Book Review: A Stranger Among Saints by Jonathan Mack

 

Book Review

I'm going off in a different direction, offering my opinion on a book, something I'll be doing as a change of pace from time to time. A Stranger Among Saints: Stephen Hopkins, the Man Who Survived Jamestown and Saved Plymouth, by Jonathan Mack, Chicago Review Press, 2020.

Mayflower passenger Stephen Hopkins is one of my favorite ancestors. There has been a fair amount written on him that shows him to have been adventurous, intelligent, strong in his opinions, and open-minded for the times. He even inspired Shakespeare’s Tempest! I dragged my heels about purchasing Jonathan Mack’s book because I was doubtful he could possibly offer anything new about Stephen Hopkins. A cousin suggested I read it, so I stopped procrastinating and ordered it through Amazon. I’m very glad I did! I’ve long felt Hopkins does not get credit for his important role in the founding of Plymouth (he was the only passenger who knew about the Algonquian culture and language from his time at Jamestown), and Mack does much to solidify Hopkins’ position in history. If you are not familiar with Stephen Hopkins, you can read a sketch I wrote about him here.

Jonathan Mack gives a good deal of credit to Hopkins for saving the struggling colony, decimated by loss of life during the first winter. If not for help from Native Americans, it’s possible no one would have survived. Hopkins was the only colonist who welcomed Abenaki sagamore Samoset to stay in his home, a move that may well have saved the colony. He served as a bridge between the Natives and the Colonists throughout his life.

Because he participated in an insurrection after being shipwrecked on Bermuda, the author argues Hopkins would have had significant input into the Mayflower Compact, the first written constitution in the New World,  

The author shows Hopkins that doesn’t get the credit he deserves because he didn’t play by the rules, often finding himself on the wrong side of popular (pious) opinion and sometimes the law itself. Even though he was a “stranger” and not a Separatist “Saint,” he won their favor early, serving in a variety of capacities including Assistant Governor. He eventually fell out of favor because of his penchant for not following rules and getting in trouble with the law.

Mack’s writing style is very readable and the 272 pages are a quick read. For anyone with Mayflower connections or an interest in the early history of our country, reading this book is time well spent.

Mayflower Ancestors Pt. 4: Stephen Hopkins

If I had to pick a favorite Mayflower ancestor, Stephen Hopkins would be the winner. I relish learning about his interesting life. He was an independent, outspoken man who couldn’t be pigeon holed into pious or trouble maker; he was a bit of each.  He comes across as an intelligent man (he knew the scriptures, signed his will and his inventory included a collection of books) who had an adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit, which again contrasts with his work as a minister’s assistant. Not a predictable man. 

There are varying accounts of Stephen’s origins, but The American Genealogist 79:241-249 (Oct 2004) article by Ernest Christensen shows he was baptized the last of April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, the son of John Hopkins and Elizabeth Williams. 

 

In 1609, he was on board the Sea Venture, headed to Virginia. He was delegated to read the psalms and scriptures at Sunday services on board. Writer William Strachey was on board and wrote Hopkins was "a fellow who had much knowledge of the Scriptures and could reason well therein." The vessel was shipwrecked at uninhabited Bermuda. Stephen questioned the authority of the group leaders, since their charter was for Virginia and they were in Bermuda and led a mutiny against them. The insurrection was unsuccessful, and he was sentenced to be executed but pleaded his case convincingly and was spared. Perhaps Stephen begged for his life for the sake of his wife and young children. The other rebels, all single men, were executed. The group built a vessel and eventually made it to Virginia, although apparently Stephen did not stay very long, returning to England in two years. When William Shakespeare heard of Strachey's account of the shipwreck he wrote The Tempest, with Stephano as a main character.

The Wreck of the Sea Venture by Christopher M. Grimes

Stephen’s first wife Mary (maiden name unknown) and his daughter Elizabeth had died before he again struck out for Virginia, this time on board the Mayflower. He was married to Elizabeth (Fisher) and they had a two year old daughter, Damaris. His teenage children Constance and Giles were also on board, and Elizabeth gave birth to a son, Oceanus, on the voyage. The family also brought along two servants. Oceanus would die in his infancy and Damaris died as a young child. Stephen and Elizabeth had additional children, Caleb, Deborah, another Damaris, Ruth and Elizabeth, all born at Plymouth. 

Gov. Bradford's comments on the Hopkins family

 Stephen appears to have been a bit of a rebel on board the Mayflower, a dissenter questioning the authority of the leaders (sound familiar?) in New England since they went astray of landing in Virginia. He was likely behind the writing of the Mayflower Compact, a document outlining how their new society would run. 

Copy of the Mayflower Compact

Hopkins had his share of conflicts with the powers that be: he was fined for battery of John Tisdale; fined in 1638 for dealing unfairly with apprentice-girl Dorothy Temple; fined for selling glass at too high a price; fined for selling illegal intoxicants; fined for serving drink on a Sunday at his house. He and friend Myles Standish were ambassadors to the Indians, and he participated in many of the early exploring missions, serving as an interpreter to the Indians (one of the reasons the Separatists likely wanted him on the journey). He was important in the relations between the Pilgrims and the Indians, entertaining Samoset in his home and serving as envoy to Chief Massasoit. He volunteered to fight in the Pequot War of 1637.

Stephen’s family was one of the few that escaped loss of life in the first winter. He was referred to as a tanner or leathermaker at the time of the voyage and a merchant and planter in Plymouth Colony records. He also apparently was a tavern keeper. He kept his home at what is now the corner of Main Street and Leyden Street for his entire life, except a brief time in Yarmouth where he did not stay, giving that land to his son Giles. He built the first wharf on record in Plymouth Harbor. 

I find it fascinating that even though Hopkins was not part of the Separatist group and defied some of their laws, he must have quickly gained their respect as he served as Assistant to the Governor for 13 years.  Perhaps his early transgressions were primarily because of the distrust the Separatists held for the “strangers.” 

In the summer of 1644, Stephen died in Plymouth at age 63. His wife Elizabeth had already passed. His children Constance, Giles, Deborah, Damaris, Elizabeth and possibly Ruth and Caleb (the latter would die in Barbados) survived him. 

Constance Hopkins' Beaver Hat, Pilgrim Hall Museum

My lines from Stephen Hopkins. The first one would be difficult to prove because Thomas Snow is not given as a son of Joseph Snow in the Stephen Hopkins Mayflower Silver Book.

               

1      Stephen Hopkins     1581 - 1644

+Mary     - 1613

2      Constance Hopkins 1606 - 1677

+Nicholas Snow       1599/00 - 1676

3      Joseph Snow   1634 - 1722/23

+Mary     - 1722/23

4      Thomas Snow 

+Priscilla Butler      1691 -

5       Thomas Snow 1740 - 1813

+ Elizabeth Nickerson     1730 - 1803

6      Priscilla Snow 1767 - 1849

+Richard Chase      1767 - 1850

7      Priscilla Chase        1796 - 1882

+Oliver Kelley 1795 - 1883

8      Valentine Kelley      1828 - 1882

+ Rosana S. Eldredge      1826 - 1911

9      Mary Ann Kelley    1855 - 1941

+David Howes Kelley      1842 – 1925

10    Ethel Florence Kelley      1890 - 1981

+Wallace Cedric Booth   1887 – 1970

11    Mildred Louise Booth     1917 - 1999

+Arthur Elmer Washburn Davis    1913 – 1976

12 My parents

13 Me

Constance Hopkins Memorial Stone, Cove Burying Ground, Eastham, MA

3      John Snow      1638 - 1692

+Mary Smalley       1647 - 1703

4      Rebecca Snow 1676 - 1753

+Benjamin Small     1665 - 1721

5      Mary Small     1704/05 - 1755

+John Nickerson     1703 - 1768

6       Elizabeth Nickerson       1730 - 1803

+[Thomas Snow      1740 – 1813

Then Priscilla Snow and Richard Chase down to me

               

        2      Giles Hopkins  1608/09 - 1688/89

+Katharine Whelden       1616/17 - 1688/89

3      Deborah Hopkins    1648 - 1686/87

+Josiah Cooke        1645 - 1731/32

4      Deborah Cooke       1678/79 - 1745

+Moses Godfrey      1667/68 - 1743

5      Desire Godfrey       1712 - 1741/42

+Nathaniel Ryder   1705 - 1749

6      Esther Ryder   1731 - 1802

+Thomas Freeman  1731 - 1800

7      Dorothy Freeman   1752 - 1825

+Elnathan Eldredge        1746/47 - 1837

8      Nehemiah Eldredge 1775 - 1839

+Ruth Harding      

9      James Harding Eldredge        1797 - 1873

        +Rosanna Wixon    1789 - 1868

10     Rosana S. Eldredge        1826 - 1911

+Valentine Kelley    1828 - 1882

Sarah Palin is a descendant of Stephen Hopkins (Source: Notable Kin, Gary Boyd Roberts).

An excellent book on Stephen Hopkins: Here Shall I Die Ashore, by Caleb Johnson. 

For information on the Pilgrim Hopkins Heritage Society: http://www.pilgrimhopkins.com/site1/