Elizabeth Fisher (mtDNA)

Status summary

As of August 30, 2018

Page created for Elizabeth Fisher, second wife of Stephen Hopkins
recruitment of individuals who are mtDNA descendants of Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins. Folks who are mtDNA descendants are encouraged to contact Raymond T. Wing (email: wing.genealogist AT gmail DOT com)

Background

Biography

The General Society of Mayflower Descendants (GSMD) accepts the marriage recorded in the Parish register, St Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, of Stephen Hopkins to Elizabeth Fisher on 19 Feb 1617[/18] as the second marriage of Pilgrim Stephen Hopkins.^[1]^[2] Her parentage and ancestry has not been discovered to date. The couple were on the Mayflower, along with their daughter Damaris and two children from Stephen's first marriage (to Mary): Constance & Giles. The family remained in the original New Plimouth settlement, where Elizabeth is said to have died sometime around 1642.^[3]

↑ [https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1624/31280_194813-00091/658774?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/152039210/person/262016416484/facts/citation/822019777150/edit/record Parish register
↑ Mayflower Quarterly, Jun 2012, pp. 126-27 has an article by Simon Neale on his attempts to identify the two wives of Stephen Hopkins. He discusses this marriage and states the Hopkins surname was fairly common in England, and London. As such there is no PROOF this couple were the Mayflower passenger.
↑ Her husband's will, dated 6 Jun 1644, requested he be buried beside his (deceased) wife. A date of death for Elizabeth of 4 Feb 1639 has been proposed, but it is currently unknown (to this compiler) the original source for this date.

mtDNA Results

We are currently looking for volunteers who are matrilineal descendants of Elizabeth to take a full mtDNA test.

mtDNA Descendants

FIRST GENERATION

Elizabeth & Stephen had two sons and five daughters.

SECOND GENERATION

Damaris (c1618) was likely still alive in the 1623 Land division (as her father's company received six shares), but likely was not enumerated in the 1627 Cattle division. A younger sister was named after her, so she died young.

Deborah was apparently born before the 1627 Cattle division.^[1] She married (Plymouth 23 Apr 1646) Andrew Ring and she died after 1659.^[2] They had three sons and four daughters (Elizabeth, Mary, Susanna & Deborah)

Damaris (second of the name) was almost certainly born after the 1627 Cattle division. She married (Plymouth after 10 Jun 1646) John Cooke. She died there before Nov 1669.^[3] They had three sons and five daughters (Elizabeth, Rebecca (died young), Mary, Martha & Ruth)

Ruth (c1630) died unmarried sometime between Nov 1644 and Jun 1651.

Elizabeth (c1632) also apparently never married. Her estate was appraised on 6 Oct 1659 "in case Elizabeth Hopkins do come no more."^[4]Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag

Martha Cooke was born at Plymouth 16 Mar 1659 and died at Plympton 17 Sep 1722. She married Elkanah Cushman and they had three sons and three daughters (Elizabeth (no children), Martha (no daughters) & Mehitable (never married)). Thus no mtDNA descendants from Martha.

Ruth Cooke was born at Plymouth 17 Jan 1664/5 and died at Kingston 10 Apr 1734. She is said to have married Helkiah Tinkham^[5] They had six sons and three daughters (Mary, Sarah (never married) and Ruth (only had one son)). Thus her mtDNA line is only carried down through daughter Mary.

In conclusion, there are only three proven maternal granddaughters of Elizabeth Fisher who may still have living mtDNA descendants (Hannah Mayo, Elizabeth Doty and Martha Doty). There are other possible maternal granddaughters (through Mary Cooke and Ruth Cooke) who may also have living mtDNA descendants. mtDNA testing may be able to disprove Martha Cooke married Elkanah Cushman (if mtDNA descendants of this line don't match the known mtDNA of Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins). In addition, mtDNA testing may be able to tell which John Rickards married Mary Cooke.

↑ (unless sister Damaris was still living)
↑ birth of last child
↑ widow remarried
↑ MD 4:114-119
↑ Not currently accepted by the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. mtDNA testing may possibly help resolve this issue.