He was a hymn writer, theologian, music teacher and priest born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whose father was also John Henry Hopkins and he was the Bishop of Vermont.
He studied at the University of Vermont in the late 1830s and worked as a reporter for the New York Times after graduating in 1939. He had planned to take up law as a career but changed his track and went to study at the General Theological Seminary. He graduated from there in 1850 and five years later began working there as a music teacher.
At the same time he also held the position of editor of the Church Journal from 1853 to 1868, was ordained deacon in 1850 and was rector at the Trinity Church in Plattsburg, New York and Christ Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania from 1876. He was instrumental in the establishing of the dioceses in Pittsburgh, Albany and Long Island in 1868.
He published Carols, Hymns and Songs, Canticles Noted with Accompanying Harmonies and Poems by the Wayside, and was also the writer of the popular Christmas carol “We Three Kings of Orient Are”.
He died when he was 70 years old in Hudson, New York.
We Three Kings recordings
Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra
Decca B0003552-02 (CD: A Leroy Anderson Christmas)
Clare College Singers and Orchestra
EMI 7 69950 2 CD: Carols from Clare (rec. 1966))
Conductor – John Rutter
Deborah Henson-Conant
Golden Cage (CD: The Gift)
Harp– Deborah Henson-Conant
Kings College Choir, Cambridge
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Mannheim Steamroller
American Gramaphone Records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
Robert Shaw Chorale
RCA 6429 – 2 – RG (CD: A Festival of Carols)
Sources:
- http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/h/o/p/hopkins_jh.htm
- http://www.famousamericans.net/johnhenryhopkins/
- http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/we_three_kings_of_orient_are.htm