Giles Hopkins1

M, b. before 10 January 1607/8, d. before 22 April 1690
FatherStephen Hopkins b. c 1580, d. b 17 Jul 1644
MotherMary d. b 9 May 1613
     Giles was born in Hursley, Hampshire, England. He was christened there on 10 January 1607/8. Giles married Catherine Whelden on 9 October 1639 in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Giles & Catherine had children: Mary [11/__/1640], Stephen[9/__/1642], John [1643-3months old], Abigail [10/__/1644], Deborah [6[__/1648] [m. 7/27/1668 Joshia Cooke], Caleb [1/__/1650] [m. Mary Williams d/o Thomas Williams and Elizabetrh Tart], Ruth [5/__/1653], Joshua [6/__/1657], William [1/09/1660] & Elizabeth [11/__/1664-12/__/1664].2 Giles made his will on 19 January 1682.

To all Christian people to whome these presents shall com know ye that I Giles Hopkins of Eastham being sick and weak of Body and yet of perfit memory do declare this as my Last will and Testament on this ninteenth day of January in ye year of our Lord 1682
I bequeath my Body to ye grave in decent burial when this Temporal Life of mine shall have an end and my soul to god that gave it in hopes of a blessed Resurection at ye Last day
2ly my will is that my son Stephen Hopkins shall possess and Injoy all my Upland and meadow Lying and being at Satuckit that is to say all my upland and meadow on ye southerly side of ye bounds of ye Towne of eastham that is to say all my Right and title Intrest and claime to all those Lands from ye head of Namescakit to ye southermost part of ye long pond where mannomoyet cart way goes over to Satuckit and from thence to ye head of manomoyet river and so as our Line shall run over to ye south sea all ye Lands between thos bounds and ye westermost bounds of ye purchesers at satuckit river all these Lands I give Unto my son Stephen Hopkins and to his heirs forever: and half my stock of cattill for and in consideration of ye above sd Land and half stock of cattel my will is that after my decease my son Stephen Hopkins shall take ye care and oversight and maintaine my son William Hopkins during his natural Life in a comfortable decent manner.
3ly my will is that all my Lands at Palmet both purchesed and unpurchesed both meadows and upland and all my Lands at Pochet and my third part of Samsons neck and what other Lands shall fall unto me as a purcheser from ye fore mentioned Bounds of my son Stephen Hopkinses Lands and potanomacot all these fore specified Lands I give unto my sons Caleb and Joshua Hopkins to be equaly devided between them: further my will is that if either of my sons Joshua or Caleb Hopkins dye having no Issew that then these Lands which I have given them to be equally devided between them fall to him that surviveth.
4ly. I give unto my wife Catorne Hopkins and to my son William Hopkins the improvment of too acres of meadow Lying at ye head of Rock Harbor during my wifes Life and ye one half of that too acres I give Unto my son william during his Life and after ye decease of and after ye decease of my wife and son william I do give this above sd too acres of meadow to my son Joshua Hopkins and his heirs forever: as also after my decease I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkins a parcel of meadow Lying at ye mouth of Rock Harbor according to ye bounds thereof specified in ye Towne Records of Lands: it I give unto my son Caleb Hopkins a parcel of meadow Lying at Little Nameskeket according to ye bounds thereof specified in ye Towne Book of Records of Lands.
It. I give unto my wife my now dwelling House and halfe my Land and halfe my orchard that is by my house: by Land I mean half my Land that is about my house both fenced and Unfenced during my wifes natural Life, and then ye above sd housing and Lands to fall unto my son Joshua Hopkins; the other half of my Land and orchard I give to my son Joshua Hopkins after my death that is to say ye other half of my Lands Liying about my house.
It. I give unto my son Caleb Hopkins one pair of plow Irons.
It. I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkins one payer of plow Irons.
It. I give Unto my son Joshua Hopkins my carte and wheels.
It. I give unto my wife ye other half of my stock and moveables I say to my wife and my son William or what parse of ye moveables my wife shall see cause to bestow on my son William Hopkins.
It. I do appoint my son Stephen Hopkins to be my true and Lawful executor of this my Last will and testament to pay what is payable and Receive what is due.
And to ye truth and verity hereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal ye day and year above written.
Giles Hopkins (seal)
Signed and sealed in piresence of us, ye mark of Jonathan Sparrow & Samuel Knowles.
[Jonathan Sparrow and Samuel Knowles witnesses to this will made oath in Court ye: 16th of April 1690 that they saw ye above sd Giles Hopkins signe seal and declare this to be his Last will and Testament. Attest Joseph Lothrop. Clerk.]

I ye above sd Giles Hopkins do declare where as by ye providence of God my Life has been prolonged unto me and by Reason of age and disabillity of Body Lam Incapatiated to provide for my owne support and my wifes, my will further is that my son Stephen Hopkins from this time and forward shall possess and Injoy all my stock and moveable estate provided he take effectual care for mine and my wifes Comfortable Support during our natural Lives witness my hand and seal this fifth day of march 1688/9.
Giles Hopkins (seal)
Witness Mark Snow & Jonath Sparrow
[The within mentioned Mark Snow and Jonathan Sparrow made oath in Court April ye: 16th 1690 that they saw Giles Hopkins within mentioned signe seal and declare ye latter part of this will within mentioned to be his Last will and Testament. Attest. Joseph Lothrop, Clerk. Duly Compared with the original and entered April ye: 22nd 1690. Attest. Joseph Lothrop, Recorde].3

Giles departed this life in Eastham. His will was probated on 22 April 1690.

Citations

  1. [S478] Caleb Johnson, The True Orgins of Mayflower Passenger Stephen Hopkins.
  2. [S906] George Ernest Bowman, Eastham & Orleans, Massachusetts Vital Records, pages 236-237 - Children of Giles Hopkins:
    - Mary Hopkins, daughter of Giles, born November 1640;
    - Stephen Hopkins , son of Giles, born September 1642;
    - John Hopkins botns, son of Giles, born 1643 died 3 months old;
    - June 1648;Abigail Hopkins, daughter of Giles, born October 1644;
    - Deborah Hopkins, daughter of Giles, born
    - Caleb Hopkins, son of Giles, born January 1650;
    - Ruth Hopkins, daughter of Giles, born June 1653;
    - Joshua Hopkins, son of Giles, born June 1657;
    - William Hopkins, son of Giles, born 9 January 1660
    - Elizabeth Hopkins, daughter of Giles, born November 1664 & died a month later.
  3. [S894] Miss Mary G. Hinckley, The Will of Giles Hopkins 1690, Will of Giles Hipkins dated: 19 January 1682.