Johns Hopkins (1795-1873) was an American physician, philanthropist and one of the founding fathers of Johns Hopkins University. He was born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1807. After a brief stint as a surgeon during the War of 1812, he returned to Philadelphia to set up a successful medical practice. In 1816, he married Mary Elizabeth Garrett, with whom he had five children.
In 1867, Hopkins retired from active medical practice and devoted himself to philanthropy. He donated $7 million dollars to establish Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins University, which opened its doors in 1876. The university is now one of the leading research institutions in the world, and the hospital is consistently ranked as one of the best in the United States.
Johns Hopkins died on Christmas Eve in 1873 at his home in Baltimore. He is buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery alongside his wife and children.