Lanier, Hankins, Hopkins & Taylor Families

• Born: 2 April 1894, Wallins Creek, Harlan County, Kentucky ^2,165
• Marriage: Emma Ewers TAYLOR on 11 October 1920 in Jellico, Campbell County, Tennessee ^162,163
• Died: 26 May 1980, Harlan, Harlan County, Kentucky at age 86 ^166,167
• Buried: 29 May 1980, Elmwood Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky ^165,168

  Death Notes:

Elmer died at the Harlan Appalachian Regional Hospital.

  More Information:

• Residence: 1894 1901, Wallins Creek, Harlan County, Kentucky. ¹⁴⁰ At the time of his birth, Elmer's parents lived in Wallins Creek on property that his mother's parents gave them. They lived there until sometime between 1900 and 1902 when they moved to Rockcastle County.

• Education: Elmer went to school to the 3rd or 4th grade. He attended school at Wallins Creek in Harlan County and at Red Bud School in Rockcastle County. ²

• 1900 United States Federal Census, James Hopkins household, Harlan County, Kentucky ¹⁶⁴: Elmer was living with his parents in Wallins. He was listed as Elmer Hopkins (son, age 6, born Apr 1894).

• Residence: bet. 1901 and 1920, Brodhead, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. ¹⁶⁹ Sometime between 1900 and 1902, Elmer's family moved to the Brodhead area of Rockcastle County. They lived in a house on what is now KY 1326 until about 1919. At that time they moved to a house on US 150 at Gum Sulphur [between Brodhead & Crab Orchard]. Elmer lived with his parents in Rockcastle County (except for the time he was in the US Army) until his marriage in 1920.

• Photo: Hopkins Family, May 1909, Brodhead, Rockcastle County, Kentucky.

• 1910 United States Federal Census, James A. Hopkins household, Rockcastle County, Kentucky ¹⁷⁰: Elmer was living with his parents. He was listed as Elmer Hopkins (son, age 16).

• Military Service, 4 December 1911-3 December 1914: Elmer served two tours in the US Army. 1st, he enlisted 4 Dec 1911 at Middlesboro, Kentucky and was discharged 3 Dec 1914 at Ft. Bliss, Texas. During that tour, he served in the 15th Cavalry, Troop E.

According to his discharge papers, he "participated in the internment of the Mexican Federal Army after their evacuation of Ojinaga, Mexico Jan 10-20, 1914". [During the Mexican Revolution, Pancho Villa led the war in the northern part of Mexico on behalf of the revolution. In January 1914, Pancho Villa and his army drove the Mexican Federal Army out of Ojinaga. To avoid being captured by Villa, the Mexican Army crossed the border into Texas and surrendered to US troops. The Mexicans were interned in Fort Bliss, Texas and Fort Wingate, New Mexico for almost a year. Elmer was involved in the interment at Fort Bliss.] ¹⁷¹

• Occupation: Elmer worked for L & N Railroad from 1915 to 1960 in Kentucky. ² He started working for the railroad on 15 Dec 1915. He left in May, 1918 for a 2nd tour of duty with the U. S. Army but returned to the railroad after his discharge in 1919. He initially worked out of Corbin in Whitley County and during the early years moved back and forth between there and Harlan County. He returned to Harlan County in 1927 and remained there, working out of the Loyall yard office, until he retired in 1960.

While working out of Harlan County in 1920's, the train he was on wrecked and he ended up in the Cumberland River. Elmer had a broken leg but managed to swim to Lish Howard's house for help. (Lish was the son of Green Howard and the grandson of Larkin Howard making him Elmer's 2nd cousin.)

• Physical Description: In his WW I draft registration, Elmer was described as medium height with medium build, brown eyes and black hair. ¹⁷²

• World War I Military Service, 24 May 1918-12 June 1919: Elmer's 2nd tour of duty with the US Army was during World War I. He was inducted 24 May 1918 at Mount Vernon, Kentucky and was discharged 12 Jun 1919 at Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky (near Louisville). He was stationed in France from 6 Aug 1918 to 28 May 1919. He earned the rank of Corporal. ¹⁷³

• Photo: Elmer, ca. 1920.

• Photo: Elmer, ca. 1920.

• Not Found in Census: Elmer was not listed with his parents in Rockcastle County and has not been located in the 1920 census. He got out of the army in 1919 and was working for the L & N Railroad at Corbin but cannot be found in the Whitley or Knox County census records either.

• Photo: Elmer.

• 1930 United States Federal Census, Elmer D. Hopkins household, Harlan County, Kentucky ¹⁷⁴: Elmer and Emma were living in Loyall with 3 daughters. Elmer was listed as a conductor for L & N Railroad, age 36, born in Kentucky, marriage at age 27.

• Photo: Hopkins Family, 1932, Warren County, Ohio. Front: Lige, Cindy, Jim, Lula, Henry; Back: Lum, Doc, Grant, Elmer, Berry.

• 1940 United States Federal Census, Elmer D. Hopkins household, Loyall, Harlan County, Kentucky ²¹: Elmer and Emma lived in the Ailey Howard Addition with their three daughters and Emma's sister, Gracie [incorrectly listed as June Taylor, 9 yrs old]. Elmer was listed as a brakeman for the railroad, age 46, born in Kentucky. He completed the 5th grade. He made $1,500.00 in 1939. They lived in the "same place" [actually the same house] in 1935.

• Occupation: Elmer worked as a Coal Mine in Wallins Creek, Harlan County, Kentucky from 1943 to 1944. ² Elmer had a mine at Wallins Creek in 1943 - 44.

• Photo: Elmer D. Hopkins.

• Photo: Elmer D. Hopkins.

• Retirement: Elmer retired from the L & N Railroad on 28 Apr 1960. His children & grandchildren jumped the train and rode part of the way on the caboose with him. ^140,175

• Photo: Elmer, ca. 1979.

• Photo: Elmer, ca. 1979.

• Obituary: Published in the Harlan Daily Enterprise on 27 May 1980 in Harlan, Harlan County, Kentucky. ¹⁷⁶ ELMER HOPKINS:
Elmer D. Hopkins, 86, Loyall, died Monday in Harlan Appalachian Regional Hospital after a long illness.

He was a native of Wallins and a veteran of World War I. He was also a retired conductor for L & N Railroad and was employed by L & N for 43 years. Mr. Hopkins was a member of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and Congregational Jehovah Witnesses.

Services will be conducted Thursday at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Loyall Funeral Home with Jim Copland officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Vernon Cemetery with graveside services there at 3 p.m. (note - correct name of cemetery is Elmwood)

He is survived by three daughters.

Also surviving are eight grandchildren; three great grandchildren; four brothers, Henry and Berry, Detroit; Lum, Ohio; Doc, Chicago; and sister, Lula of Tampa, Fla.

Pallbearers will be Gary Moon, Mark Fugate, Mike Rhinehart, Bob Blue, Therman Fugate, Sam Mills, Fred Ward and Richard Flatt.

The family will receive friends Wednesday from 3 until 9 p.m. in the chapel of Loyall Funeral Home.

• Obituary: Published in the Mt. Vernon Signal on 29 May 1980 in Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. ¹⁷⁷ ELMER D. HOPKINS:
Elmer D. Hopkins, 86, of Loyall, died Monday, May 26th.

Survivors include three daughters; 8 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 29 at 11 a.m. at the Loyall Funeral Home in Loyall. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. at Elmwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon.

• Grave Marker: Emma E. & Elmer D. Hopkins, Elmwood Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. ¹⁶⁵

• VA Grave Marker: Elmer D. Hopkins, Elmwood Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. ¹⁷⁸

Elmer married Emma Ewers TAYLOR, daughter of John Cook TAYLOR and Emma Jane "Emmie" OWENS, on 11 October 1920 in Jellico, Campbell County, Tennessee ¹⁶².^,163 (Emma Ewers TAYLOR was born on 24 October 1900 in Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky,¹⁷⁹ died on 19 January 1978 in Harlan, Harlan County, Kentucky ^180,181 and was buried on 22 January 1978 in Elmwood Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky ^165,182.)

• Wedding Announcement: Mt. Vernon Signal, 15 October 1920, Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. ¹⁸³ TAYLOR-HOPKINS: Miss Emma Taylor and Mr. Elmer Hopkins were married in Jellico, Tenn Oct. 11, 1920.

Miss Taylor is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Taylor of this city and was the Asst. Cashier of the Peoples Bank. She was one of Mount Vernon's most popular girls and was liked by everyone. Mr. Hopkins is the son of Mr. J. A. Hopkins of near Brodhead and is a fine young man. Mr. Hopkins is a conductor for the L & N with headquarters at Corbin, Ky where they will make their home.

[1st part of this sentence unreadable] . . . host of friends in wishing them a long and happy married life.

• Photo: Emma & Elmer.

• Photo: Elmer & Emma. In their front yard at Loyall.

• Photo: Elmer & Emma.

• Children: Elmer & Emma had 4 daughters. ¹⁴⁰

• Photo: 50th Wedding Anniversary, October 1970, Loyall, Harlan County, Kentucky. Elmer and Emma

• Photo: Elmer & Emma, 6 November 1976, Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky.

  Marriage Notes:

Click here for more photos of Elmer & Emma and their family.