JL Floyd says he was the son of James Hopewell and Elizabeth Ulp as does Paul William Hopewell, though I think PWH was merely quoting Floyd. Meiser lists Elizabeth Ulp buried at Riverview as the wife of James Hopewell. He does not indicate that John U was their son, nor does he seem to be saying James was buried at Riverview.

For a long time, I was certain that John’s father was James and his mother was Elizabeth, but I couldn’t prove that her name was Elizabeth Ulp. It would have been nice had that unusual middle name of his ever appeared on an official document but the best I can do is to say I know it was “U” even though it sometimes appeared more like “V” or “W”. It is certainly “U” on his tombstone and he was involved in several land transactions in the 1860’s and it looks like in the first few it was written John W Hopewell and then finally John U Hopewell and it is as if someone then went back to the earlier records and changed the “W” to “U”. I took that “U” itself as pretty strong evidence that his mother’s maiden name was Ulp -- their weren’t too many other “U” names in Northumberland.

So, bingo! In 2014, finally PA Death Certificates are accessible and the DC for John W (their typo) Hopewell says his parents were James Hopewell and Elizabeth Ulp!

1830. His father James Hopewell lives in North’d and has a son under 5.
1840. His father James Hopewell lives in North’d and has two sons 5-10.
1850. John lives with his mother and married sister in North’d.
1860-1900. John lives in either North’d Borough or Point Twp in all these years. In 1880, he says both his parents were born PA.

1900. John U Hopewell lives in Point Twp. He is 70 b.Dec 1829 married 46 years, dairyman, born in PA, his father in NJ, his mother PA. Sara C 65 b.Dec 1834 married 46 years born PA both parents NJ. Only child present is Minnie R age 27. A neighbor is his son James H age 32.

Floyd’s book on Northumberland Genealogies says:

”John U Hopewell was a farmer at Point Township during 30 years of his active life. This family is descended from John Hopewell, a native of NJ, who relocated to Northumberland County. James Hopewell, son of John, was born in NJ in 1797 and came to Northumberland County with his parents, spending the remainder of his life here. He died 29 Jan 1839. For many years he was a clerk in Cowden’s store. His wife, Elizabeth Ulp, was born December 1800 and died 18 Jul 1850.

Their children included John U, born 4 Dec 1829 at the corner of Market and Third Streets. He followed various occupations including boatman, later coal, and butchering and farming, owning over 200 acres. On May 25, 1854, John U married Sarah C Young born 7 Dec 1834. They had 13 children....(including) Rebecca born 1857 married John P Mertz.”

John Ulp Hopewell had an interesting occupation -- boatman -- engaging in what was an important early Northumberland industry. After that he was in the coal business and then became a dairy farmer. I suspect his coal business was related to his earlier career of boatman.

The mother of all of his 13 children was Sarah Catherine Young whom he married 25 May 1854. She was his second wife, sister of John’s first wife Mary Elizabeth Young who died soon after their marriage 3 Feb 1852.

A fairly large tombstone in Riverview memorializes John and his wife. Buried nearby is Mary Elizabeth, whose tombstone says she was the wife of John Hopewell 10 Oct 1832-29 Sep 1853.

Obituary. “Nov 1908 -- John U Hopewell, one of Northumberland's oldest and most esteemed citizens passed away on Wednesday morning, almost 79 years of age, b.4 Dec 1829. He spent his entire life in Point Twp and town. For 30 years he conducted a dairy and lived on one of the best farms in this section, retiring to upper Second Street a few years ago. His early career was coal business. 54 years ago last May, married 2nd wife Catherine Young, sister of his first wife Mary who died soon after marriage. By his second wife, he had 13 children.....(including) Mrs. John Mertz. He was an exemplary father and husband and good citizen, served as Councilman and overseer of the poor.”

We know her maiden name from her marriage record. John and Margaret Young are buried not far from their daughters, the two Mrs. John U Hopewells. Meiser and Floyd both state her parents were John and Margaret.

She can be accounted for with her parents in 1840 and is with her mother in 1850.

Mary Elizabeth was John Ulp Hopewell's first wife, according to Jack Mertz. She died in childbirth, as did the child, and John remarried. Sarah Catherine, his second wife, was Mary Elizabeth's younger sister.

Her birth and death dates are from Meiser's Genealogist's Guide to Riverview Cemetery.

We know her maiden name from her marriage record. John and Margaret Young are buried not far from their daughters, the two Mrs. John U Hopewells. Meiser and Floyd both state her parents were John and Margaret.

Her death certificate says her parents were Jno C Younge and Margaret Philips and Margaret was born in PA.

She can be accounted for with her parents in 1840 and is with her mother in 1850.

1860-1900. She is with her husband.

1910. She lives with William Botts and his two children, I assume he is her son-in-law.

Obit. 12/15/1916 Sarah Q (sic) Hopewell died last night, recently celebrated her 82nd birthday on Dec 7. She was widow of John U, one of the town's most widely known citizens. She was possessed of a kindly nature and her pleasant nature drew to her a large circle of friends. Mrs. Hopewell is survived by the following children: Mrs. John P. Mertz, Mrs. John Hummel, Mrs. Charles Heintzelman, James H. Hopewell, H. B. Hopewell, R. G. Hopewell, of Northumberland: Mrs. M. E. Sanders, of Scranton, and Mrs. Geo. Shaffer, of Bloomsburg. Burial will be at Riverview.

John U Hopewell and Sarah C Young are listed as the parents of Anna Rebecca Hopewell by Meiser in his listing of Riverview. JUH b.4 Dec 1829 d.11 Nov 1908. SCY b.7 Dec 1834 d. 15 Dec 1916. Also lists Mary E Young b.10 Oct 1832 d.29 Sep 1853 (a Meiser typo, as it looks more like 1858 and it says 26y old). Jack Mertz gave me the exact same information.

Sarah Catherine Young and John Ulp Hopewell had 13 children and actually Sarah Catherine was John's second wife, his first wife was Mary Elizabeth Young, Sarah's older sister, who died very young.