Milton N. Hopkins
Encyclopedia
Milton Newton Hopkins Jr (1926 - 5 March 2007) was a farmer
in southern Georgia
, in the south-eastern United States
, as well as a conservationist
, naturalist
, and author
, who had a long association with the Georgia Ornithological Society
(GOS).
Hopkins grew up in Fitzgerald, Georgia
. He developed an interest in birds from about eight years of age and spent much time exploring the countryside around his home town. He became a member of GOS in 1939, when he was 15, and contributed his first field note to its journal The Oriole in 1942.
Hopkins served in the Navy
in World War II
, in the Pacific theatre
. He was on a destroyer
in Tokyo Bay
when Japan surrendered
. After the war he made use of the G.I. Bill to study zoology
at the University of Georgia
, eventually achieving a master's degree
in 1951.
Hopkins was known primarily as an ornithologist
, and was editor of The Oriole 1960-1965, and received the Society's Earl R. Greene Award for outstanding contributions to Georgia ornithology. He published numerous observations of birdlife in South Georgia over the years, and was good friends with many preeminent southern naturalists, notably Herbert L. Stoddard, author of The Bobwhite Quail: Its Habits, Preservation and Increase, the standard reference on Bobwhite Quail
. In 1975 GOS published Hopkins' book, The Birdlife of Ben Hill County, Georgia and Adjacent Areas.
Hopkins traveled widely, but was firmly rooted in his native southern Georgia. The bulk of his adult life was spent at Osierfield, in Irwin County
, where he and his family lived in a restored train depot. An ardent conservationist who balanced agribusiness
with a concern for the environment, Hopkins was named national Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year in 1981 by the American Tree Farm System.
In his later years, Hopkins remained very active and befriended Janisse Ray
, author of the modern classic Ecology of a Cracker Childhood. Ray was instrumental in encouraging him to publish a collection of his stories of farm life in South Georgia, and in 2001 his book In One Place: The Natural History of a Georgia Farmer was issued to great reviews. In 2001 he also published Around Fitzgerald, Georgia, In Vintage Picture Postcards, part of Arcadia's Postcard History Series. A lifelong student of local history and collector of related ephemera, most of the items highlighted were from his vast personal collection.
Hopkins died at the age of 80 after suffering an aneurysm
.
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
in southern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, in the south-eastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, as well as a conservationist
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
, naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, who had a long association with the Georgia Ornithological Society
Georgia Ornithological Society
The Georgia Ornithological Society is the principal birding and bird conservation organisation in the American state of Georgia.-Newsletter:It was founded in Atlanta in 1936, at a meeting attended by famed ornithologist, Roger Tory Peterson...
(GOS).
Hopkins grew up in Fitzgerald, Georgia
Fitzgerald, Georgia
Fitzgerald is a city in Ben Hill in the U.S. state of Georgia, and is the county seat of Ben Hill County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,053...
. He developed an interest in birds from about eight years of age and spent much time exploring the countryside around his home town. He became a member of GOS in 1939, when he was 15, and contributed his first field note to its journal The Oriole in 1942.
Hopkins served in the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in the Pacific theatre
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. He was on a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
in Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
when Japan surrendered
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
. After the war he made use of the G.I. Bill to study zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, eventually achieving a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1951.
Hopkins was known primarily as an ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
, and was editor of The Oriole 1960-1965, and received the Society's Earl R. Greene Award for outstanding contributions to Georgia ornithology. He published numerous observations of birdlife in South Georgia over the years, and was good friends with many preeminent southern naturalists, notably Herbert L. Stoddard, author of The Bobwhite Quail: Its Habits, Preservation and Increase, the standard reference on Bobwhite Quail
Bobwhite Quail
The Northern Bobwhite, Virginia Quail or Bobwhite Quail is a ground-dwelling bird native to the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean...
. In 1975 GOS published Hopkins' book, The Birdlife of Ben Hill County, Georgia and Adjacent Areas.
Hopkins traveled widely, but was firmly rooted in his native southern Georgia. The bulk of his adult life was spent at Osierfield, in Irwin County
Irwin County, Georgia
Irwin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818. As of 2000, the population was 9,931. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 9,934...
, where he and his family lived in a restored train depot. An ardent conservationist who balanced agribusiness
Agribusiness
In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales....
with a concern for the environment, Hopkins was named national Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year in 1981 by the American Tree Farm System.
In his later years, Hopkins remained very active and befriended Janisse Ray
Janisse Ray
Janisse Ray is an American writer, naturalist, and environmental activist.She attended North Georgia College, 1980–82; Florida State University, B.A., 1984; and the University of Montana, M.F.A., 1997....
, author of the modern classic Ecology of a Cracker Childhood. Ray was instrumental in encouraging him to publish a collection of his stories of farm life in South Georgia, and in 2001 his book In One Place: The Natural History of a Georgia Farmer was issued to great reviews. In 2001 he also published Around Fitzgerald, Georgia, In Vintage Picture Postcards, part of Arcadia's Postcard History Series. A lifelong student of local history and collector of related ephemera, most of the items highlighted were from his vast personal collection.
Hopkins died at the age of 80 after suffering an aneurysm
Aneurysm
An aneurysm or aneurism is a localized, blood-filled balloon-like bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. Aneurysms can commonly occur in arteries at the base of the brain and an aortic aneurysm occurs in the main artery carrying blood from the left ventricle of the heart...
.