Nicholas and Constance (Hopkins) Snow of 17th c. Plymouth and Eastham, MA

Nicholas Snow and Constance Hopkins were married by 1627 in Plymouth, Mass. Nicholas  may be the Nicholas Snow baptized 25 Jan 1599, St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, London, son of Nicholas Snow of Hoxton, Middlesex.

Nicholas came to Plymouth in 1623 on board the ship Anne.

Constance Hopkins was baptized at Hursley, Hampshire, England 11 May 1606, the daughter of Stephen  Hopkins. I wrote about Stephen Hopkins here. Constance came to Plymouth on the Mayflower with her father, stepmother Elizabeth, her brother Giles and half-sister Damaris. Her half-brother Oceanus was born on the voyage. She is sometimes called Constant or Constanta in records.

Constance Hopkins Snow beaver hat at Pilgrim Hall

Nicholas was a carpenter by trade (his inventory included carpenter and coopers tools). He was made freeman at Plymouth 1633. He was named in 1634 to lay out highways at Plymouth, and he served there as an arbitrator, surveyor of highways and on various juries. 

As an aside, I recently toured the Harlow Old Fort House in Plymouth, and the docent gave a nice description/demo of the job of a 17th century cooper. 

By 1645 Nicholas and Constance had settled at Eastham where he served as Town Clerk, selectman, deputy, constable, highway surveyor, excise collector, and on various court committees. He was among the first seven English settlers there.

In the 1627 Plymouth Cattle division "Nickolas Snow" and Constance Snow were the sixth and seventh persons in the seventh company (headed by Stephen Hopkins).

On 6 July 1638 Nicholas Snow acknowledged that he sold to Samuell Eddy his house and garden in Plymouth where he "now dwelleth."

Nicholas was granted ten acres meadow in the South Meadows 2 Nov 1640.

About March 1645/6 Nicholas Snow sold his house and buildings and upland, with two acres of meadow at High Pines and ten acres of upland meadow at Colebrook meadows, totalling 52 acres to Thomas Morton. On 10 March 1645(/6) Nicholas Snow sold one acre to Nathaniel Morton. 

In an account of liquors brought into Eastham, 28 Nov 1664, Nicholas Snow was responsible for one and a half gallons of liquor.

On 15 June 1653 Giles Hopkins and Nicholas laid out 20 acres of meadow for Eastham settlers. Nicholas received two acres. He held the lot until his death in 1676, then it passed to sons Mark and Joseph, called his "great lott.”

Children:

Mark married Anna Pierce and Jane Prence

Mary married Thomas Paine

Sarah married William Walker

Joseph married Mary ____

Stephen married Susannah Deane and Mary Cottle

John married Mary Smalley

Elizabeth married Thomas Rogers

Jabez married Elizabeth Smith

Ruth married John Cole

Plus three whose names are unknown.

Last three may be sons who predeceased their father without issue, thus not mentioned in his will, or may be daughters whom he did not call by name in will. William Bradford's 1651 acccount said Constance (he called her Constanta) had 12 children, all living.

I descend through their son John. I also have a possible line through their son Joseph, but it would be difficult to prove. I found out about this line through the Nickerson Family Association, but it is not included in the Hopkins “Silver Book.”

Nicholas Snow died at Eastham 15 November 1676.

His wife Constant and sons Mark and John administered his estate. Will dated 14 November 1676. Witnessed by Samuell Treate and Thomas Paine Sr. Asked Deacon Samuel Freeman and John Mayo to oversee. He left son Mark 20 acres upland at Namskekitt where his house now stands, 2 acres of meadow, broken marsh there, two thirds of his great lot at Satuckett lying next to the Indian's Ground, and what else he can purchase from the Indians there. To son Joseph gave other third part of great lot and 2 1\2 acres of meadow at Namscekett next to William Twinings. To son Steven 20 acres on southside of great lot at Pochett, 10 acres of little lot at Satuckett between Daniel Cole and Edward Bangs' land by the side of a litte pond, 1 1/2 acres of meadow between Thomas Williams' and Samuel Freeman's land and part of his meadow at the great meadow that is between Josiah Cooke's and the Eelcreek.

To son John all land at Paomett and all rights and titles there, including meadow and upland.

To son Jabez all land lying between Nicholas' house and son Thomas Paines' house and 7 acres at the Bass Pond between Daniel Cole and Wm Browne's and half acre of marsh and 6 acres upland at Herring Pond and 1 1/2 acres of meadow at Silver Spring near Wm Walkers, and adjacent upland near Ephraime Doane and part of Nicholas' house that he now lives in. Also 2 acres of meadow at the Great Meadow between Eel Creek and Joseph Hardings and 4 acres meadow at Billignsgate and meadow about his house.

To loving wife Constant all stock of cattle, sheep, horses, swine, to support her, as well as all the moveable goods, which should be divided among all the children at her decease. Also part of house she now dwells in, which will go to Jabez at her death. Also 10 acres of upland at Pochett to leave to son Steven and 20 on Billingsgate Island, to leave to son Jabez.

He gave to Church of Eastham for the furniture of the Table of The Lord, with pewter or other nessesaries, 10 shillings after wife's death.

His household inventory totaled 102 pounds, 10 shillings, 9 pence was very long and detailed. It includes three hives of bees, coopers tools, carpenter tools, pewter, brass, iron and earthenware items, homemade cloth, woolen yarn, cows, oxen, sheep, pigs, silver money, looking glass, beer barrel, barrel of beef, deer skins, leather, spinning wheel, sheeps wool, bullets and powder, wheet, rye, a cart and wheels.

Nicholas could read as his inventory included "a parcel of old books,” a psalm book and 1 book.

On 6 March 1676/7 letters of administration were granted to Constant Snow, Mark Snow and John Snow, on the estate of Nicholas Snow deceased (PCR 5:220).

Constant Snow The Relict of Nicholas Snow late Deceased of Eastham made oath to the truth of this Inventory, before Mee John ffreeman Assistant this 22cond of March 1676/77.

Constance Snow died at Eastham in the middle of October 1677.

I recently visited Cove Burying Ground in Eastham where descendants have placed a stone to honor Constance’s memory. 

Cove Burying Ground, Eastham

CONSTANCE HOPKINS SNOW

1605-1677

MAYFLOWER PASSENGER

WIFE OF NICHOLAS SNOW, EASTHAM'S

FIRST TOWN CLERK 1646-1662

Sources Not Listed Above:

Eugene Stratton, Plymouth Colony, It's History and People, 1986

John Austin, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Stephen Hopkins, 1992

Caleb Johnson, The American Genealogist, "The True Origin of Stephen 1 Hopkins of the Mayflower," July 1998:

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins, 1995

Simeon Deyo, editor, "History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts," HW Blake & Co., New York, 1890

James W. Hawes, Nicholas 1 Snow of Eastham and Some of His Descendants, Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy, 1916

Leonard Smith, Early Settlers of Eastham, Library of Cape Cod History & Genealogy, 1916