Little Fork Church Notes From History – October 12, 2023

Notes from History No. 8, Welly Hopkins is ready to rebuild.
Little Fork Church Burying Ground grave numbers 3C and 3D are the final resting place of two individuals the congregation may not know much if anything about but to whom we owe so much. Wellington (Welly) Kennon Hopkins and his wife Alice Isaacs Hopkins became the first committee members of what we know of today as the Historic Little Fork Preservation Trust. Welly has the first memorial plate in the Church. It is the first one as you walk in the front door on the pew panel to the right.
In an announcement letter of the first meeting of the Little Fork Restoration Committee, Senior Warden Alfred Cramer from St. Stephens Church wrote on May 30, 1974 to Welly Hopkins and his wife Alice asking if they would be on this committee. Follow this link to the letter and the minutes of the first 2 years of the committee (1974-1975).
Welly went on to serve as chairman of Little Fork Restoration Committee and subsequently the Preservation Committee for 18 years and on Little Fork Day July 5th 1992 the Reverend John Desaulniers read a resolution from the Vestry and Congregation of the Church.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved. that the Congregation of Little Fork Church, by resolution of the Vestry; and Preservation Committee of Little Fork Church with approval of Vestry, do Jointly declare this Little Fork Day Celebration, July 5th 1992, to be a day of honor and thanksgiving for the service and ministry of Welly K. Hopkins.
The above was published in the October 1992 âNews . . .from Little Fork Churchâ by the Little Fork Preservation Committee. Scanned copy found by clicking âNewsletters, Preservation Trustâ, search for 1992, it will be the first one.
Alice died the day before Christmas Eve in 1993 and Welly died two months later on February 27th.
Wellington Kennon âWellyâ Hopkins (1898-1994)
Born in Gonzales Texas on September 3, 1898
Son of Samuel Houston Hopkins (1870-1909) and Frances Josephine Rainbolt (1870-1955)
Died at 95 February 27, 1994 in Reva, Culpeper County, Virginia. Buried in Rixeyville. He Married Alice Young Isaacs (1905-1993) on April 27, 1935.
He was Elected to the Texas House of Representatives on January 8, 1929 and served up to January 13, 1931 for District 67 by the 41st Legislature then Texas State Senator from January 13, 1931 to November 15, 1935 by the 42nd, 43rd and 44th Legislatures. On September 14, 1933 he was elected President Pro Tempore.
Alice and Lady Bird Johnson were close friends. They would often be seen driving through the Northern Virginia country side observing roadside flowers. Alice is most likely responsible for Mrs. Johnsonâs visit to Little Fork during the restoration in 1977. See the same article mentioned above âNewsletters, Preservation Trustâ picture on the first page.
Welly resigned from Chairman after 18 years of the Little Forkâs Restoration Committee and subsequently the Preservation Committee on May 9, 1992.
Welly and a young LBJ at the Empire State Building 1934Image from www.discoverlbj.org