{"id":55213,"date":"2020-01-08T12:58:24","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T17:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=55213"},"modified":"2024-05-13T12:37:23","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T16:37:23","slug":"pedigree-pearls-and-pooches-the-hopkins-saga-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/pedigree-pearls-and-pooches-the-hopkins-saga-continues.html","title":{"rendered":"Pedigree, Pearls, and Pooches: The Hopkins Saga Continues"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues the story of the people affected by the huge fortune left by railroad magnate Mark Hopkins, focusing this time on Lydia Hopkins <\/em>Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a><\/em>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a><\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Note:<\/em><\/strong> Melissa is writing a series of articles about the people affected by \u2013 and the mad scramble for \u2013 the huge fortune left behind by Mark Hopkins when he died without a will or heir in 1878. This is the fifth article in that series; links to the first four installments can be found at the end of this article.<\/em><\/p>\n

The society ladies listed in the early 20th century San Francisco Blue Books descended from potent New England stock. Mary Kellogg Crittenden Hopkins, wife of Timothy Nolan Hopkins, was one of them. Her pedigree earned her memberships into the Mayflower Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and Colonial Dames.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Mary Kellogg Crittenden Hopkins. Credit: Isiah West Taber; Stanford Historical Photograph Collection, Stanford University.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The press covered Mary\u2019s social calendar and her charity work.<\/p>\n

Mary made no bones that her jewels were just as impressive as her pedigree. Her collection of rare stones included a $40,000 ruby ring. However, when it came to pearls her $100,000 strand matched even the ones of Mrs. John Jay Astor.<\/p>\n

A few of Mary\u2019s pieces are at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.<\/p>\n

And you are never too young to earn your bling. When Mary\u2019s daughter Lydia Kellogg Hopkins was christened in 1887, godmother Mrs. Leland (Janet) Stanford presented her with a necklace with the letters of her namesake \u201cLydia\u201d set in diamonds.<\/p>\n

It did not take long for the new society belle to assimilate into the San Francisco Peninsula smart set. Lydia became interested in show dogs, and her parents furnished her with the finest breeds money could buy. And yes, their diamond collars were real.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Lydia Hopkins with her Pekingese champion, Sherwood Su Wang, 16 May 1915. Credit: Timothy Hopkins Papers, Stanford University.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By the age of 16, Lydia had shown over 150 champion dogs. She earned a solid reputation in the dog world. She was the first American invited to the Plaza in New York to judge Pekingese.<\/p>\n

In 1911 Lydia converted her childhood dollhouse (big enough for many a grownup) into a doghouse for her 18 poodles.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, Washington), 20 August 1911, page 24<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Each poodle had its own bed fitted with fine linens and blankets. There was a parlor, dining room, and kitchen \u2013 all fully equipped with modern plumbing, bathtubs, and electricity.<\/p>\n

According to this article:<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Hopkins now boasts the best equipped kennels in the world. There is nothing in style and originality that compares with them.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The society pages were turning up photos of pretty \u201cbitches,\u201d but not of the human variety. The purebreds that made the news were Lydia\u2019s champs. Many graced the pages of Vanity Fair<\/em> and Dog Fancy<\/em>. One pug, \u201cDark Duchess,\u201d was a celebrated beauty that came with a price tag of $4,000 in 1925. She was very English and required tea and biscuits at 3:00 on the dot every afternoon!<\/p>\n

In 1951 Lydia published a book, The Complete Poodle<\/em>, which was released with a posh party hosted by \u201cMouche,\u201d the grande dame of the establishment Book, Inc. on Sutter Street in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, California), 18 November 1951, page 53<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three hundred poodles attended the lavish cocktail party. Everything was first class, including the poodle\u2019s masters: Mrs. Gerald Stanford, Mrs. Richard Duff, Mrs. Sanford Lowengart, Mrs. Charlotte Daiber, Mrs. Keneth Brown, Mrs. Albert Ames, and many other socialites.<\/p>\n

The lady poodles arrived with sprinkled sequins and ballet skirts, and one of the boy poodles had a cowboy hat and shoulder holster complete with pistol.<\/p>\n

The blue ribbons and bowwow treats were presented by Ernest, a butler in full livery. The poodles were provided a designated \u201cfireplug,\u201d with a sign \u201cMessieurs\u201d \u2013 however they ignored it, and a black Cadillac was their preferred place to do their business.<\/p>\n

Lydia autographed her book for the guests, but there was also an option for a paw print. The book was a hit!<\/p>\n

Lydia was the last surviving heir to the Hopkins railroad dynasty, but that did not stop the influx of Hopkins Hopefuls filing in the probate courts to contest the inheritance of her grandfather Mark Hopkins\u2019 vast fortune. It is certain that these gold diggers caught news clips from the society pages. Stay tuned for more on that subject.<\/p>\n

Note:<\/em><\/strong> Just as an online collection of newspapers, such as GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>, told the stories of Mark Hopkins\u2019 fortune, they can tell you stories about your ancestors that can\u2019t be found anywhere else. Come look today and see what you can discover!<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Genealogy:<\/strong><\/p>\n