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(reprinted from the Yarmouth Herald, September 1, 1914)
*********** (1) **********
STEPHEN HOPKINS, the ancestor of the Eastham branch of the Hopkins
family, was one of the passangers on the Mayflower, in 1620. " On the 11th
day of November, 1620 (old style) there was drawn on the lid of a chest on
board of the Mayflower, at Cape Cod and signed by forty-one of the
principal men of the first band of Pilgrims, a platform of government
known as the Compact, and which gave to these people the claim of being
the first 'Signers' of this great and free United States of America."
Stephen Hopkins was the fourteenth signer of this famous Compact. He was
from the "London section" and went on board of the Mayflower with his
family as the vessel lay ready for sail for the new world. His family
at that time consisted of Elizabeth, his wife; Giles and Constanta,
children by a former marriage; Damaris, a daughter by hie second wife;
Edward Doty and Edward Litster, two apprentices in the employ of Mr.
Hopkins. Of the parentage and early life of Stephen Hopkins nothing
reliable is known. The name of his first wife, in Old England, is not
known. He was an energetic, self reliant, fearless man, of good judgement
in matters of business, and, bringing with him experience and capacity,
the Pilgrims were indeed fortunate in having him with them in the new
settlement.He was active in all the explorations at the lower end of the
Cape up to the final settlement of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Four days
after signing the Compact, when a company of sixteen was formed under
Capt. Myles Standish, to explore the locality " to see wheather it might
be fit * * * to seat in or no," Mr. Hopkins, with William Bradford and
Edward Tilley, "was adjoined for counsel and advice." Later he was of
another party to explore the territory now covered by the towns of
Provincetown and Truro, when they spent the nights in the open air behind
a "barricado," saw for the first time the native Indians, found their
first corn buried in the sand, drank from th Truro springs their first
"New England water." In July, 1621, with Edward Winslow, he was chosen by
Gov. Bradford to visit Massasoit, the old chief of the Wampanoags, where
thr greatest possible tact and statemanship were required; a false move
would wreck their purpose. His office holding in Plymouth was continuous -
of the Govorners Council 1633-4-5-6; one of the volunteers in aid of
Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut in their war with the Perquotsin 1637;
one of the council of war in 1642. The exact date of Mr. Hopkins death is
not known, but it must have occurred between June 6, 1644, the date of his
will, and July 17, 1644, the date of the inventory of his estate. His will
was witnessed by Capt. Myles Standish and Mr. William Bradford. He
expressed a desire to be buried as near as possible to his "wife
deceased." Mr. Hopkins was twice married. The name of his first wife, in
Old England, is not knowned. His wife, who came with him on the Mayflower,
was Elizabeth ?. She died at Plymouth between 1640 and 1644.
Children of first wife:
Giles, b. England
Constanta (or Constance) b. England m. Nicholas Snow, ancester of
the Snow family of Shelburne
County.
Children of second wife: (perhaps not in order of birth)
Damaris, b. England; died young.
Oceanus, "The Mayflower Gift" b. on board the Mayflower, about
Oct/1620; d. Plymouth before 1627.
Deborah, b. Plymouth, 1622; m. Andrew Ring.
Caleb, b. Plymouth;followed the sea and d. at Barbadoes;
unmarried.
Damaris, b. m. Jacob Cook, son of Francis of the Mayflower.
Ruth, d. unmarried.
Elizabeth, d. unmarried.
********** (2) **********
Giles Hopkins (Stephen), b. England, came over on the Mayflower in
1620, when he was probably about 15 yrs old. In 1638 his father was
allowed to erect a house at Mattacheese, now the township of Yarmouth, to
"cut hay there," to "winter the cattle" and his son Giles was sent to
Yarmouth to have charge of the cattle. He married there 9/Oct/1639,
Catherine Wheldon, dau Gabriel. In 1645, he sold out at Yarmouth and
removed to Nauset or Eastham, that part now Orleans, where he died about
Mar or Apr, 1600.
Children from Eastham records:
Mary, b. /Nov/1640
Stephen, b. /Sep/1642
John, b. /1643; d. age 3 months.
Abigail, b. /Oct/1644
Deborah, b. /Jun/1648
Caleb, b. /Jan/1650
Ruth, b. /Jun/1653
Joshua, b. /Jun/1657
William, b. 9/Jan/1660
Elizabeth, b. /Nov/1664; d. aged 1 month.
********** (3) **********
Joshua Hopkins (Giles, Stephen), b. Eastham, Jun/1657 and lived there
all his life. He married 26/May/1681, Mary Cole, born 10/Mar/1658, and
died 1/Mar/1734,(gr. stone Orleans cemetery), daughter of Daniel & Ruth
(Collier). Her mother was the daughter of Mr. William Collier, a prominent
man in the Colony. He was living in 1734, died before Sep/1738.
Children from Eastham records:
John, b. 16/Apr/1684(4); d. 24/Jun/1700
Abigail, b. 09/Mar/1685
Elisha, b. 17/Dec/1688
Lydia, b. 01/Apr/1692
Mary, b. 20/Jan/1694(5)
Joshua, b. 20 Feb/1697(8)
Hannah, b. 25/Mar/1700
Phoebe, b. 11/Mar/1702
********** (4) **********
Elisha Hopkins (Joshua, Giles, Stephen), was born at Eastham
17/Dec/1688, and died at Chatham, Mass., after a short and distressing
illness, 1/Feb/1741-2, aged 53y 1m 15d (gr. stone Old Burying Ground,
Chatham.) He married at Barnstable, 9/Oct/1712, by Justice Gorham,
Experience Scudder, daughter of John and Elizabeth. Her parents probably
spent thier last days in Chatham, as both are buried there (gr. stone Old
Burying Ground), he dying 3 March, 1741-2, in 84th year, and she 3 Jan.,
1742-3, in 77th year. Mr. Hopkins removed to Chatham, where he was a
"trader" and accumulated an estate of considerable value. His house was
near the head of Oyster Pond. His widow, Experience married (intention
Boston, 19 Oct, 1743), as second wife, Rev. Samuel Osborn, whose
daughter Elizabeth was the wife of Edmund Doane, first of Barrington. He
made his will 29 Jan., 1741-2, two days before his death. Bequests were as
follows: To wife, Experience; son John; son Elisha; son "Bazillah";
daughter Elizabeth, wife to Benjamin Godfree; daughter Mary; daughter
Experience. Wife Experience and son John executors. On 28 Dec., 1743,
"Joshua Hopkins, of Eastham, * * * Yeoman" was appointed guardian of
Experience Hopkins and of Barzillai Hopkins, minor children of Elisha
Hopkins, late of Chatham, and on the same date "Elisha Hopkins, minor son
of Elisha Hopkins, late of Chatham, dealer," chose "my Hond, Unkie Joshua
Hopkins, of Eastham," as his guardian.
Children:
John, b. 29/Apr/1719, Eastham; was in Chatham as late as 1750;
in Dartmouth, Mass., in 1755, and was one of the
proprietors of Liverpool, N.S., about 1760 to 1764 (in
More's History of Queens County, NS, pages 12 & 169).
Elisha, b. ; went to Barrington, NS.
Barzillai, b. ; m. Chatham, 12/Jan/1758, Lydia Eldridge
and lived in Chatham.
Elizabeth, b. ; m. Benjamin Godfrey, perhaps the one who
went to Liverpool.
Mary, b. 12/Mar/1726, Chatham.
Experience,b. .
********** (5) **********
Elisha Hopkins (Elisha, Joshua, Giles, Stephen), married (intention
Chatham, 31/Mar/1753), Hannah Wing, of Harwich. He was one of the grantees
of Barrington.
Children (last 4 on Barrington records; probably others born in
Massachusetts before the removal):
Samuel, b. ; m. Barrington, 20/Dec/1780, to Rebecca
Parnel.
Children:
Rebecca, b. 25/Oct/1782
Hannah, b. 28/Apr/1785
John, b. 23/Jul/1787
Elisha, b.
Samuel, b. 01/Dec/1791
Anna, b. 17/Dec/1793
Archibald, b. /1795
Jemima, b. 25/Mar/1798
Sarah, b. 08/Jun/1800
Isaac, b. 10/Apr/1803
Lucretia, b. 23/Jun/1805
Mercy, b. 24/Mar/1763; m. 2/Nov/1779, David Wood, son Rev.
Samuel.
Elisha, b. 22/Jun/1765; m. Bethia ?.
Children:
Edward, b. 06/Jan/1792
Eunice, b. 27/Jun/1794
Sarah, b. 19/Sep/1797
Mercy, b. 27/Apr/1801
Matilda, b. 19/Sep/1804, d. 28/May/180
Barzillai, b. 11/Jul/1805, m. Eliza Kenny,
dau William & Elizabeth (Kendrick).
Edward, b. 27/Jun/1767; d. 15/Oct/1836; m. Hannah ? (d. 1842).
Children:
Isaac, b. 11/Oct/1790, d. 10/Sep/1791
Thomas, b. 20/Feb/1793
Seth, b. 15/Oct/1798; d. 21/Jul/1824
Lydia, b. 15/Aug/1801
Elisha, b. 16/May/1804; d. 21/Jul/1824
William, b. 13/May/1807
Nathan, b. 14/Jun/1810; d. 15/Jul/1811
Coleman, b. 15/Oct/1813; d. /1816
Isaac, b. 15/Oct/1770
Seth, b. 15/Apr/1774
