text: who was john hopkins? who was john hopkins? what is he famous for? thanks hopkins, johns, 1795—1873, american financier and philanthropist, founder of johns hopkins univ., b. anne arundel co., md. in 1819 he founded his own commission firm, later known as hopkins brothers, and also went into banking. he later had a large part in the growth of the baltimore & ohio rr, of which he became a director in 1847. his cognizance of baltimore's lack of medical facilities in times of epidemic and his own scant education led him to bequeath, a few years before his death, $7 million for the founding of a free hospital and johns hopkins univ.