Early history of STEPHEN HOPKINS reported him to be from Wotton-Under-Edge in Gloucester, England, and married first to Constance Dudley. This has been been disproven as reported in 1998 in The American Genealogist: TAG 73(3) July 1998, pp. 161-171. The corrected history is reported in the remainder of this biography.

STEPHEN HOPKINS was baptized April 30, 1581, in Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England. His first wife was MARY KENT and she was buried at Hursley, Hampshire, England. MARY died in May, 1613, in England, therefore, not making the trip to America. But, two of her children did make the trip.

It is probable that STEPHEN made two trips to America, the first aboard the Sea Venture in 1609, as a minister's clerk. The ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). The passengers survived on wild they caught on the island. After an attempted mutiny, STEPHEN was tried and sentenced to die. He was eventually able to plea for his life and his sentence was commuted. The castaways built a small ship called the Deliverence and sailed to Jamestown. STEPHEN's wife MARY died in England in 1613 while he was away. The probate of her estate mentioned her three children.

On Feb. 19, 1618, STEPHEN married second, Elizabeth Fisher, in St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechappel, London, England. She accompanied STEPHEN on the MAYFLOWER, and was one of the original Pilgrims, along with STEPHEN and his children CONSTANCE and Giles.

STEPHEN was an assistant, 1633 to 1636, and volunteer in the Pequot War in 1637. In 1638, liberty was granted him to erect a house at Mattacheese. From 1642-44, he was a member of the Council of War.

He died between Jun. 6, 1644, the date of his will, and Jul. 17, 1644, the date of the inventory.