Mary P. Hopkins was born 11 June 1874 to William & Sarah (Reader) Philp in Michigan. Philp is the correct spelling of their surname. William and Sarah moved to Vernon, Isabella, MI where he homesteaded, was the first blacksmith, and a musician in the township. They had nine children. William passed away in 1882 and Sarah passed away in 1923. Mary Philp began teaching school in MI when she was about 16 years old. She married George M. Sutherland around 1896 in Michigan. The Sutherland family had moved to WA around 1907 and Mary secured a teaching position in Aberdeen, WA. She was also involved and participated in county politics including fighting for a road to be built on the south side of Grays Harbor, WA. She taught in several schools in the area including Hoquiam and Chehalis, WA. By 1910, she and her family were living in Chehalis where she was teaching. It seems that she may have stayed in Washington State until about 1917. Mary and her sons, George E. and Floyd D., had moved to Washington D.C. by 1920, where she was working as a clerk typist and the boys were radio operators. From the 1920 U.S. Federal Census, she was divorced by that time. Between 1920 and 1930, she remarried someone named Hopkins. But, he must have passed away by 1930 because she was listed as living with her brother, George, in Port Huron, MI in the Federal Census. They were both listed as widowed. The marriage to Mr. Hopkins was relatively brief but it is the surname that she is known by in MI. Mary Philp Hopkins went on to be very active in the Prohibition Party in Michigan. She was the Prohibition candidate for Auditor General, 1932; Prohibition candidate for University of Michigan Board of Regents, 1933; Prohibition candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1944, 1948; Prohibition candidate for Michigan State Senate 5th District, 1946, 1948. On the 15 Sept. 1971 at the age of 97, Mary Philp Hopkins passed away in Lake City, Missaukee, MI.
From the description of Mary P. Hopkins' memoirs of Grays Harbor County and Michigan, 1907-1920 1907-1912. (Washington State Library, Office of Secretary of State). WorldCat record id: 190604509
