I was going through some old papers recently when I rediscovered a letter sent to my grandmother in regards to my fathers service in the Navy. This was back in 1960 and he had recieved the sailor of the year award (in his first year of enlistment) on his boat, the USS Somers.
It was good to re-read it and it got me looking into rediscovering some old family history.
Now, our whole lvies, my siblings and I grew up to stories on how we were related to Stephen Hopkins, one of the original pilgrims that came over on the Mayflower, and etc.
So I decided to look a little more into good old stephen, and what I found amazed me, as I had never known:
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Stephen Hopkins had actualy been to the new world before 1621. He was a tanner (and Im a leather worker!) in the early 1600's and came to James town in 1609. On the way, the ship was sunk off of bermuda and he and the 150 other crew marooned on an island. Upon that island he started an unsuccessfull mutiny against the would be governor (to whom he was an assistant apparnetly), was sentenced to death, but later pardoned after basicaly pleading for his families well being.
They built two small sailing vessles and sailed to Jamestown after 9 months on the island. They made it and there he lived for about 2 years before returning to england.
He was asked to accompany the piligrims on their journey and to basicaly be governor of the colony (remember, they were destined for Virginia). He is one of the 41 signatories of the Mayflower compact and was indeed NOT a pilgrim; he did not come for religious freedom, but because he was asked to and he liked adventure.
He helped keep Plymoth going and it was his previous contact with the natives (in jamestown) that is said to have helped bridge the gap and keep them sustained through the first several years, where over half of them died. The Hopkins are still apparently recognized as one of the First Families of Virginia as well as Mass.
The story of the shipwreck is said to be the inspiration of Shakespears "The Tempest".
These are just some tidbits I picked up and wrote down, but Im looking into it further. I didnt know any of this, I had always just settled on being happy our family was one of the first but now apparently were one of the first-first.
What this has to offer outside of my personal enrichment is that it seems to be a good example of the types of men and women that settled and conquered this continent. This was no light task and these were no soft people, primped and pampered.
In fact, they asked for nothing at all, except the FREEDOM to chose for themselves and thats what they did. They built it for themselvs and for their posterity, for all of us.
Its a good reminder, at the very least.
I found Thomas Jefferson in my Tree! ^:)^
Also learned a great uncle Rode with Frank James after the brothers( Frank and Jessie) sepperated.