hopper

Fannin County TXGenWeb
Dr Samuel Neely Hopper

"Also, this may make a few people laugh--
I have a receipt of a transaction done between Dr. Sam Hopper
and a patient, where he accepts a Ham in lieu of payment for
delivering a baby!"
from Julie Scoggins Stech
GGG-Granddaughter of the Dr.

SAMUEL NEELY HOPPER

    Samuel Neely Hopper, M.D. was born in Henderson County, Tennessee on June 24, 1853 to Turley Hopper and his second
wife, Margaret Carothers Hopper. Between the years 1866 and 1872 the Tudey Hopper family moved to Laws Hill, Mississippi. There in Mississippi Samuel Hopper's interest in medicine began.
    He studied medicine at Memphis Hospital Medical College
in Memphis, Tennessee and served as an apprentice in Dr. B. N. Alexander's office in Chulaboma, Mississippi.
      On February 8, 1876 Samuel Neely Hopper married Theodocia Ernest Croom at Pinson,Madison County,Tennessee. That same year his father Turley Hopper died, leaving Samuel with the Re- sponsibility of the family and making a living for them. The farming was poor, doctors were plentiful in that part of the country and times were hard on the family.
        In the early part of 1894 John L. Hopper, Dr. Hopper's half-brother, who had come to Fannin County in 1853 from Tennessee and settled north of Bonham in Elwood, wrote him about the good farming land, the need for more doctors and invited him to move to Fannin County. Dr. Hopper came to Elwood the first of April, 1894 riding the train from Holley Springs to Bonham bringing with him his younger brother Charles. They both stayed with John and looked over the country. In his many letters home to Theedocia Dr, Hopper wrote about the good level land with its bountiful green crops, wages of hired hands being twice what they were at home, how nice the people were and what a wonderful place this would be to raise children. Having decided to settle in Fannin Counly, he made friends, went to church and slowly began practicing medicine while he waited for his family to join him.
      In June 1894 Theodocia Hopper boarded a train with her five children Edward, Maude, Turley, Virginia and Irene to join their husband and father. The Dr. Hopper family rented a place north of Telephone; then on September 6, 1897 they purchased land in Telephone and built their home near where the Baptist Church is now located.
      Dr. Hopper registered his license in Bonham on October 25, 1894. He practiced medicine in and around Telephone, driving a black horse and buggy, carrying his instruments and medicine in a small bag. He went to the home of his patients any time he was needed, staying all night or as long as necessary. His practice was a general one which included extracting teeth and filling his own prescriptions. The ingredients for his medicines were shipped in a large barrel from Tennessee; he then mixed his own prescriptions, tasting each mixture, because if it was not bitter the patients didn't think it was any good. His children and grandchildren also took his medicine and today some of his grandchildren remember the bad tasting rhubard medicine "Pa" gave them When they were ill. Dr. Hopper had fees for his services, but many a time food was accepted in lieu of money, One entry in an old account book read "one ham on account for delivering child." He did not worry about what was owed and many times one would find him loading up his buggy with provisions for some of his patients.
    Dr. Samuel Neely and Theedocia Hopper raised five children who married, lived and died in the Telephone and Elwood communities.
       Edward Peel, born December 26, 1876, married Georgia Marie Carpenter on June 3, 1906 and died December 6, 1942, Their children are: Lucille, Morris, Mildred and Evelyn.
       Maude Maria, born October 4, 1878, married Robert E. L. Hopper on June 28, 1896 and died August 10, 1966. Their children are: Lillian, Elbert and Ray.
     Turley Croom, born January 14, 1881, married Fanny Forbes on December 1, 1901 and died April 17, 1951. Their children are: Nettie, Clifton, Nell and Joseph. After the death of Fanny in 1918, Turley married Lennie Hopper Hildinger. They had no children.
    Virginia Margaret, born September 18, 1883, married Obadiah Ransom Mitchell on November 24, 1903 and died January 19, 1960. Their children are: Roma, O. R., Maude,
Sam and James.
     Tessie Irene, born July 1, 1890, married James Benjamin Mayfield on December 28, 1909 and died August 9 1965. Their children are Lois, Paul and Mary Jo.
      On April 15, 1909 Theodocia Croom Hopper wife of Dr. Hopper, was buried in Forest Grove Cemetery at Telephone. Dr. Hopper continued to live and practice medicine in Telephone.
Dr. Hopper married his second wife, Artie May Byrd Ware on February 2, 1915 and took her and her three children,Bert
     Theresa, and Mae to his home in Telephone. On January 14, 1916 Dr. Hopper's second wife bore him a son Samuel Neeley Hopper, Jr.
     On May 10, 1925 Samuel Neeley Hopper, M.D. was buried Forest Grove Cemetery, Telephone next to his wife, Theodocia. All his children are buried in this same plot at Telephone except Turley who s buried next to his wife at the Elwood Cemetery and his son of the second marriage Samuel Neely Hopper, Jr. who is still living.
BY MRS. S. N. Hopper
Reprinted with permission, originally published in Fannin County Folks & Facts.

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