Stephen Hopkins, ancestor of Ruhamah Doane
Stephen Hopkins was an ancestor of Ruhamah Doane, wife of the William Cromartie who came to Bladen County, North Carolina from the Orkney Islands of Scotland in the eighteenth century. Hopkins was a Jamestown settler who returned to England and then traveled back to the New World on the Mayflower in 1620.
Research indicates that Stephen Hopkins was born in England to John and Elizabeth Hopkins and was baptized at the Church of All Saints in Upper Clatford, England in 1581. Stephen and his wife Mary had three children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles. In June 1609, Stephen sailed from London on the Sea Venture en route to Virginia with a fleet of eight other ships carrying a total of five hundred colonists. In July a hurricane sank one of the ships and wrecked the Sea Venture on the rocks of Bermuda, stranding Stephen and one hundred fifty passengers and crew with the admiral of the fleet, Sir George Summers; the new governor of the colony, Sir Thomas Gates; and the ship’s captain, Christopher Newport. The other seven ships limped to Jamestown.
Bermuda at that time was uninhabited, but food in the form of fruit, berries, birds, tortoises, fish, and wild hogs was abundant. Although Bermuda was known as the Isle of Devils, the weather was mild and pleasant. The castaways built two ships (Deliverance and Patience) from cedar over the next nine months. During that time, Hopkins led an unsuccessful rebellion and was sentenced to death, but the governor pardoned him. William Shakespeare based his play, The Tempest, on this adventure. The two ships set sail, and on May 24, 1610, reached Jamestown where only sixty of the original several hundred settlers from 1607 survived. Many colonists had starved or had died at the hands of the Indians.
Stephen remained in Jamestown until approximately 1616 when he returned to England following the death there of his wife. On February 19, 1618, he married Elizabeth Fisher at St. Mary Whitechapel. Their child Damaris was born about a year later.
In 1620 Stephen Hopkins returned to the New World on the Mayflower, which was bound for Northern Virginia. With him he brought his new wife Elizabeth and his three surviving children (Giles, Constance, and Damaris). Elizabeth was eight months pregnant. She delivered her son Oceanus during the voyage. Although the Mayflower’s planned destination was Northern Virginia, treacherous waters forced a course correction north to the land later known as Massachusetts.
Life for the settlers was harsh with half of them dying within a few months. Only four of the eighteen women survived. Stephen used the knowledge gained from Jamestown to teach the people how to trap and to hunt, and he served as an emissary to the Indians. Stephen and Elizabeth had five other children who were born in Plymouth: Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth. Stephen died there on June 6, 1644.
His daughter Constance, who had been born in Hursley, England on May 11, 1606, married Nicholas Snow, who came from England on the Ann in 1623. They settled in Eastham where he worked as a highway surveyor, constable, and deputy. They had twelve children: Mark, Mary, Sarah, Joseph, Stephen, John, Elizabeth, Jabez, Ruth, Constance, and two others.
Stephen’s son Giles married Catherine Whelden on October 9, 1639. They had ten children: Mary, Stephen, John, Abigail, Deborah, Caleb, Ruth, Joshua, William, and Elizabeth.
Deborah Hopkins married Andrew Ring who was born ca. 1618 in Leyden, Holland. They had six children: Elizabeth, William, Eleazer, Mary, Deborah, and Susanna.
Damaris Hopkins, who was born ca. 1628 in Plymouth, married Jacob Cooke who was born ca. 1618 in Leyden, Holland. They had the following children: Elizabeth, Caleb, Jacob, Mary, Martha, Francis, and Ruth.
Excited to find this website. Have talked to Amanda Gilbert about my quest so my request to you is a duplicate. BUT, just in case you have anything to help me I would greatly appreciated it.
My descent from Stephen Hopkins is the same (Stephen Hopkins; Constance Hopkins; John Snow; Hannah Snow; Hezekiah Doane Sr.) until it comes to Generation 5 where my relation is son of Hannah Snow and Hezekiah Doane Jr.(1712-1771), Hezekiah Doane (III) 1737-1809. His younger sister, Ruhamah Doane married William Cromartie and stayed in North Carolina, but the rest of her family must have taken off to Kentucky toward the end of the 1700s. Do you have proof of Hezekiahs Jr, III, & IV’s existence? Marriage to Sarah Bland? Birth of any of their children? Did they live along the Black River; Where? Do you know the story of their leaving NC for KY?
My next interest is in Hezekiah (Thomas) Doane IV 1763-1827 who married Nancy Allen in Bladen Co. (or New Hanover Co.), NC; they had at least three children in NC before they moved to Kentucky about 1797 with a group of migrants. Were they part of the restless Scots-Irish? Matilda Miriani “Tilly” Doane is their 2nd child and my 3rd g-grandmother. Have you ever heard of her? She married Evan Jones in KY, they had a family then migrated to Boone Co., IN. Again, restless feet?
Guess that is enough questions for now. Hope to hear from you.
Hi Beverly:
I have researched your ancestry from Stephen Hopkins (b. 1578 in Hampshire, England & d. 6 June 1644 in Plymouth, Mass. He was shipwrecked on Bermuda in 1609 and settled in Jamestowne 24 May 1610. He later returned to went back to England and returned to America on the Mayflower with his daughter Constance Hopkins.
Constance Hopkins (b. 11 May 1606 in Hursley, Hampshire, England married Nicholas Snow III who was born 25 Jan 1599,in Haxton (London), Middlesex, England and died 15 Nov 1676 in Eastham, Mass.
Their son John Snow was born in Plymouth, Mass in 1638 and died in Eastham, Mass 4 April 1692. He married Mary Smally who was born 11 Dec 1647 in Plymouth, Mass and died in 1703 in Eastham, Barnstable, Mass.
Their daughter Hanna Snow was born 26 Aug 1670 in Eastham, Barnstable, Mass and died in 1717 in Provincetown, Barnstable, Mass. She married Deacon Hezekiah Doane who was born 16 August, 1672 in Eastham, Barnstable, Mass and died in 1752 in Eastham, Barnstable, Mass.
Their son was Major Hezekiah Doane Jr. who was born 30 Mar 1712 in Truro, Barnstable, Mass and died 20 Aug 1778 in Wilmington, New Hanover, North Carolina. He married Thankful Bickford who was born 3 Aug 1714 in Provincetown, Barnstable, Mass and died before 1771 in New Hanover County, North Carolina.
Their children included Ruhamah Doane who married William Cromartie and Hezekiah Doane who was born in 1748 in New Hanover County, N.C. and died in Dec 1809 in Harrison County, Kentucky. Hezekiah Doane married Sarah Bland who died 25 Aug 1814.
To back track, Deacon Hezekiah Doane who married Hanna Snow was the son of Ephraim Doane who was born before 1645 in Plymouth, Mass and died in 1700 in Eastham, Barnstable, Mass. His wife was Mary Mercy Knowles and his father was John Doane who was born in 1610.
Here Shall I Die Ashore by Caleb Johnson copyright 2007 gives an excellent account of the life of Stephen Hopkins and discusses his daughter Constance.
The Doane Family and their Descendants fourth edition published in 1984 by The Doane Family Association of America, Inc on page 88 lists Hezekiah Doane (Hezekiah, Ephram, John), his baptism at Truro, Mass, and his marriage to Thankful Bickford.
Mayflower Families Through Five Generations Vol Six Family Stephen Hopkins third edition, 2001 on p. 17 discusses Hezekiah Doane, his wife Hannah Snow (the daughter of John Snow), and their son Hezekiah
Descendants of William Cromartie and Ruhamah Doane and Related Families Vol 1 by Amanda Cook Gilbert includes a detailed ancestry of Ruhamah Doane and her brother Hezekiah Doane including the Doane family back to the John Doane who was born in 1610.
Hi Dr Cromartie,
You’ve done a lot of great work here…
I’m very interested in tracking Maj Hezekiah Doane Jr’s migration from Cape Cod to the NC coast. I’ve heard that he and his wife, Thankful, may have lived in Connecticut for some interim period before ending up in NC. Please let me know if you can assist with any of my questions:
– Have you found any reliable sources for Hezekiah’s death record (1771 in Wilmington, NC)?
– Have you found any reliable sources for a birth record for their daughter Ruhamah? …as I wonder if she was born in Mass, Conn, or NC?
Kind regards,
Ned
Hi Ned: All I have is the US Find A Grave Index provided by ancestry.com which states that Ruhamah Cromartie was born 31 Oct 1745 in New Hanover county, North Carolina. I have no information concerning Connecticut.
Hi Ned:
The large marker in the William Cromartie cemetery off Hwy 701 in Bladen County, North Carolina lists Ruhamah Doane as William’s second wife, born Oct. 31, 1745 and died Dec. 26, 1812. Married April 22, 1766.
I am in possession of William Cromartie’s bible. It lists someone as born October 31st, 1745 and married 22d April 1766. The name is not readable but we must presume it is Ruhamah Doane. Neither of these sites lists a place of birth.
The Doane Family, fourth ed., 1984 (compiled and published by Alfred Alder Doane) on page 88 reads: “Hezekiah Doane (Hezekiah3, Ephraim2, John1) was baptized at Truro, Mass., Mar. 30, 1712. He married at Truro, Oct 7, 1731, Thankful Bickford. At that time he was a resident of Provincetown. We have no further trace of them; they probably removed from the cape.”
Descendants of William Cromartie and Ruhamah Doane and Related Families Vol 1 states that Major Hezekiah Doane Jr “was born on 30 Mar 1712 in Truro, Massachusetts and died after 20 Aug 1778 in Wilmington, New Hanover, North Carolina.” It also states that “Ruhamah Doane, daughter of Major Hezekiah Doane Jr and Thankful Bickford was born on 31 Oct 1745 in Massachusetts and died on 26 Dec 1812 in Bladen County, North Carolina.” The Shaw Family Bible published by Harper Brothers is listed as the source for the birth in Massachusetts.
Francis Hathaway Doane and Stephen Hopkins How are they related ?
Hi Kent:
Francis Hathaway Doane (born September 9, 1870 was the daughter of Truman Doane (born December 28, 1812 in Orleans, Massachusetts) and Thankful Weeks from Harwich. I’m not sure there is a connection with Stephen Hopkins. The Doane family link to Stephen Hopkins is through Hannah Ruhamah Snow (born August 26, 1670 in Eastham, Massachusetts) who married Deacon Hezekiah Doane (born August 16, 1672 in Eastham, Massachusetts). I would suggest you obtain a copy of the book, The Doane Family and Their Descendants published by Alfred Alder Doane originally in 1902, but their was a fourth edition in 1984 published by the Doane Family Association of America, Inc.
Hi Sam,
Might that Evan Jones family Beverly mentioned above been in Bladen or New Hanover or somewhere else in NC before going to KY?
I am descended from Ruhamah Doane on my maternal side; I was born in Sampson Co., NC, contiguous to Bladen Co., NC; my father’s mother’s family (Aldermans) got on a boat at some port convenient to their home of Deerfield, Conhansey precinct, Salem Co, NJ, landed in Wilmington NC, and purchased land in Pender Co, NC very close to New Hanover, Bladen and Sampson Cos. I mention this because I wonder if the Doanes traveled South in the same manner.
I ask about the Jones family because my father said his family and my mother’s were related through the Doanes. I also wondered if in early record keeping the name Doane was misunderstood for Jones and written as Jones as I cannot get beyond one Nathaniel Jones in my Jones line.
Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Jamey J. Gebhart
Hi Jamey:
I know that Ruhamah Doane was born in Massachusetts and settled in Bladen County, NC, but I do not know how she and her parents made the journey. In regard to the Doanes, there is a genealogy book entitled The Doane Family published in 1984 by Alfred Alder Doane. It contains detailed information about that family.
Hi James:
Ruhamah Doane was born in Massachusetts on October 31, 1745, the daughter of Major Hezekiah Doane Jr. and Thankful Bickford. The Doane family was prominent in New England at that time, tracing back to John Doane who arrived in Plymouth around 1630 from England. If you are interested in the Doane family, I would suggest referring to The Doane Family fourth edition published in 1984 by the Doane Family Association of America, Inc.
SAM CROMARTIE