WHELDON, Catherine

Catherine married HOPKINS, Giles 9 Oct 1639, Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Giles (son of HOPKINS, Stephen and MARY) was born 30/30 Jan 1607/1608, Hursley, Hampshire, England; died Aft 5/05 Mar 1688/1689, Eastham, Barstable County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

1. HOPKINS, Mary was born Nov 1640; died Yes, date unknown.
2. HOPKINS, Stephen was born 6 Sep 1642, Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; died 10 Oct 1718, Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.
3. HOPKINS, John was born 1643; died Yes, date unknown.
4. HOPKINS, Abigail was born Oct 1644, Eastham, Barstable County, Massachusetts; died Bef 1691, Eastham, Barstable County, Massachusetts.
5. HOPKINS, Deborah was born Jun 1648; died Yes, date unknown.
6. HOPKINS, Caleb was born Jan 1649/50; died Yes, date unknown.
7. HOPKINS, Ruth was born Jun 1653; died Yes, date unknown.
8. HOPKINS, Joshua was born Jun 1657; died Yes, date unknown.
9. HOPKINS, William was born 9/09 Jan 1659/1660.
10. HOPKINS, Elizabeth was born Nov 1664; died Yes, date unknown.

Notes:

Gabriel Wheldon, the immigrant ancestor, was born in England; where and when are presently mysteries. He may have come from Arnold, Nottinghamshire, since on 21 October 1653 he and his son John sold lands there to their New England neighbor William Crofts of Lynn, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The identity of his first wife is unknown. She and Gabriel had several children (order uncertain):
i Ralph b. m. ------ ------
ii Henry b. m. ------ -----
iii John b. m. Mary Holland
iv Catherine b.c. 1609 m. Giles Hopkins
v Ruth b. m. Richard Taylor
Although like his parentage the particulars of his immigration are unknown, he had arrived in the Plymouth Colony by 1638. On 3 September of that year he was licensed by the colonial authorities to move to Mattacheese, later named Yarmouth (now in Barnstable County, Massachusetts). He settled there about 1639 with a family of grown children. On 17 June 1641, he was involved in a lawsuit over a skiff that he owned in partnership with William Lumpkin and Hugh Tilly. The court ordered them to pay fifteen shillings for Gabriel's damages "in the want thereof" to fish and to transport his corn (from Yarmouth across Cape Cod Bay to Plymouth). He was involved in another suit over his daughter's marriage, although the exact nature of it is uncertain. The court record reads: "In the case betweene Gabriell Whelding and Richard Taylor, about his daughter Ruth, the said Gabriell pmiseth his free assent and consent to theire marriage." They may have been planning on marrying without Gabriel's consent. He appears not to have served in many civic posts. In 1642, he was elected Surveyor of Highways, and was reelected to the same office on 1 June 1647. Before 14 May 1648, he sold his lands in Yarmouth to Edward Sturgis. It appears that he removed to Lynn, Essex County, and then to Malden, Middlesex County, just outside Boston. The last record of him is apparently the sale of his lands in Nottinghamshire to William Crofts mentioned above. He died in Malden sometime between 11 February 1653/4, when his will is dated, and 4 April 1654, when it was proved. At the time of his death, his wife was Margaret -------. It seems that she was his second wife, and not the mother of his children.
The Will of Gabriel Wheldon:
"In the name of God & in obedience to his command (according to my bourden) I Gabriell Whelding of ye toune & church of Maldon being weake & sick in body but (shewing mercy) of good judgment & right remembrance for ye putting of my house in order: do make my last will & Testament in this forme, & manner following.
First of all I doe humbly & heartily Give my soule to God my faithfull creator & redeemer to be perfectly sainctified & everlastingly saved, by him to ye praise of his glorious Grace.
Secondly I give my body to be laid asleepe in ye bed of ye grave, in ye common burying place for ye Inhabitants of their toune, untill it be raisd, by ye sound of ye last trumpet of ye Arch angell in ye great day of ye generall Judgment.
Thirdly I give ye Summe of tenne Shillings (as small Testimony of my true love) to ye church of Maldon, to be payed into ye hands of ye Deacons, wthin a month, after my disease.
Fourthly and lastly I doe give all my estate (in Maldon) consisting of house frame, lands Cattle & corne, (together with what money is due unto mee from William Croft of Linne) to Margaret Whelding, my wife, whom I doe Appoint, and constitute, my sole Administratrix & executrix for the disposing therof, According to God who gave, ye same unto me.
In witnes wherof I putt heereunto, my hand, the day & yeare above mentioned." Gabriel's estate was inventoried shortly after his death, and contained the following items:
"Imprs An house lott prised at [�]4.00.00, An house frame at [�]5.00.00, A debt from William Crofts [�]2.03.00, Three Cowes & one Calfe [�]14.00.00, One heifer and one yearling, One Sow with three sucking pigges, [Boards?] a Chest & a Cubbard, Linnen, A rugge a Coverlett & a blanketts, Wearing Cloathes, Eight bushells of Indian Corn, A Bed-tikebolsters & pillowes, A Kettell two skilletts & hangers, A Pott a fryingpan & wooden platters with table, Wheate, Cotton , A wheele a chayre & a stoole, Two barrells an handsaw Iron howes."
The total value was a rather modest �40.11.08; it is interesting to notethe respective value s of his home and land, and that of the cows.
His children were apparently displeased with the distribution, because in 1655 his sons Henry and John brought suit for their portions.