Our Ancestor, Stephen Hopkins
Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by William Halsall (1882)
Our Ancestor, Stephen Hopkins
1581-1644
As you may already know, our ancestor, Stephen Hopkins, was one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact and the assistant to the governor of Plymouth Colony thru 1636. But what many don’t know that he already had an interesting life before planning the Plymouth trip and settlement. Caleb Johnson wrote about Stephen’s life refers to him as “an ordinary man who lived an extraordinary life." Stephen was taller than most and very athletic. He was full of energy.
Stephen was the son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins. He was baptized April 30, 1581 in Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England. Hampshire is a beautiful county in southern England and there he married Mary (Machell?) between 1602 and 1603. Little is known of her family.
Stephen and Mary had three children, Elizabeth, Constance and Giles (named for Mary’s possible father, Giles Machell) all baptized at All Saints church in Hursley, Hampshire. The family’s adventure all started when Stephen became involved with a group of English investors called the Virginia Company, and signed a 7 year contract to work in the New World at Jamestown. This would allow him to provide better for his growing family and would grant him the ability to purchase land something which was rarely possible in England. He boarded the Sea Venture with 150 others in 1609. This first trip (which took place in July) to the New World ended in a shipwreck during a hurricane in the “Isle of Devils” (Bermuda) just within the Bermuda Triangle in 1609.
It is here we learn that Stephen has a bit of a temper as he foolishly became part of an argument about religion and politics and spoke critically about their Governor, Thomas Gates, which is considered mutiny. He was quickly sentenced to death but was saved by the entire Bermuda colony of castaways.
Nearly a year later after living off the land and sea in Bermuda, they finally complete building a small ship from the remains of the Sea Venture and successfully sailed it to Jamestown in 1610 only to find the colony starving to death and in terrible disrepair. The colonists here at Jamestown were not common folk but gentry and they believed that planting, hunting and building was beneath them. Stephen learned a great deal here at Jamestown most importantly, how to communicate and trade with the natives. He also built homes, planted crops and explored the countryside.
During Stephen’s time in Jamestown back in England as most scholars believe, William Shakespeare was premiering his latest play, “The Tempest.” It is speculated that he may have been playing to the population’s fascination with the stories coming back from the New World of a shipwreck on an enchanting island with devils and spirits. No doubt Shakespeare heard of the shipwreck in the “Isle of Devils.” He had contacts with the Virginia Company and may have learned the story before it had become public knowledge. It was first performed in November 1611.
Stephen returned to England in 1616 when he received news that his wife, Mary, had passed away and his children were orphaned. It’s very possible that the ship he took home to England also had onboard a woman with the Christian name was Rebecca, but was born Pocahontas, along with a dozen other natives.
Once in England, Stephen found work and a new wife, Elizabeth Fisher. One year later they had their first child, Damaris. But once again, the investors reached out to Stephen with yet another New World investment plan and Stephen of course, took advantage of the opportunity. This time land grants were offered, a much better situation than the first.
This second trip to the New World would prove as trying as the first. This was a long voyage which started in July, and the family did not live outside The Mayflower until January of the following year. There were to be two ships traveling together but the first ship, named The Speedwell, kept taking on water and twice turned the ships around and went back to port for repairs. This kept the Hopkins family and close to a hundred others on board during these months waiting on The Speedwell to be seaworthy. They had given up their homes and most of their possessions and only had The Mayflower as a home albeit small, cramped and smelly. In the end the The Speedwell would not be seaworthy and The Mayflower headed out alone.
As all school children know, The Mayflower landed in Plymouth in 1620. They did not just pull up to Plymouth. It was months before all were living off the Mayflower and in roughly built homes on land. While waiting for the men to find a suitable location for their colony, they faced terrible storms (Nor'easters to be sure) and nearly crashed off the shores of Cape Cod south of what is now Chatham. And when they went ashore to find livable land in the now Eastham area, they were attacked by natives. But the Cape did not provide viable soil for planting so the crew continued searching for a new home for some time and Stephen, who was the only person on The Mayflower that had New World experience was part of every exploration. Finally after some time they decided Plymouth harbor was deep enough for ships and had hills that would provide a good vantage point for providing security. And then the real work started. It was a very hard first year losing half of their population to a terrible influenza and tough winter weather.
Unfortunately, the Virginia Company did not possess the land grants for the area in which they settled which was too far north of what was considered North Virginia. With the hardships that the Pilgrims faced, the company was not making a profit quick enough. They had expected to be sent furs and more from trading with the natives along with lumber in the returning Mayflower. This created a hardship for the Company which eventually caused it to fail and in November of 1626. The Plymouth colonist-shareholders purchased the outstanding shares of the company from the English investors for £1800 to be paid in £200 annual installments.
But Stephen thrived in this new world and most of his family with him. When Stephen was on on the Sea Venture and a castaway in Bermuda, he was the assistant of the minister and read from the Bible every week during service. Something I am not sure many know, Stephen and his wife Elizabeth were not part of the Leiden Separatist Church, however, they did attend Sunday services. It seems that as Stephen ages, he has less and less patience with the controlling manner of this Separatist Puritan church and its followers. This becomes quite evident as he is noted in the town’s history that several times he is charged (and fined) with allowing people to drink liquor on the sabbath in his tavern and was once brought before the court for allowing folks to play shuffleboard as well as serving drink beer and wine. There were also a couple of charges that today would be referred to as “price gouging.” Another interesting note, Stephen and Elizabeth often housed newcomers until their homes were built. One interesting person who stayed with the Hopkins was Jonathan Delano, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's ancestor.
But Stephen and his family’s financial status were always in the top 5 percent of the town. Stephen served his town and countrymen well as a seaman, explorer, juryman, translator of the native tongue and assistant to the Governor for 16 years along with many other roles. He was an adventurer, a builder, an explorer and a dreamer a tavern owner the first horse owner in town, along with being a merchant. His hospitable doors were always open to the needy. He often housed newcomers until they had their own homes completed. He also build the first wharf in Plymouth and was co-owner of the first ship built in Plymouth. He was a father of ten and was respected and admired by his community.
We are direct descendants of Stephen thru three of his children. One line is attached below. Their stories will follow.
