BY DANNY LEAVY
THE FUNERAL OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN 1865
Captain Edward Hopper was born in Banagher in 1826. His father was a Sergeant with the Kings County (Offaly) militia at Banagher during the 1848 rebellion. Edward and his brother Robert were arrested soon after the rebellion for using rebellious language and having documents in their possession supporting the uprising including a military drill book and copies of the Nation Newspaper. It is unclear how long the brothers were in jail, but Edward arrived in New York in 1849
.One year later he married Bridget Teresa Whitty. He was for many years involved with the Montgomery Guards of Jersey City, New Jersey known as Bergen City back then, along with his Brother-in-law Dublin man Henry Michael Baker.
When the Civil War broke out in 1861, he raised Company B, 2nd New Jersey militia which he commanded during his three-month service.
When he returned, he raised another company the 5th Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded during the seven days battle in Richmond Virginia in 1862 and was evacuated from Savages Station to the James River as the rebel cavalry were closing in. He was unable to endure the horse drawn carriage ride and asked to be laid out in a field to rest.
Union Army General George McClellan seen him in the field and ordered a horse from the NY Calvary unit to transport him to James River. He spent the rest of the war as a recruiting officer in Jersey City. He worked as a bookkeeper in the J.H. Gautier Company. They manufactured steel, glass and pottery.
On April 24th, 1865, When the body of President Abraham Lincoln arrived by train in Jersey City on its way to New York City ,Captain Hopper was one of ten men chosen to carry the casket from the train to the horse drawn hearse which moved through the crowded streets to the ferry for the hudson river crossing.
Edwards half-brother John and his nephew Edward Jnr both served in the union army.
All three men are buried in Saint Peters Catholic Cemetery, Jersey City, New Jersey.
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