Snow, Prence (b. 22 MAY 1674, d. ?)

Note: -"Prence Snow's wife was admitted to the Brewster Church 6 March 1708/9, and Prence was admitted 17 July 1720. Their five oldest children were bp. in that church 20 march 1708/9.

Prence Snow participated in a purchase of Harwich land from Indians 18 May 1711, and he conveyed land there 23 March 1720/21. Ensign Prince Snow was chosen an agent 22 June 1722 to attend to the rebuilding of the Brewster Church."

WILL: `Mayflower Families-Stephen Hopkins' by John D Austin (1992) p43 -"The will of Prence Snow of Harwich, gentleman, dated 13 Jan. 1740/41 and proved 20 July 1742, gave to wife Hannah `all the lands her father gave her lying in Mansfield, Connecticut'; gave to dau. Mary Burg the `land I bought of my brother Nicholas Snow,' and mentioned granddau. Hannah Snow, grandson Mark Snow, grandson Prence Snow, granndau. Mary Snow and sons Jabez and Jonathan Snow."

Source: (Name)
Title: GEDCOM File : ~ATF1.ged
Note: ABBR GEDCOM File : ~ATF1.ged

Data:
Text: 4 DEC 2002

Note: BIOGRAPHY: From "Mayflower Families in Progress: Vol. VI, StephenHopkins" pages 3-6: Stephen Hopkins sailed in the Mayflower in 1620, one of the "Londoners" or "strangers" recruited for the voyage. He was called "Master", and only two others of the 17 free men on the voyage were so styled [another was Richard Warren]. He seems to have originated from the family of Hopkins, alias Seborne, located for several generations at Wortley, Wotton Underedge, co. Glouchester. The Wortley historian has conjectured, after a thorough study of the family, that Stephen of the Mayflower may well have been son of Stephen Hopkins, a clothier of Wortley who also had son Robert Hopkins of London. Stephen Hopkins was probably the young man of that name who served as minister's clerk on the vessel "Sea Venture" which sailed from London 2 June 1609, bound for Virginia. The ship was severely damaged in a hurricane, and the company was washed ashore on the Bermudan "Ile of Divels" on 28 July. The 150 survivors were marooned on the island for nine months, building two vessels which ultimately took them to Virginia. During the sojourn Stephen Hopkins encouraged an uprising by his fellows upon grounds that the Governor's authority pertained only to the voyage and the regime in Virginia, not to the forced existence in Bermuda. For his remarks he was placed under guard, brought before the company in manacles and sentenced
to death by court-martial. "But so penitent hee was and made so much moane, alleadging the ruine of his Wife and Children in this his trespasse," according to William Strachey's record of the voyage, that friends among his cohorts procured a pardon from the Governor. The two newly built vessels, the "Patience" and the "Deliverance" arrived at Jamestown on 24 May 1610, but no evidence has been found of Hopkins' residence there, and it is presumed he soon returned to his family in England. Strachey noted that while Hopkins was very religious, he was contentious and defiant of authority and possessed enough learning to undertake wrest leadership from others. The home in England of Stephen Hopkins was just outside of London Wall on the high road entering the city at Aldgate in the vicinity of Heneage House. In this neighborhood
lived John Carver and William Bradford of the Mayflower Company; Robert Cushman, the London agent for the Pilgrims; and Edward Southworth, who later came to New England. Stephen was called a tanner or leathermaker at the time of the Mayflower voyage. The name of Stephen's first wife remains unknown. No authority has been found for the oft published identification of her as Constance Dudley. His second wife was named Elizabeth, and it seems certain that the marriage of Stephen Hopkins and Elizabeth Fisher on 19 Feb 1617/18 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, London pertains to them. Stephen, wife Elizabeth and children Giles and Constance by first wife and daughter Damaris by second
wife, and two men servants, Edward Doty and Edward Lister, came on the Mayflower. Son Oceanus was born during the voyage. Upon the ship's arrival at Cape Cod 11 Nov 1620, Stephen was among the men signing the Mayflower Compact in the cabin. He was one of three men designated to provide counsel and advice to Captain Myles Standish on the first land expedition of the Pilgrims in the New World.

Steven was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife, and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrims shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used almost as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region.

Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child.

Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children.

Will: The last Will and Testament of Mr. Stephen Hopkins exhibited upon the Oathes of mr Willm Bradford and Captaine Miles Standish at the generall Court holden at Plymouth the xxth of August Anno dm 1644 as it followeth in these wordes vizt.

Will: The sixt of June 1644 I Stephen Hopkins of Plymouth in New England being weake yet in good and prfect memory blessed be God yet considering the fraile estate of all men I do ordaine and make this to be my last will and testament in manner and forme following and first I do committ my body to the earth from whence it was taken, and my soule to the Lord who gave it, my body to be buryed as neare as convenyently may be to my wyfe Deceased And first my will is that out of my whole estate my funerall expences be discharged secondly that out of the remayneing part of my said estate that all my lawfull Debts be payd thirdly I do bequeath by this my will to my sonn Giles Hopkins my great Bull wch is now in the hands of Mris Warren. Also I do give to Stephen Hopkins my sonn Giles his sonne twenty shillings in Mris Warrens hands for the hire of the said Bull Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Constanc Snow the wyfe of Nicholas Snow my mare also I give unto my daughter Deborah Hopkins the brodhorned black cowe and her calf and half the Cowe called Motley Also I doe give and bequeath unto my daughter Damaris Hopkins the Cowe called Damaris heiffer and the white faced calf and half the cowe called Mottley Also I give to my daughter Ruth the Cowe called Red Cole and her calfe and a Bull at Yarmouth wch is in the keepeing of Giles Hopkins wch is an yeare and advantage old and half the curld Cowe Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth the Cowe called Smykins and her calf and thother half of the Curld Cowe wth Ruth and an yearelinge heiffer wth out a tayle in the keeping of Gyles Hopkins at Yarmouth Also I do give and bequeath unto my foure daughters that is to say Deborah Hopkins Damaris Hopkins Ruth Hopkins and Elizabeth Hopkins all the mooveable goods the wch do belong to my house as linnen wollen beds bedcloathes pott kettles pewter or whatsoevr are moveable belonging to my said house of what kynd soever and not named by their prticular names all wch said mooveables to be equally devided amongst my said daughters foure silver spoones that is to say to eich of them one, And in case any of my said daughters should be taken away by death before they be marryed that then the part of their division to be equally devided amongst the Survivors. I do also by this my will make Caleb Hopkins my sonn and heire apparent giveing and bequeathing unto my said sonn aforesaid all my Right title and interrest to my house and lands at Plymouth wth all the Right title and interrest wch doth might or of Right doth or may hereafter belong unto mee, as also I give unto my saide heire all such land wch of Right is Rightly due unto me and not at prsent in my reall possession wch belongs unto me by right of my first comeing into this land or by any other due Right, as by such freedome or otherwise giveing unto my said heire my full & whole and entire Right in all divisions allottments appoyntments or distributions whatsoever to all or any pt of the said lande at any tyme or tymes so to be disposed Also I do give moreover unto my foresaid heire one paire or yooke of oxen and the hyer of them wch are in the hands of Richard Church as may appeare by bill under his hand Also I do give unto my said heire Caleb Hopkins all my debts wch are now oweing unto me, or at the day of my death may be oweing unto mee either by booke bill or bills or any other way rightfully due unto mee ffurthermore my will is that my daughters aforesaid shall have free recourse to my house in Plymouth upon any occation there to abide and remayne for such tyme as any of them shall thinke meete and convenyent & they single persons And for the faythfull prformance of this my will I do make and ordayne my aforesaid sonn and heire Caleb Hopkins my true and lawfull Executor ffurther I do by this my will appoynt and make my said sonn and Captaine Miles Standish joyntly supervisors of this my will according to the true meaneing of the same that is to say that my Executor & supervisor shall make the severall divisions parts or porcons legacies or whatsoever doth appertaine to the fullfilling of this my will It is also my will that my Executr & Supervisor shall advise devise and dispose by the best wayes & meanes they cann for the disposeing in marriage or other wise for the best advancnt of the estate of the forenamed Deborah Damaris Ruth and Elizabeth Hopkins Thus trusting in the Lord my will shalbe truly prformed according to the true meaneing of the same I committ the whole Disposeing hereof to the Lord that hee may direct you herein

June 6th 1644

Witnesses hereof By me Steven Hopkins

Myles Standish
William Bradford

Stephen Hopkins : Mayflower passenger
"The names of those which came over first, in the year 1620, and were by the blessing of God the first beginners, and in a sort the foundation of all the Plantations and Colonies in New England; and their families...
"Mr. Stephen Hopkins and Elizabeth his wife, and two children called Giles and Constanta, a daughter, both by a former wife. And two more by this wife called Damaris and Oceanus; the last was born at sea. and two servants called Edward Doty and Edward Lester."
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed.
Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 441-3.

Stephen Hopkins : Signer of the Mayflower Compact
"I shall ... begin with a combination made by them before they came ashore ; being the first foundation of their government in this place. Occasioned partly by the discontented and mutinous speeches that some of the strangers amonst them had let fall from them in the ship: That when they came ashore they would use their own liberty, for none had power to command them, the patent they had being for Virginia and not for New England... And partly that such an act by them done, this their condition considered, might be as firm as any patent, and in some respects more sure.
"The form was as followeth : IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc. Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620."
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed.
Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 75-76.

Stephen Hopkins & Encounters with Native People

The story of the "First Encounter" appears both in Mourt's Relation, published in London in 1622, and (in a condensed version) in William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation.

"Wednesday, the sixth of December [1620]. It was resolved our discoverers should set forth ... So ten of our men were appointed who were of themselves willing to undertake it, to wit, Captain Standish, Master Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, John Tilley, Edward Tilley, John Howland, and three of London, Richard Warren, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Doten, and two of our seamen, John Alderton, and Thomas English. Of the ship's company there went two of the master's mates, Master Clarke and Master Coppin, the master gunner, and three sailors ...
Mourt's Relation, ed. Jordan D. Fiore (Plymouth, Mass. :
Plymouth Rock Foundation, 1985), p. 27-28.

" ... the 6th of December [1620] they sent out their shallop again with ten of their principal men and some seamen, upon further discovery, intending to circulate that deep bay of Cape Cod. The weather was very cold and it froze so hard as the spray of the sea lighting on their coats, they were as if they had been glazed. Yet that night betimes they got down into the bottom of the bay, and as they drew near the shore they saw some ten or twelve Indians very busy about something. They landed about a league or two from them ... they made themselves a barricado with logs and boughs as well as they could in the time, and set out their sentinel and betook them to rest, and saw the smoke of the fire the savages made that night. When morning was come they divided their company, some to coast along the shore in the boat, and the rest marched through the woods to see the land, if any fit place might be for their dwelling. They came also to the place where they saw the Indians the night before, and found they had been cutting up a great fish like a grampus ...
"So they ranged up and down all that day, but found no people, nor any place they liked. When the sun grew low, they hasted out of the woods to meet with their shallop ... of which they were very glad, for they had not seen each other all that day since the morning. So they made them a barricado as usually they did every night, with logs, stakes and thick pine boughs, the height of a man, leaving it open to leeward, partly to shelter them from the cold and wind (making their fire in the middle and lying round about it) and partly to defend them from any sudden assaults of the savages, if they should surround them; so being very weary, they betook them to rest. But about midnight they heard a hideous and great cry, and their sentinel called "Arm! arm!" So they bestirred them and stood to their arms and shot off a couple of muskets, and then the noise ceased. They concluded it was a company of wolves or such like wild beasts, for one of the seamen told them he had often heard such noise in Newfoundland.
"So they rested till about five of the clock in the morning; for the tide, and their purpose to go from thence, made them be stirring betimes. So after prayer they prepared for breakfast, and it being day dawning it was thought best to be carrying things down to the boat ...
"But presently, all on the sudden, they heard a great and strange cry, which they knew to be the same voices they heard in the night, though they varied their notes; and one of their company being abroad came running in and cried, "Men, Indians! Indians!" And withal, their arrows came flying amongst them. Their men ran with all speed to recover their arms, as by the good providence of God they did. In the meantime, of those that were there ready, two muskets were discharged at them, and two more stood ready in the entrance of their rendezvous but were commanded not to shoot till they could take full aim at them. And the other two charged again with all speed, for there were only four had arms there, and defended the barricado, which was first assaulted. The cry of the Indians was dreadful, especially when they saw their men run out of the rendezvous toward the shallop to recover their arms, the Indians wheeling about upon them. But some running out with coats of mail on, and cutlasses in their hands, they soon got their arms and let fly amongst them and quickly stopped their violence ...
"Thus it pleased God to vanquish their enemies and give them deliverance; and by his special providence so to dispose that not any one of them were either hurt or hit, though their arrows came close by them and on every side [of] them; and sundry of their coats, which hung up in the barricado, were shot through and through. Afterwards they gave God solemn thanks and praise for their deliverance, and gathered up a bundle of their arrows and sent them into England afterward by the master of the ship, and called that place the FIRST ENCOUNTER."
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed.
Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 68-72.

Later encounters :
January 1621 : "Saturday, the 17th day, in the morning, we called a meeting for the establishing of military orders among ourselves; and we chose Miles Standish our captain, and gave him authority of command in affairs. And as we were in consultation hereabouts, two savages presented themselves upon the top of a hill, over against our plantation, about a quarter of a mile and less, and made signs unto us to come unto them; we likewise made signs unto them to come unto us. Whereupon we armed ourselves and stood ready, and sent two over the brook, towards them, to wit, Captain Standish and Stephen Hopkins, who went towards them. Only one of them had a musket, which they laid down on the ground in their sight, in sign of peace and to parley with them. But the savages would not tarry their coming. A noise of a great many more was heard behind the hill; but no more came in sight."
Mourt's Relation, ed. Jordan D. Fiore (Plymouth, Mass. :
Plymouth Rock Foundation, 1985), p. 44.

12 July 1621 : "Having in some sort ordered their business at home, it was thought meet to send some abroad to see their new friend Massasoit, and to bestow upon him some gratuity to bind him the faster unto them; as also that hereby they might view and country and see in what manner he lived, what strength he had about him, and how the ways were to his place, if at any time they should have occasion. So the second of July they sent Mr. Edward Winslow and Mr. Hopkins, with the foresaid Squanto for their guide; who gave him a suit of clothes and a horseman’s coat, with some other small things, which were kindly accepted; but they found but short commons and came both weary and hungry home. For the Indians used then to have nothing so much corn as they have since the English have stored them with their hoes, and seen their industry in breaking up new grounds therewith.
"They found his place to be forty miles from hence, the soil good and the people not many, being dead and abundantly wasted in the late great mortality, which fell in all these parts about three years before the coming of the English, wherein thousands of them died. They not being able to bury one another, their skulls and bones were found in many places lying still above the ground where their houses and dwellings had been, a very sad spectacle to behold. But they brought word that the Narragansetts lived but on the other side of that great bay, and were a strong people and many in number, living compact together, and had not been at all touched with this wasting plague."
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed.
Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 87.

Stephen Hopkins & the 1623 Division of Land
The 1623 Division of Land marked the end of the Pilgrims' earliest system of land held in common by all. Governor Bradford explains it in this way:

"And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number, for that end, only for present use (but made no division for inheritance) and ranged all boys and youth under some family. This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content. The women now went willingly into the field, and took their little ones with them to set corn; which before would allege weakness and inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression."
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed.
Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 120.

Plymouth Colony Records, Deeds, &c, Vol. I 1627-1651 is the oldest record book of the Plymouth settlement. It begins with the 1623 Division of Land, recorded in the handwriting of Governor William Bradford. The lands of Stephen Hopkins were among those designated as "their grounds which came first over in the May Floure, according as thier lotes were case" and described in this way "these lye on the South side of the brook to the woodward opposite to the former… Steuen Hopkins."
The name of "Steuen Hopkins" is followed by the names of 2 Edwards, no last name given, possibly representing Edward Dotey and Edward Lester.

Stephen Hopkins & the 1627 Division of Cattle
Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. I also tells of the 1627 Division of Cattle:

"At a publique court held the 22th of May it was concluded by the whole Companie, that the cattell wch were the Companies, to wit, the Cowes & the Goates should be equally devided to all the psonts of the same company ... & so the lotts fell as followeth, thirteene psonts being pportioned to one lot...
"the seauenth lott fell to Stephen Hopkins & his company Joyned to him (2) his wife Elizabeth Hopkins (3) Gyles Hopkins (4) Caleb Hopkins (5) Debora Hopkins (6) Nickolas Snow (7) Constance Snow (8) William Pallmer (9) ffrances Pallmer (10) Willm Pallmer Jnor (11) John Billington Senor (12) Hellen Billington (13) ffrancis Billington.
To this lott fell A black weining Calfe to wch was aded the Calfe of this yeare to come of the black Cow, wch pueing a bull they were to keepe it vngelt 5 yeares for common vse & after to make there best of it. Nothing belongeth of thes too, for ye companye of ye first stock: but only half ye Increase. To this lott ther fell two shee goats: which goats they posses on the like terms which others doe their cattell."

Stephen Hopkins : a 1626 Purchaser
In 1621, King James I authorized the Council for New England to plant and govern land in this area. This Council granted the Peirce Patent, confirming the Pilgrims' settlement and governance of Plymouth. Peirce and his associates, the merchant adventurers, were allotted 100 acres for each settler the Company transported. The Pilgrims had a contract with the Company stating all land and profits would accrue to the Company for 7 years at which time the assets would be divided among the shareholders. Most of the Pilgrims held some stock. The Pilgrims negotiated a more favorable contract with the Company in 1626. In 1627, 53 Plymouth freemen, known as "The Purchasers," agreed to buy out the Company over a period of years. In turn, 12 "Undertakers" (8 from Plymouth and 4 from London) agreed to pay off Plymouth's debts in return for trade benefits.

The list we have of the 1626 Purchasers comes from the Plymouth Colony Records. It lists the names of "Stephen Hopkins."

Stephen Hopkins & the Plymouth Records
1 January 1632 : "At a Court held the first of January, 1632, in the eighth Yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord, Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Engl., Soct., Fr., & Irel., Defender of the Faith, &c…
"At the same Court Edward Wynslow was chosen Govr, & held and was sworne to administer justice in that place for the yeare to come.
"Likewise Mr william Bradford, Capt Myles Standish, John Howland, John Alden, John Done, Stephen Hopkins, & William Gilson were chosen for the Councell the same yeare at the same court, who held & received the oath."
Plymouth Colony Records Vol. 1, p. 5.

10 January 1632 : "The Acts of the Cowncell between the Court held the 2d of Jan., 1632, & the of Aprill, 1633…
"Thomas Brian, the servt of Samueel Eedy, was brought before the Govr, & Mr Will Bradford, Mr Jone Done, Steph Hopkins, & Will Gilson, Assistant, because the said Thomas had runne away & absented himselfe fiue daies from his masters service, and being lost in the wood, and fownd by an Indian, was forced to returne; and for this his offence was privately whipped before the Govr and Cowncell aforemenconed."
Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. 1, p. 7.

1633 : "The Names of the Freemen of the Incorporacon of Plymoth in New England, An: 1633. Edward Wynslow, Govr. Capt Myles Standish, William Bradford, John Howland, John Alden, John Done, Stephen Hopkins, William Gilson…"
Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. 1, p. 3.

1 January 1633 : "At this Court, Mr Thomas Prence was elected Govr for the yeare following, and to enter upon the place the first of March or the 27 of the same, and to execute the office of Govr for one whole yeare from the time of his entry.
"At the same time, Edw: Wynslow, Mr Will Bradford, Mr Isaack Allerton, Mr Joh Alden, Mr Joh Howland, & Mr Stephen Hopkins chosen to the office of Assistant to the said Govr, & to enter therupon with the said Govr elect as foresaid."
Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. 1, p. 21.

2 January 1633 : "An Inventory of the goods & Chattels of Samuel ffuller thelder as they were prised by Stephen Hopkins & Joh. Jenny & presented in Court Jan. 2d An. 9 Dom…"
Mayflower Descendant, Vol. 2, p. 8.

25 March 1633 : "According to an order in Court held the 2d of January, in the seaventh yeare of the raine of or soveraigne lord, Charles, by the grace of God King of Engl., Scot., France, & Irel., defendor of the faith, &c, the psons heere under menconed were rated for publike use by the Govr, Mr Will Bradford, Capt Myles Standish, Joh: Alden, Joh: Howland, John Done, Stephen Hopkins, Will Gilson, Sam Fuller, Senior, John Genny, Godbert Godbertson, & Jonathan Brewster, to be brought in by each pson as they are heere under written, rated in corne at vi8 p bushel, at or before the last of November next ensuing, to such place as shall be heereafter appointed to receiue the same. And for default heereof, the value to be doubled, & accordingly leavies by the publick offier for yt end
"Edward Wynslow, Govr, 02:05:00, Mr. Will Bradford, 01:16:00 … John Jenny, 01:16:00, Stephen Hopkins, 01:07:00, Jonathan Brewster, 01:07:00…"
Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. 1, p. 9.

Immigration: Place: Mayflower pilgrim

Will: Date: JUN 1644
Place: The Last Will and Testament of Stephen Hopkins

Source: (Name)
Title: GEDCOM File : ~ATF1.ged
Note: ABBR GEDCOM File : ~ATF1.ged

Data:
Text: 4 DEC 2002

Note: Giles Hopkins was baptized on 30 January 1607/8 in Hursley,Hampshire, England, to parents Stephen Hopkins and his first wife Mary. It should be noted that the long-standing Constance Dudley myth was disproven in 1998: the Hopkins family of the Mayflower was not from Wortley, Gloucester as had been previously speculated and published.

Giles came with his father Stephen, step-mother Elizabeth, sister Constance, and step-sister Damaris on the Mayflower in 1620, at the age of 12. He volunteered for service in the 1637 Pequot War but was not called. He married Catherine Wheldon in 1639 at Plymouth; the family moved shortly thereafter to Yarmouth, living there for about five years before moving on to settle at Eastham, where he died sometime between 1688 and 1690.


Will: To all Christian people to whome these presents shall com know ye that I Giles Hopkins of Eastham being sick and weak of Body and yet of perfit memory do declare this as my Last will and Testament on this ninteenth day of January in ye year of our Lord 1682

I bequeath my Body to ye grave in decent burial when this Temporal Life of mine shall have an end and my soul to god that gave it in hopes of a blessed Resurection at ye Last day

2ly my will is that my son Stephen Hopkins shall possess and Injoy all my Upland and meadow Lying and being at Satuckit that is to say all my upland and meadow on ye southerly side of ye bounds of ye Towne of eastham that is to say all my Right and title Intrest and claime to all those Lands from ye head of Namescakit to ye southermost part of ye long pond where mannomoyet cart way goes over to Satuckit and from thence to ye head of manomoyet river and so as our Line shall run over to ye south sea all ye Lands between thos bounds and ye westermost bounds of ye purchesers at satuckit river all these Lands I give Unto my son Stephen Hopkins and to his heirs forever: and half my stock of cattill for and in consideration of ye above sd Land and half stock of cattel my will is that after my decease my son Stephen Hopkins shall take ye care and oversight and maintaine my son William Hopkins during his natural Life in a comfortable decent manner.

3ly my will is that all my Lands at Palmet both purchesed and unpurchesed both meadows and upland and all my Lands at Pochet and my third part of Samsons neck and what other Lands shall fall unto me as a purcheser from ye fore mentioned Bounds of my son Stephen Hopkinses Lands and potanomacot all these fore specified Lands I give unto my sons Caleb and Joshua Hopkins to be equaly devided between them: further my will is that if either of my sons Joshua or Caleb Hopkins dye having no Issew that then these Lands which I have given them to be equally devided between them fall to him that surviveth.

4ly. I give unto my wife Catorne Hopkins and to my son William Hopkins the improvment of too acres of meadow Lying at ye head of Rock Harbor during my wifes Life and ye one half of that too acres I give Unto my son william during his Life and after ye decease of and after ye decease of my wife and son william I do give this above sd too acres of meadow to my son Joshua Hopkins and his heirs forever: as also after my decease I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkins a parcel of meadow Lying at ye mouth of Rock Harbor according to ye bounds thereof specified in ye Towne Records of Lands: it I give unto my son Caleb Hopkins a parcel of meadow Lying at Little Nameskeket according to ye bounds thereof specified in ye Towne Book of Records of Lands.

It. I give unto my wife my now dwelling House and halfe my Land and halfe my orchard that is by my house: by Land I mean half my Land that is about my house both fenced and Unfenced during my wifes natural Life, and then ye above sd housing and Lands to fall unto my son Joshua Hopkins; the other half of my Land and orchard I give to my son Joshua Hopkins after my death that is to say ye other half of my Lands Liying about my house.

It. I give unto my son Caleb Hopkins one pair of plow Irons.

It. I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkins one payer of plow Irons.

It. I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkins my carte and wheels.

It. I give unto my wife ye other half of my stock and moveables I say to my wife and my son William or what parse of ye moveables my wife shall see cause to bestow on my son William Hopkins.

It. I do appoint my son Stephen Hopkins to be my true and Lawful executor of this my Last will and testament to pay what is payable and Receive what is due.

And to ye truth and verity hereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal ye day and year above written.

Signed and sealed
in presence of us, ye mark of
Jonathan Sparrow.
Giles Hopkins (seal)
Samuel Knowles.

Jonathan Sparrow and Samuel Knowles witnesses to this will made oath in Court ye: 16 th: of April 1690 that they saw ye above sd Giles Hopkins signe seal and declare this to be his Last will and Testament.

Attest Joseph Lothrop. Clerk.

I ye above sd Giles Hopkins do declare where as by ye providence of God my Life has been prolonged unto me and by Reason of age and disabillity of Body Lam Incapatiated to provide for my owne support and my wifes, my will further is that my son Stephen Hopkins from this time and forward shall possess and Injoy all my stock and moveable estate provided he take effectual care for mine and my wifes Comfortable Support during our natural Lives witness my hand and seal this fifth day of march 1688/9.

Witness Mark Snow
Giles Hopkins (seal)
Jonath Sparrow

The within mentioned Mark Snow and Jonathan Sparrow made oath in Court April ye: 16 : 1690 that they saw Giles Hopkins within mentioned signe seal and declare ye latter part of this will within mentioned to be his Last will and Testament. Attest. Joseph Lothrop, Clerk.

This monument is in position GH on the EHS 1776 Cove survey map. A bronze plaque is attached to a large stone approximately 42" W, 28" H and 16" D.

Immigration: Place: Mayflower pilgrim

Note: Of all the women, only Mrs. Susanna White, Mary Brewster, Elizabeth Hopkins, and Ellenor Billington survived through April 1621. So these four women, with the help of older girls like Priscilla Mullins, Desire Minter, and John Carver's maidservant Dorothy, would have had to cook, keep house, and do laundry for the entire colony, not to mention raising all the young and orphaned children. To make matters even worse, on November 9, 1621, the ship Fortune arrived with 35 more passengers--only one or two of which were women!

Not much is known about Mayflower passenger Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins. She married Stephen Hopkins on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, and had a daughter Damaris born somewhere in England around 1619. They had their second child, Oceanus, onboard the Mayflower as it was traveling to America. Elizabeth was one of only four women who survived to the "first" Thanksgiving.

There is a baptism of an Elizabeth Fisher on 3 March 1582 at St. Mary, Whitechapel, that very well could be the Mayflower passenger, although a first marriage at the age of 35 is somewhat unusual. Unfortunately, the name of the father is not included in the baptism record.

Stephen and Elizabeth had five more children in America. She died sometime between 1638 and 1644 in Plymouth.

Note: Stephen Cooke, was born dec.17 1743 in Gloucester, Rhode island. He married
Mary Aldrich, daughter of Able Aldrich of Uxbridge, mass. Probably soon after
June 4th, 1784, as intentions of marriage were published on that day.
He bought a farm in Uxbridge May 10, 1789 from Stephen Taft of Uxbridge for 210
pounds. It was located in the southern part of the town about two miles north of
the Rhode Island line and comprised 266 acres. Here his children were born.

On April 7, 1771, Stephen deeded 50 acres of his farm to his brother Israel,
and Feb. 20th, 1783, deeded 10 acres more to him. Feb 7 1783, he sold 25 acres to
John White. March 5th, 1783 he sold 37 acres which included his dwelling house,
barn etc., to Experience Mitchell. He appears in all these deeds as of Uxbridge,
but on the 23rd of april,1785 he deeded 15 acres to Lydia Mitchell of Uxbridge,
describing himself as of Gloucester, r. I. It is inferred that he removed to the
Gloucester soon after he sold his house and land to Experience Mitchell. In 1785
he bought an eight of an acre of land and in 1786 ten acres of land in
Gloucester, Rhode Island, of Samuel, Joseph and James Aldrich. Sometime after his
removal from Uxbridge he was engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods at a
place called "Newell’s mills" now Glendale, Rhode Island this did not prove a successful venture and he lost much of his property in it.

He lived in Gloucester until his death sometime in 1806 or 1807 and his body
was taken to uxbridge for burial. It is not certainly known where the burial
ground was located. The Quakers did not believe in erecting any memorial
stones, so while there is an old burying place upon the farm he owned in
Uxbridge, there are no head-stones at any of the graves. An old resident
however told me that his father owned the adjoining farm where he was born, and
as a boy remembered the yard was cared for and the mounds were raised and
green. Now there are woods all around, but the same old gentleman was a
surveyor and knew all about the landmarks and said there was once a main road
leading directly by the yard, which was on a corner of the farm. My father told
me that his grand father, Stephen, was taken back to Uxbridge to be buried.

Note: BIOGRAPHY: Oceanus Hopkins was born while the Mayflower was sailing to America, sometime between September 6 and November 9, 1620. Oceanus did not survive long, however, and had apparently died by 1623.

Immigration: Place: Mayflower pilgrim

Census: Date: 1910
Place: Mattapoisett, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Census: Date: 1920
Place: Mattapoisett, Plymouth, Massachusetts