Johns Hopkins University is named for Johns Hopkins, who left $7 million in his 1867 incorporation papers and his 1873 will for the foundation of the University and Johns Hopkins Hospital. At the time, this was the largest philanthropic bequest in U.S. history, the equivalent of over $88.2 million in the year 2005.
In 1888, just 12 years after the university was founded, Mark Twain wrote about this university in a letter to a friend. He said:
A few months ago I was told that the Johns Hopkins University had given me a degree. I naturally supposed this constituted me a Member of the Faculty, and so I started in to help as I could there. I told them I believed they were perfectly competent to run a college as far as the higher branches of education are concerned, but what they needed was a little help here and there from a practical commercial man. I said the public is sensitive to little things, and they wouldn't have full confidence in a college that didn't know how to spell the name 'John'.
The first name Johns is derived from the philanthropist's grandfather, also named Johns Hopkins. He in turn was given the name in honor of his mother's maiden name; she was Margaret Johns, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Kinsey) Johns, our direct ancestor.
