Johns Hopkins (May 19, 1795 – December 24, 1873) was an American merchant, investor, and philanthropist best known for posthumously funding the establishment of Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Hospital, which have since become leading institutions for scientific research and medical advancements. At the time of his death, his donation was the largest philanthropic bequest ever made to an American educational institution.
Born on a plantation in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, he left his home to start a career at the age of seventeen, and settled in Baltimore, Maryland, where he remained for most of his life. Hopkins accumulated his fortune primarily through investing in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), where he later served as finance director. He was also president of Baltimore-based Merchants' National Bank.
