Yarmouth Herald
Yarmouth Newspaper, NS,
1914
by Alfred A. Doane, Everett, Mass. 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. 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. 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 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. . 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
(reprinted from the Yarmouth Herald, September 1, 1914)