Arthur John Hopkins was born on September 20, 1864, in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. He graduated from Amherst College in 1885. He was principal of the Cotuit (Mass.) High School, 1886-1888; taught science in the Peekskill (N.Y.) Military Academy, 1888-1890; studied at Johns Hopkins University, 1890-1893, where he was a fellow in 1892 and earned his PhD; and was a professor of chemistry at Westminster College in Pennsylvania, 1893-1894. He then returned to teach at Amherst College, first as an assistant and associate professor of chemistry 1894-1907, and a full professor from 1907 until his retirement in 1934. He died on November 10, 1939, in Amherst, Massachusetts.

He wrote many scientific articles and a book, Alchemy, Child of Greek Philosophy. He was an authority on the history of alchemy.