Caleb Hopkins

Who was Caleb Hopkins?

Caleb Hopkins was a farmer and politician in Upper Canada.

He was born in New Jersey in 1785 and later settled in Nelson Township, Halton County. He founded a settlement called Hannahville with his brothers, help set up the first school in the area and served on the district council. In 1828, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada for Halton as a Reformer; he did not run in 1830 but was reelected in 1834. He was elected to the 1st Parliament of the Province of Canada in East Halton. He opposed the move of the capital from Kingston to Montreal. In 1841, he supported the District Councils Act, which was opposed by the other Reformers. He also expressed his disapproval after the Reform government resigned in protest in 1843. So, another Reform candidate was chosen to run in East Halton in 1844; when Hopkins ran as well, the vote was split and the Conservative candidate, George Chalmers, won. In 1850, he was elected again in East Halton as a Clear Grit, defeating the incumbent Reformer, John Wetenhall. After 1851, he retired from politics. He moved to Hamilton in 1870.

He died in Toronto in 1880 at the home of his son-in-law.