The Ship Sea Venture -- a new project for Virginia history buffs and descendants

I like this. I have been thinking that we should do a project on various early ships and passengers.

Kim, you want in? I'll add you. I could use a back-up curator.

I just sent you a message (yes). :-)

Hi Maria, I am already working on my family lines from here, so I would not mind helping. I have been researching the relationship of the "new comers" with the Native Americans that were living in this area as I am from both of these blood lines. Let me know if you need help.

Maria,

Please join me to the Project.

I was thinking: once we collect the ship passenger URLs in the Project tool, we can tag the "source" tab with a standard document of them on "The Sea Venture." This will in turn show as an "event" on the profile time line ... and we're on our way to a larger event timeline for Colonial America.

We also need some Media about "The Sea Venture." Geni is working on Project Media Collections and will have that available in the future, I think for the Profiles in the Project.

The hardest part I've encountered with Projects so far is getting the Profiles associated. So anyone who can post the URL of the Geni profile for the "Sea Venture" passengers to this discussion, please do.

Passengers:

Sir Thomas Gates, Governor for Virginia (portrait below)
Sir George Somers, Admiral of the flotilla (portraits at top of page)
Rev Richad Bucke, chaplain to the expedition
William Strachney, Secretary-elect of Virginia Company
Silvester Jourdain, of Lyme Regis, Dorset
Joseph Chard
Mr Henry Shelly
Robert Walsingham, cockswain
Robert Frobisher, shipwright
Nicholas Bennit, carpenter
Francis Pearepoint
William Brian
William Martin
Henry Ravens, master mate; lost at sea when he sailed for help
Richard Knowles
Stephen Hopkins
Christopher Carter deserted and stayed behind on the island
Robert Waters who deserted and stayed behind on the island
Edward Waters
Samuel Sharpe
Henry Paine, shot to death for mutiny
Humfrey Reede
James Swift
Thomas Powell, cook
Edward Eason
Mistress Eason
baby boy Bermuda Eason, born in Bermuda to the above
John Want
Mistress Horton
Elizabeth Persons, maid to Mistress Horton; married Thomas Powell while in Bermuda
Capt (Sir) George Yeardley, experienced veteran of the Dutch wars
Jeffrey Briars (died in Bermuda)
Richard Lewis, died in Bermuda
Edward Samuel, murdered by Robert Waters
William Hitchman, died in Bermuda
Thomas Whittingham, lost at sea with Ravens (above)
Edward Chard who stayed behind on the island
?Captain Matthew Somers nephew and heir of Sir George, was aboard the "Swallow" on the same expedition
Robert Rich*, the brother of Sir Nathaniel Rich, a shareholder. Was a soldier. Returned to Bermuda 1617 and died there 1630.
Christopher Newport*, Captain of the Sea Venture, former privateer
Stephen Hopkins*
John Rolfe*, a young man in his twenties and traveling with his wife. Their baby girl was born in Bermuda, christened Bermudas and died shortly thereafter. His wife died shortly after reaching Virginia Spring 1610 and he married Pocahontas in April 1614.
Mistress Rolfe, first wife of above
Bermuda Rolfe, baby girl born in Bermuda, christened 11 Feb 1610, died and buried there
others

Additional persons listed in reference #3 as arriving at Jamestown in the Patience and the Deliverance (and therefore assumed to be aboard the Sea Venture when it wrecked at Bermuda) were: Henry Bagwell, aged 35 in the Deliverance
Thomas Godby, aged 36 in the Deliverance Edward Waters, aged 40 in the Patience
Elizabeth Joons, aged 30, servant
John Lytefoote
John Proctor

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bmuwgw/seaventure.htm

From what I've read Stephen Hopkins is the same Stephen Hopkins who was later on the Mayflower (unless what I've read is incorrect).

That's what I was wondering Kim! Can you make sure our Mayflower Hopkins is documented with the info (right wrong proven or rumor lol).

I needed to get the dates into this thread.

The "Sea Venture" (also called the Seaventure or Sea Adventure) sailed as part of a flotilla of nine ships commanded by Admiral Sir George Somers. Intended destination was Jamestown, Virginia. The On 2 June 1609, "Sea Venture", flagship of the "Third Supply" (six ships and two pinnances); departed London. On 23 July, A hurricane at sea separated the Sea Venture from the other vessels. After four days, she began taking on water. Land was sited and she wrecked between two reefs off the shores of Bermuda on 28 July 1609. All of approximately 150 passengers safely made land.

So Sea Venture was 1609, and Mayflower 1620, approx 10 years later. Both groups of passengers had a terrible time for the first few months on land.

Makes you wonder if Hopkins was a bit of a masochist, to do it at least twice.

I wonder what other sea voyages he did.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hopkins_%28settler%29

Sorry I missed your comment before Erica. I read it somewhere else before but just found the above on Wikipedia.

OK this is fascinating:

Hopkins attempted to start a mutiny while stranded on the island. He was sentenced to death when this was discovered but was eventually set free after complaining of the "ruin of his wife and children". Hopkins and the remaining survivors spent nine months on Bermuda building two smaller ships, the Deliverance and Patience, from Bermuda cedar and materials salvaged from the Sea Venture. He and the other castaways eventually made their way to Jamestown, where Hopkins appears to have stayed for (some say) two years before returning to England. The Hopkins family is considered one of the First Families of Virginia. The story of the Sea Venture shipwreck (and Hopkins' mutiny) is said to be the inspiration for The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

Stephen Hopkins, "Mayflower" Passenger is your fourth cousin 12 times removed.

Stephen Hopkins, "Mayflower" Passenger

I didn't know cuz was such a character!

I see you've already got that on his MP.

Lol, yes, he was quite a character!

Yes he was a character indeed. Some accounts put him on the ship that returned to England with Pocahontas. After returning to the New World he was involved with some of the first meetings with native chiefs. He fell out of favor with the Puritans though and was arrested several times for serving booze on Sundays and other such high crimes.

I added him to the Sea Venture project as well. Whether he is the same or not, I don't think that there is any other contender.

Additional: Noted that profile picture is of a later Stephen Hopkins.

Quick search of the 1630s produced this much on the name Stephen Hopkins... (not sure it's the same guy.)

1632/33 Legal council in Plymouth (not Virginia)

January 11 (January 1 Julian Calendar, Tuesday), New England: In Plymouth Colony, Edward Winslow defeats William Bradford in elections for colonial governor, the first time the leadership has changed for 12 years. Bradford also obtains enough votes to obtain a seat on the Court of Assistants, along with Captain Myles Standish, John Howland, John Alden, John Doane (age 42), Stephen Hopkins, and William Gilson (who serves as legal counselor for the colony). Former colonial leader Isaac Allerton is now the richest man in Plymouth Colony, but the debt he had left behind after being dismissed from the colonial government remains unpaid for the next 15 years.

1633/34 Still in Plymouth

January 11 (January 1 Julian Calendar, Wednesday), New England: In Plymouth Colony, Thomas Prence defeats Edward Winslow in elections as Plymouth’s fourth colonial governor. Winslow garners enough votes to obtain one of the Assistant positions for the year. Other Assistants include William Bradford, Isaac Allerton, John Alden, John Howland, and Stephen Hopkins.

(I guess they voted on Jan 1 in Plymouth)

1636 Still in Plymouth, having a good time

June 17 (June 7 Julian Calendar, Tuesday), New England: In Plymouth Colony, Eleanor Billington, the Catholic widow of John Billington, the first man convicted of a capital crime in British America, says in court, when questioned about overuse of a shared hay ground in a nearby marsh, that “what is too much for her is for Mr. Doane.” This prompts a suit of slander by her neighbor and fellow hay ground user Anglican Deacon John Doane (age 45), who seeks 100 pounds in damages from her in the General Court under Governor Edward Winslow. The court agrees that she had defamed him, but regards his request for damages to be way too high. Instead, the Widow Billington is ordered to pay 5 pounds and subject herself to being “set in the stocks and whipped”. (Assistant John Howland serves on the jury.) Two years later, she will remarry to Gregory Armstrong, allowing her the chance to raise her two boys in a proper family. Also convicted is Stephen Hopkins, who was accused by John Tisdale of battery; he is fined 5 pounds to His Majesty’s government for breaking the peace, and forced to award 40 shillings to Tisdale as damages.

November 1 (October 22 Julian Calendar, Saturday), New England: In the morning, Sachem Miantonomo, two sons of Sachem Canonicus and Massachusetts Bay Governor Henry Vane the Younger sign a treaty of alliance against the Pequot. As an ally, Sachem Miantonomo asks the English to spare the women and children of the Pequot in the coming campaign before leaving Boston around dinner time. (In return for Williams’ assistance, Plymouth Colony Governor Edward Winslow contributes a gold coin to the finances of Providence Colony.) Because of their ties to the Narragansett, Sachem Massasoit (Ousamequin, age 55) keeps the Wampanoag Confederation from supporting the Pequot, remaining neutral in the coming war, in deference to his friendship with John Carver, Stephen Hopkins, Edward Winslow, William Bradford, and Captain Myles Standish. (“The English are my friends and love me. Whilst I live, I will never forget the kindness they have showed me.”)

1637 Still in Plymouth, Johny-come-lately in the War with the Pequot

June 17 (June 7 Julian Calendar, Wednesday), at a General Court, Governor William Bradford reverses the decision of his predecessor, Edward Winslow, and agrees to “send forth and assist them of Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut in their wars against the Pequot Indians, in revenge of the innocent blood of the English which said Pequot have barbarously shed, and refuse to give satisfaction for.” Stephen Hopkins and John Winslow are appointed to gather men for an army from the town of New Plymouth, John Howland and Jonathan Brewster are appointed to gather men from “Duxburrow” (Duxbury), and Gilson and Edward Forster are appointed to gather men from Scituate. A sum of 200 pounds is raised to pay the men before it becomes known that the men are no longer needed (the war had already been won before they even begin to march toward the Connecticut River valley). Other business includes declaring Duxbury a township, and determining how to restore strength in the fur trade after fur-rich areas begin to decline.

And an Edward Hopkins figures pretty large in the next decade in Connecticut politics.

For those interested in Stephen Hopkins, the definitive work on him is the book "Here Shall I Die Ashore" by Caleb Johnson. It's fully cited, and offers proof that the two Stephen Hopkinses are, in fact, the same man. A bit of trivia - both Samoset and Squanto stayed in Stephen Hopkins' house those first winters!

Private User
I added you to the project. Help where and when you can. All help is truly appreciated.

EH, you are a part of the project, too.

Another interesting person on the Sea Venture was John Rolfe, who lost wife and baby on Bermuda and then married Pocahontas.

I'm doing merges in that area for you now and will load to the Sea Venture project when done.

Private User

I had to stop myself from buying the Johnson book yesterday! It was $20 something at Amazon, no used copies. It looks wonderful and now I remember the rave reviews when it came out.

Thanks for the trivia bit, I'm going to add it to the Hopkins profile.

Private User

Indeed the same Stephen Hopkins. I am adding to the profile as "timeline" events which you, dude, have taught me to use. :)

I'd be interested in assisting as I have early ancestry by the name of Thomas Boulding who arrived in Jamestown on the Swan in 1610 and another, William Coxe, whom arrived on the Godspeed later.

Chad,

I've added you as a Project Collaborator to the Sea Venture Project.

This gives you the right to edit the Master Profiles that are members of that Project.

Next step if you would be so kind is to post the URL's of the profiles to this discussion. Then curators can make them Master Profiles, merge in the duplicates, and permit them to the Project.

Usually it's a good idea to have the parents/ wives/ children as well but I'll get Maria define that scope as the Project Manager.

Welcome aboard Chad!

Thank you, Erica and welcome Chad. Glad to have you!

Scope -- I will think about that one today and get it on the project. Definitely parents, wives, children, as a starting point.

Is this project current? I am very interested in joining.

Yes, it's current. I have added you to the project and have sent you a collaboration request. There is still much work to be done. If you need any help, contact any of the Curators attached to the project.