Genealogy Data Page 587 (Notes Pages)

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Hopkins, Bethia (b. ABT 1605, d. ABT 1680)

Note: [SOURCE: Desc. of William Kelsey]
All of which is, however, mere speculation. The name and parentage of William Kelsey's wife is really unknown, as is also the date and place of their marriage, but lacking proofs to the contrary, we accept the record as given by Savage, and call her "Bethia."

However, it has been assumed for so long that his wife's name was "Bethia" that, failing proof to the contrary, we have accepted this as her name. It has been suggested that she was a sister of John Hopkins of Hartford, who was in Cambridge, Mass., about the same time as William Kelsey, and with him removed to Hartford. The following extracts from an article which appeared in the Mail and Express, March 8, 1902, gives some reasons for this supposition:

"John Hopkins had only two children, named Stephen (after his father?) and Bethia. William Kelsey had a wife Bethia, a son Stephen, and, I feel sure a daughter, Bethia, while his eldest son was named John * * *. In September, 1674, William Kelsey appeared before the Court in Hartford and deposed that he was then about seventy-four years old, which makes his birth about 1600. His wife would naturally be a trifle younger, born about 1605-1610. If all would read Mrs. Haxton's article on Stephen Hopkins in Signers in the Mayflower Compact, Vol. 1, p. 32, and all she hopes from the family name of Bethia, they could see where Bethia Kelsey, as born about 1605-1610, would fit in among them nicely.

Stephen Hopkins' first wife is unknown. He married, March, 1617, as second wife, Elizabeth Fisher; so his children by first wife were born before 1617. Mrs. Haxton, quoting from Goodwin's Plymouth Republic, gives the eldest son, Giles, as born 1605; the daughter, Constance, born 1608; and places John Hopkins, of Hartford, as born 1613. Between Constance, born 1608, and John, born 1613, Bethia Kelsey would fit nicely. Mrs. Haxton refers to the jealousy of the step-mother (the second wife of Stephen Hopkins) as suggested by Savage and others, and of her undue influence over Stephen Hopkins which makes a claim for her leaving John, of Hartford, behind when starting for their new life in New England. If they left one child, then why not two or more? (Perhaps cared for there by the uncle, John Hopkins, who Mrs. Haxton mentions, and which might influence William Kelsey and wife in naming their eldest son John.) William Kelsey and wife Bethia were married, probably, about 1626-28, and between that date and their appearance in Cambridge in 1632, probably had two or three children born, among whom, I think, was a daughter Bethia (who married David Phillips before 1665), perhaps daughter Mary and son John." (More likely Bethia, Mark and Priscilla.)

Death: ABT 1680 CT

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Wilton, David Lieut. (b. BEF 1 MAY 1608, d. 5 FEB 1677/78)

Note: David Wilton was an asssociate of Coronet Joseph Parsons in the fur trade and witnessed his will.
David was first in Dorchester, Mass. by 1632 and later in Windsor, Conn.

Source: (Name)
Title: Families of Early Hartford, CT
Author: Genealogy.com
Publication: Local & Family Histories of CT
Media: Family Archive CD

Death: 5 FEB 1677/78 Killed by Indians, Windsor, Hartford, CT

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Hosmer, Thomas Deacon (b. 2 JAN 1602/03, d. 12 APR 1687)

Source: (Name)
Title: Families of Early Hartford, CT
Author: Genealogy.com
Publication: Local & Family Histories of CT
Media: Family Archive CD