shankweiler:-

I was delighted to have your letter of June 17^th addressed to me at Corbin, Kansas, and was much interested in the clipping of the 150^th anniversary of the Zion Union Church and its historical setting.

The Christening names, Michael, Christian, and Solomon do not seem to be Family names in my particular lineage, but of course one can never tell how they were connected up. I notice your father’s name was Daniel, which probably is a Hoppes name for generations back as was my great grandfather’s name Daniel.

My great grandfather Daniel was born in Virginia in October 1784 I believe. Had some ten brothers and sisters. He was with Gen Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 as I get the story. He died in Madison County Indiana on Aug 21, 1855.

There now lives a John J. Hoppes in Springfield Ohio, or rather he did live there a few years ago, and I believe he could give you some information as to your branch of the Hoppes family, if you would address him on the subject. I met him some 15 yrs ago and had a long visit with him, and it now appears that he mentioned Michael, Christian and possibly Solomon Hoppes as being in his lineage, but I am not quite sure of it.

I am wondering if you wrote me a letter several years ago. It appears that you had gotten hold of one of my little family histories and wrote me a letter about it. But I cannot now definitely recall.

Almost three years ago, I had a severe stroke of paralysis and was out of “circulation” for over two years. I have finally regained my health sufficiently to get about and look after some of my business now. I was in the Banking business at Corbin, but had to turn my duties over to another party when I was stricken.

I am now trying to re-establish myself in the Insurance and kindred businesses. I own quite a volume of land all of which I rent out, and this takes up much of my time.

We moved to Caldwell a year ago last fall to get our three children in High School to a little better advantage. Our oldest daughter graduated this spring and now she will enter the State University this fall.

We had planned to tour the East probably this season, but circumstances will not allow us to make the trip, and we will probably go to Galveston Texas within a few weeks for a short trip.

If we ever get started East we will certainly call on you, because I know we would very much enjoy trying to discover some more of the Hoppes tribe in the Eastern part of America.

If you would like to have a copy of my little Family History I shall be glad to mail you one with my compliments. I still have a few copies left. So if you want one just drop me a line and it will be forthcoming.

Our crop here was not too good this time, but we certainly thank the all-wise God for what we did get. I got some 2,500 bushels of wheat for my part off my farms. Last year I had double that amount, but as I say we are truly thankful that we have a half crop this time. Wheat is out big crop here. We have a small acreage of oats, a little corn and some rowed feed sorgums etc., but wheat is our money crop, and it is only fair this time.

As to my family, just Wife and I and one son and two daughters. My aged mother passed on two years ago in August at the age of 85. My father has been gone for almost 20 years. He was a hard worker, and to me a wonderful man.

I shall not go further into my family affairs because I presume it would not be of much interest to you, so again thanking you for your good letter and trusting I may hear from you again often, I am,

Very truly yours,

(signed) L. C. Hoppes

317 N St Marys, Caldwell, Kansas

Published: February 2002 by Harry Hoppes

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