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GILES HOPKINS (bp. 1608–1689/90), son of Stephen Hopkins
KATHERINE WHELDON (say 1615–aft 1689), daughter of Gabriel Wheldon
Christensen argues that Giles is probably the son of of Stephen Hopkins and his first wife Mary, who was baptized on 30 January 1607/8 in All Saints, Upper Clatford, Hampshire. [1] He died between 15 March 1689 and 26 April 1690. He married Katherine Wheldon on 9 October 1639 in Plymouth Colony. [2, 1: 134]
Katherine, the daughter of Gabriel Whelden was baptized on 6 March 1616/7 in Basford. [3] She died after 5 March 1688/9. The evidence that Katherine is the daughter of Gabriel is circumstantial.
Giles came to New England on the Mayflower with his father.
On 7 June 1637 the court ordered that Plymouth would send a company of men to aid Massachusetts Bay Colony and Connecticut in their war against the Pequots. Giles was one of the men who volunteered to go. [2, 1: 61] Fortunately, the services of the company were not needed.
It is supposed that Giles went to Yarmouth to look after his father's cattle. [4] He was appointed surveyor of highways on 7 March 1642/3 in Yarmouth. [2, 2: 53]
Giles does not appear in the 1643 list of those able to bear arms in Plymouth Colony. Pierce suggests it is possible that he was physically unable to perform military duty. [4]
In his will of 4 June 1644 Giles's father named Giles's younger half-brother Caleb his heir apparent and left him all his land at Plymouth. Giles received only a bull. [5] Savage suggests he might have been pressured by his wife. [6] Perhaps if Giles had some infirmity that played a role. On 29 October 1644 Caleb deeded his brother Giles 100 acres in Plymouth. [5] Between 1644 and 1651 Caleb died in Barbados. [7] Paine suggests that Giles inherited his real estate. [4]
In 1644 the Court granted land to "those that goe to dwell at Nausett [Eastham]." [8]
Giles was an early settler of Eastham and he was appointed surveyor of highways there on 4 June 1650, 3 June 1662, and 5 June 1671. [2, 2: 155; 4: 15; 5: 58]
Giles sued Mr. William Leverich for defamation. On 3 October 1654 the court found for the plaintiff and awarded him twenty pounds plus costs. [9]
Giles name appears on a 22 May 1655 list of inhabitants of Eastham. [8]
Giles took the oath of loyalty in 1657 in Yarmouth. [10]
The court granted a small neck of land near Eastham called Sampsons Neck to Gyles, the widow Mayo of Eastham, and Jonathan Sparrow on 5 June 1666. [2, 4: 129]
He was on a 5 March 1667/8 coroner's enquest that fund that John Smalley's child died of the cold when it got lost in the forest. [2, 4: 169, 177]
Giles Hopkins of Eastham, being sick and weak, made his will on 19 January 1682. He left land and cattle to his son Stephen on the condition he maintain his brother William. He also left bequests to his sons Caleb and Joshua an wife "Catorne." He added a codicil on 5 March 1688/9 saying that as he was incapable of caring for himself or his wife, he left his stock and movable estate to is son Stephen in return for Stephen caring for him and his wife. Witnesses testified to the codicil on 22 April 1690. [11]
Children of Giles Hopkins and Katherine Whelden: Births and deaths of infants recorded in Eastham as the children of Giles, [12, 7:23]
i. Mary Hopkins was born in November 1640. She married Samuel Smith.
ii. Stephen Hopkins was born in September 1642. He died on 10 October 1718, age 76. [13] He married first Mary Merrick on 23 May 1667 in Eastham. [12, 7: 16] Mary, the daughter of Ensign William Merrick was born on 4 November 1650. [8] He married second Bethiah (Linnal) Atkins. [13] She died on 28 March 1726. [13]
Stephen is mentioned in the 1644 will of his grandfather Stephen Hopkins. [14]
Stephen Hopkins, Sr. was admitted an inhabitant of Eastham before 1675. [8]
iii. John Hopkins was born in 1643 and died at three months.
iv. Abigail Hopkins was born in October 1644. Abigail and her brother Stephen married siblings and had a double wedding; she married William Merrick on 23 May 1667 in Eastham. [12, 5: 198] William, the son of Ensign William Merrick was nob on 15 September 1643. [8]
v. Deborah Hopkins was born in June 1648. She married Josiah Cooke.
vi. Caleb Hopkins was born in January 1650/[1?]. He married Mary Williams. [13]
vii. Ruth Hopkins was born in June 1653. She married Samuel Mayo. [13]
viii. Joshua Hopkinswas born in June 1657. He married Mary, the daughter of Daniel and Ruth (Chester) Cole, on 26 May 1681. [8][13] Mary was born on 10 March 1658 and died on 1 March 1734. [13]
Joshua Hopkins was admitted an inhabitant of Eastham before 1675. [8]
ix. William Hopkins was born on 9 January 1660/[1?].
His father's will suggests that William was incapacitated.
x. Elizabeth Hopkins was born in November 1664 and died when a month old.
References:
1. Ernest Martin Christensen, "The Probable Parentage of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower," The American Genealogists 79 (20004): 241–9.
2. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of Plymouth Colony: Court Orders, vol. 1, 1633–1640, vol. 2, 1641–1651, vol. 3, 1651–1661, vol. 4, 1661–1668, vol. 5, 1668–1678, vol. 6, 1678–1691 (Boston: William White, 1855, 1866).
3.Jan Porter and Dan Stramara, “The Origin of Gabriel Whelden of Yarmouth and Malden, Massachusetts,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 163 (2009): 253–61.
4. Josiah Paine, Early Settlers of Eastham (Yarmouthport, C.W. Swift, 1916), vol. 1: 6–9.
5. "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620–1633, Volumes I-III," digitized book, AmericanAncestors.org, originally Published as: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, 3 volumes (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995), 986–9.
6. James Savage, Genealogical Dictionary, 4 vols., (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1860–1862), vol. 2: 461.
7. Henry B. Hoff, "New Englanders in the West Indies," NEHGS NEXUS: New England Across the United States 14 (1997): 153
8. David Hamlin, "First Settlers of Eastham, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 6 (1852): 41–46, 169.
9. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of Plymouth Colony: Court Orders, Judicial Acts, 1636–1692 (Boston: William White, 1857), 72.
10. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of Plymouth Colony: Court Orders, Miscellaneous Records, 1633–1689 (Boston: William White, 1857), 185.
11. "Barnstable, MA: Probate Records, 1685–1789," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org, 1: 34.
12. "Eastham and Orleans, Mass., Vital Records," The Mayflower Descendant, various issues.
13. Timothy Hopkins, "Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower and Some of his Descendants," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 102 (1948): 46–60.
14. Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620–1691 (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1986), 307–10.
©a. buiter
07-Sep-2023