William Hopkins Jr (1682 - 1738)

Born 1682 in Providence County, Rhode Island

Ancestors

Husband of Ruth (Wilkinson) Hopkins — married about 1705 in Rhode Island

Descendants

Died 1738 at about age 56 in Scituate, Providence, Rhode Island

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Biography

William Hopkins Jr. was born about 1682, son of William and Abigail (Whipple) Hopkins. ^[1]

He married Ruth Wilkinson. Ruth was born on January 31, 1685/6, at Limerock, Smithfield, Rhode Island, daughter of Samuel Wilkinson married Plain Wickenden. ^[2][2]

His wife Ruth died between 1721 and 1731. ^[2]

William died in 1738. His will, written on June 11, 1738 and was presented to the Town Council of Scitutate on October 9, 1738. In it he names;

• sons William, Stephen, John, Esek and Samuel
• daughters Hope Harris, Abigail and Susannah Hopkins
• son-in-law Henry Harris to be executor ^[2]

Ruth and William Hopkins were the parents of two distinguished Rhode Islanders Stephen Hopkins many years governor of Rhode Island and a Signer of the Declaration of Independence etc and Essek Hopkins the first commander of an American fleet in 1776. ^[2]

Children

1. William born probably at Cranston about 1705, died in Providence February 17, 1755 ^{[3] [1]}; married Abby Curtis. ^[2]
2. Stephen, born March 7, 1707 in Cranston, Rhode Island; died July 13, 1785 in his own house on Towne street in Providence. Elected Governor of Rhode Island - 1755, served nine years ^[1]; married Sarah Scott on OCtober 9, 1726. ^{[2] [3]}
3. Rufus ^[1]; not mentioned in his father's will in 1738 ^[2]
4. John born about 1710; died ?February 1, 1755. ^[1]
5. Hope born March 3, 1717; died July 20, 1803 ^[1]; married Henry Harris on July 6, 1636. ^{[3] [2]}
6. Esek born April 26, 1718; died February 26, 1802 ^[1]; married Desire Burroughs of Newport on November 28, 1741. ^{[3] [2]}
7. Samuel born ___; died September 1744. ^{[1] [3]}
8. Abigail born 1727; died January 30, 1772. ^[1]
9. Susanna, born 1728; died November 8, 1745. ^{[1] [4]}

Probate Records

Att a Town Council held in Scituate in the County of Providence the 9th Day of October Anno Dom 1738...

The Last Will and Testament of William Hopkins of Scituate aforesd. Deceased was presented to this Council in the Following Words. ^[2]

In the Name of God Amen this Eleventh Day of June in the Twelfth year of his Majesties Reign George the Second King of Great Britain AD 1738 I William Hopkins of Scituate in the County of Providence in the Colony of Rhode Island Yeoman being very sick and weak of Body but of perfect mind and memory / Thanks to God for it / and calling to mind the mortality of my Body and Knowing it is Appointed for men Once to died/ do make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme following, that is to say principally and first of all my Soul I Recomend into the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body to the Earth to be Buried in Decent Christian Burial at the deseretion of my Executor herein after named, and as Touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this persent Life I Give demise and dispose of the same in the Following manner and Forme. ^[2]

• Imprimas I give to my 3 sons namely William Hopkins Stephen Hopkins and John Hopkins five Shillings each, and the Reason I give them no more is I have given them sufficient already.
• Item I to my Two Youngest sons namely Esek Hopkins and Samuel Hopkins one Gun one Log Chaine and one Horse and likewise all my working Tools besides to be equally Divided between them Two.
• Item I give my Two Sons namely Esek Hopkins and Samuel Hopkins all my Wareing Apparrel after my Decease.
• Item I give to my Two Daughters namely Abigail Hopkins and Susannah Hopkins my two Trunks and all that is in them except my Papers to be equally divided between them.
• Item I give to my Daughter Susannah Hopkins my Bed and Beding whereon I used to lie namely Two pair of Sheets one pair of Flannel and one of Linnen Three blankets and Two Ruggs One Bolster and one pillow.
• Item I give my Three Daughters namely Hope Harris and Abigail Hopkins and Susannah Hopkins Forty Pounds in money to be paid to each them in one Year after my Decease.
• Item and all the rest of my money and goods I give and bequeath to my Two Youngest Sons namely Esek Hopkins and Samuel Hopkins to be equally divided between them Two. and I do nominate and appoint my son in law Henry Harris to be my Sole Executor to this my Last Will and Testament, and further I do pronounce and Declare this to be my Last Will and Testament and in confirmation I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the day and Year above Written in the presence of us.

Ezekiel Hopkins John Evans Jabez Bowen} William Hopkins {seal} ^[2]

And mr Ezekiel Hopkins Capt. Jabez Bowen and mr. John Evans the Witnesses to the above Will and personally appeared and Declared on Engagement that they and each of them saw the above named Wiliam Hopkins Sign Seal publish pronounce and Declare the above written as his Last Will and Testament and that at the same Time he was of perfect mind and memory, and that they and each of them subscribed their names thereto in his presence as Witnesses Teste Stephen Hopkins Cler.

And mr Henry Harris who is named Executor to the above Will personally appeared before this Council and prayd. that the above Will might be approved and that he might have Letters of Administration on sd Estate whereupon it is Voted that the above Written Will be approved and allowed to be a good and Lawfull Will and is ordered to be Recorded, and the Clerk of this Council is ordered to give forth Letters of Administration is of the personal Estate of the sd. William Hopkins to the said Henry Harris under the Seal of this Council per ordr. Teste Stephen Hopkins Council Cler.^[5]

Research notes

Providence Births

1-101: Hopkins, Hon. Stephen, born Scituate, March 7, 1707. (p. 238)

Providence Marriages

1-48: Hopkins, Stephen and Sarah Scott m. by William Jenckes, Justice, Oct. 9, 1726. (p. 95)

1-159: Hopkins, Esek, of Providence, and Desire Burroughs, of Newport, m. at Newport by Rev. Nicholas Eyres, Nov. 28, 1741. (p. 95)

5-16: Hoppin, (sic) Hope and Henry Harris, July 8, 1736. (p. 96)

2-16: Harris, Henry and Hope Hopkins, m. by Robert Gibbs, Justice, July 6, 1736. (p. 88)

Providence Deaths

5-539: Hopkins, Samuel, (mariner died at the Island of Hispaniola) Sept. __, 1744. (p. 268)

5-538: ?Hopkins, Capt. John, mariner, died somewhere in the kingdom of Spain), July __, 1753. (p. 268)

5-539: Hopkins, Col. William, (*5-95), Feb. 17, 1755. (p. 268)

1-101: Hopkins, Hon. Stephen, July 13, 1785. (p. 268) ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Crane, Ellery Bicknell, Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts: With a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity, Volume 1, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., New York, New York, 1907, p. 418-9
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12} Wilkinson, Israel. Memoirs of the Wilkinson family in America : comprising genealogical and biographical sketches of Lawrance Wilkinson of Providence, R.I., Edward Wilkinson of New Milford, Conn., John Wilkinson of Attleborough, Mass., Daniel Wilkinson of Columbia Co., N.Y. ... and their descendants from 1645-1868, Davis & Penniman, Printers, Jacksonville, Illinois, 1869 p. 63: 80: 83-5
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Vital Record of Rhode Island : 1636-1850 : First Series : Births, Marriages and Deaths : a Family Register for the People, Vol. 2: Providence County, Narragansett Historical Publ. Co., Providence, Rhode Island, 1892
4. ↑ Rhode Island Historical Cemeteries database, Rhode Island Historical Commission, (PV01 North Burial Ground). http://rihistoriccemeteries.org/newgravedetails.aspx?ID=246681
5. ↑ Scitaute, Rhode Island. Probate and Town Council Records, Book 1, p. 42, 43. Ancestry.com. Rhode Island, Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015, https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9079/007649084_00056#. (Subscription required.)