OR

source:wikipedia.org
03 Sep, 1814
29 Mar, 1878
Unknown
American
Treasurer
63
Mark Hopkins Jr. was a prominent American businessman who played a key role in the construction of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.
He was one of the four investors, known as the Big Four, who founded the Central Pacific Railroad, along with Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, and Collis Huntington.
Hopkins was born in Henderson, New York, on September 3, 1814, to Mark Hopkins and Anastasia Lukens Kellogg, who were first cousins.
Hopkins‘s father died when he was a boy, and he moved to St. Clair, Michigan, with his mother and siblings.
Hopkins worked as a clerk, a bookkeeper, and a manager for various businesses before forming his own company, the New England Mining and Trading Company, in 1848.
He sailed to California in 1849, during the gold rush, and opened a store in Placerville, which failed. He then moved to Sacramento and started a wholesale grocery business with his friend Edward H. Miller.
In 1861, he joined forces with Stanford, Crocker, and Huntington to finance the Central Pacific Railroad, which was the western part of the transcontinental railroad project.
Hopkins served as the treasurer and financial manager of the company and was responsible for securing loans, bonds, and contracts. He also oversaw the purchase of land, materials, and equipment.
He traveled frequently between Sacramento, San Francisco, and New York, to supervise the railroad’s operations and negotiate with investors, politicians, and suppliers.
In 1854, he married his first cousin, Mary Frances Sherwood, in New York City. They had no children of their own, but they adopted Timothy Nolan, the son of their housekeeper.
Hopkins was a frugal and modest man, who preferred to stay out of the public eye. He was also interested in science and technology and collected books and instruments.
Hopkins died on March 29, 1878, at the age of 64 while returning from a trip to New York.
Mark Hopkins Jr.
Mark Hopkins Jr.
Male
Unknown
Henderson, New York, US
Yuma, Arizona, US
Entrepreneur: Smart, energetic and very perceptive people, who truly enjoy living on the edge. Hopkins had the entrepreneurial spirit and he wasn’t afraid to take risks in life.
Mark Hopkins co-founded the Central Pacific Railroad, a major western railroad.
He became one of the wealthiest men in California during his time
Hopkins played a key role in building the First Transcontinental Railroad.
He was a well-known business tycoon.