Buckinghamshire Quarterly Quaker Meeting
and Upperside Monthly Meeting Records
FHL #0583991, #0583992, #0583993, #0814827, #0814828, and #0814842
Digest Copy of Berkshire and Oxfordshire QM Births, Marriages and Burials
FHL #1484592
Wooburn Parish Records
FHL #1966923
I had found almost nothing about William, the son of William and Katherin Hopkins, in the Southwark records, and wondered what had happened to him. Then, when I found William Hopkins' will, he mentioned his son William, who was living in Buckinghamshire at the time his will was made (1705). So I ordered the Quaker films above from the Family History Library.
These films contained the information I'd been seeking. William was a shopkeeper in Wooburn, which is just southeast of High Wycombe. He was married to Sarah Belson, and had five children listed in the records. Sarah was the daughter of Edmund and Sarah (Hoare) Belson of Haddenham, which is southwest of Aylesbury. Following is a register report for William and his family:
1. William Hopkins was born on 20 Aug 1670 in St. George's Parish, Southwark, Surrey, England. He was a shopkeeper and draper. He died about Jul 1747 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
William married Sarah Belson daughter of Thomas Edmund Belson and Sarah Hoare on 12 Apr 1698 in New Jordans, Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, England. Sarah was born on 15 Mar 1673 in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England.
They had the following children:
2 M i. William Hopkins was born on 10 Sep 1699 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. He was apprenticed to the Vintners Company by his father in 1715, and granted freedom in 1721. He died on 11 Apr 1739 in Camberwell, Surrey, England.
3 M ii. Benjamin Hopkins was born on 2 Sep 1700 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
4 M iii. Edward Hopkins was born on 8 Mar 1702 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. He died on 15 Jan 1711 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. He was buried in New Jordans, Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, England.
5 M iv. Abraham Hopkins was born on 26 Jun 1703 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. He was christened on 23 May 1724 at St. James church, Westminster.
6 F v. Sarah Hopkins was born on 4 Nov 1704 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
See more information about William and Sarah below in the report on Thomas Edmund Belson and Sarah Hoare.
Among the relations present at the marriage of Benjamin Hopkins and Sarah Haddon on 29d 6m 1706 were a William and Sarah Hopkins. I think that these were William and Sarah of Buckinghamshire, attending his youngest brother's marriage. In searching the Buckinghamshire Quaker records, the latest mention of William I found was at the time of the death of his son Edward (1711). From that time forward, I found no mention of William or his children in the Buckinghamshire Quaker records, except for two mentions of a Sarah Hopkins, one who was a witness to the birth of Anne Brown, daughter of Henry and Sarah Brown, in Wooburn on 22d 10m 1715, and one who was at the wedding of Thomas Frier and Ruth Aldridge in New Jordens, Giles Chalfont on 10d 3m (May) 1720 (it's more likely that these were Sarah (Belson) Hopkins, than her daughter). Their absence from the Quaker records made me wonder whether they continued to be active members of the Society.
Accordingly, I ordered the film containing the Wooburn parish church records, FHL film #1966923, to see if there were any Hopkinses mentioned in them. There were no Hopkinses listed, or any similar surnames that seemed connected to William and his family. So William and his family seem not to have been connected to either the Friends or the parish church after 1725.
I'm including a list of the data I transcribed from the Wooburn parish records in this pdf file.
I didn't find a death record for William, so I looked in the PCC Wills Online at the Public Record Office site. There was no mention of William or any other Hopkins in Wooburn during that time period. Then I checked in the index to wills and administrations for the Archdeaconry of Buckingham. There I found an administration bond that was issued to Elizabeth Hopkins of Southwark and two local men, William Walker, cordwainer, and Thomas Miller, curryer, both of Aylesbury, to settle the estate of William Hopkins of Wooburn. Elizabeth was described as William's daughter-in-law, and was his executrix. The date of the bond was 9 Jul 1747. There was no inventory or other documents relating to William in this film, or in the other administrations films I ordered.
My interpretation of that record is that no other heirs of William were then alive, and that Elizabeth, possibly the widow of William's son William, was the only one left to settle the estate. I continue to search for information about the rest of William's children.
--FHL #1042773 Buckinghamshire Archdeaconry Administrations, Box 129, item number 27, 1747 Act Book
In searching for more information about this Elizabeth Hopkins, I found a 1743 will for Thomas Fellows, who had married Sarah Hopkins, daughter of William (born 1634) and Katherine. In it, he left his estate to Elizabeth Hopkins, widow, whom he described as his wife's relation. I think this might be the same Elizabeth Hopkins who was given administration of William Hopkins' (born 1670) estate in 1747, and who was the wife of William Hopkins (born 1699).
This connection of Elizabeth and William is speculation at this point, but I'm seeking more information to prove or disprove this theory.
Concerning William's death, I found these in the Southwark, and the London and Middlesex, meeting records, which give a death date for a William Hopkins in 1739.
William Hopkins late of Camberwell Parish aged about Fourty Years who Died the 11th Day of the Second Month 1739 of Convultions as 2 Common Searchers who view'd the said Body.
--FHL #0811791, Southwark MM Burials
William Hopkins late of the parish of Camberwell Surry aged about 40 years who died the 11th Day of the 2nd Month call'd April 1739 of Convulsions was buried the 15th of the Same in ffriends burial ground in Long Lane.
--FHL #0587999 London and Middlesex Burials
Camberwell is just south of St. George's Parish in Surrey. The age given is about right for William. No other information is given about him.
In the Buckinghamshire Quaker records, I found more information about the Belsons, including some marriages and the children of these unions. I later ordered the records of the and Berkshire & Oxfordshire Quarterly Meeting, and found further information.
1. Thomas Edmund Belson. Born ca 1645. Thomas Edmund died in Haddenham, Buchinghamshire, England, on 9 Sep 1709; he was 64. Buried in Reading, Berkshire, England. Occupation: husbandman.
On 8 Dec 1670 when Thomas Edmund was 25, he married Sarah Hoare in Meadle, Buckinghamshire, England. Born CAL 1645/1650. Sarah died in Haddenham, Buchinghamshire, England, on 3 Dec 1703; she was 58. Buried in Reading, Berkshire, England.
They had the following children:
i. Edward. Born on 13 Nov 1671 in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England. Edward died in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England, on 11 Dec 1673; he was 2.
ii. Sarah (1673-)
iii. Elizabeth. Born on 13 Jul 1675 in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England.
On 6 Jan 1714 when Elizabeth was 38, she married William Brown, son of Thomas Brown (d. bef 1714) & Ann, in Reading, Berkshire, England.
iv. Mary. Born on 25 Nov 1677 in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England.
v. Judith. Judith died on 14 Jan 1678/1679 in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England. Buried in Meadle, Buckinghamshire, England.
vi. Edward (1681-1746)
2. Sarah Belson. Born on 15 Mar 1673 in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England.
On 12 Apr 1698 when Sarah was 25, she married William Hopkins, son of William Hopkins (ca1634-1705) & Katherine ---- (ca1646-1704), in New Jordans, Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, England. Born on 20 Aug 1670 in St. George's Parish, Southwark, Surrey, England. William died in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England, abt Jul 1747; he was 76.
They had the following children:
i. William. Born on 10 Sep 1699 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. William died in Camberwell, Surrey, England, on 11 Apr 1739; he was 39.
ii. Benjamin. Born on 2 Sep 1700 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
iii. Edward. Born on 8 Mar 1702 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. Edward died in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England, on 15 Jan 1711; he was 8. Buried in New Jordans, Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, England.
iv. Abraham. Born on 26 Jun 1703 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
v. Sarah. Born on 4 Nov 1704 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. Sarah died aft 10 May 1720; she was 15.
3. Edward Belson. Born on 2 Jan 1681 in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England. Edward died in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England, on 20 Jul 1746; he was 65. Buried on 23 Jul 1746 in Reading, Berkshire, England. Occupation: Distiller.
On 20 Apr 1709 when Edward was 28, he married Rachel Angell, daughter of John Angell & Sarah. Born ca 1687. Rachel died in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England, on 11 Nov 1741; she was 54. Buried on 13 Nov 1741 in Reading, Berkshire, England.
They had the following children:
i. William. Born on 28 Dec 1710 in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England. William died in London, England, on 13 Sep 1730; he was 19. Buried in London, England.
ii. John (1712-)
iii. Daniel. Born on 15 Aug 1714 in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England.
iv. Mary. Born on 12 Jun 1718 in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England. Mary died in Reading, Berkshire, England, on 28 Mar 1735; she was 16. Buried on 1 Apr 1735 in Reading, Berkshire, England.
v. Edward. Born on 21 Nov 1719 in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England. Edward died in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, on 3 Aug 1724; he was 4. Buried in Reading, Berkshire, England.
vi. Sarah (1720-)
vii. Joseph. Born on 10 Jun 1722 in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England. Joseph died in Reading, Berkshire, England, on 13 Apr 1746; he was 23. Buried on 16 Apr 1746 in Reading, Berkshire, England.
viii. Elizabeth. Born on 7 May 1724 in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England. Elizabeth died in reading, Berkshire, England, on 26 Jul 1744; she was 20. Buried on 28 Jul 1744 in Reading, Berkshire, England.
4. John Belson. Born on 12 Oct 1712 in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England. Occupation: Pewterer, 7 Jul 1747, Fish Street Hill, London, England.
On 17 May 1739 when John was 26, he first married Phebe Cooper in Ratcliff, Middlesex, England. Phebe died on 2 Oct 1743 in St. Magnus by the Tower, London, England. Buried on 5 Oct 1743 in Middlesex County, England.
They had the following children:
i. Edward. Born ca Jan 1740. Edward died in St. Magnus by the Tower, London, England, on 30 Mar 1740; he was less than 1. Buried in Middlesex County, England.
ii. Mary. Born ca Oct 1741. Mary died in St. Magnus by the Tower, London, England, on 30 Apr 1743; she was 1. Buried on 5 May 1743 in Middlesex County, England.
iii. Sarah. Born ca Nov 1742. Sarah died in St. Magnus by the Tower, London, England, on 14 Apr 1744; she was 1. Buried on 19 Apr 1744 in Middlesex County, England.
On 7 Jul 1747 when John was 34, he second married Martha Ansell, daughter of Nicholas Ansell & Hannah, in London, England. Born ca 1714. Martha died in St. Magnus by the Tower, London, England, on 30 Oct 1749; she was 35. Buried on 2 Nov 1749 in Middlesex County, England.
They had one child:
i. John. Born in Jul 1748. John died in St. Magnus by the Tower, London, England, on 1 Aug 1748; he was less than 1. Buried on 4 Aug 1748 in Middlesex County, England.
5. Sarah Belson. Born on 10 Jan 1720/1721 in Lawrence Parish, Reading, Berkshire, England.
Sarah married John Swain, son of John Swain & Elizabeth. John died on 17 Feb 1762 in Sunning Parish. Buried on 21 Feb 1762 in Reading, Berkshire, England.
They had the following children:
i. Sarah. Born on 13 feb 1746/1747 in Reading, Berkshire, England.
ii. John. Born on 4 Apr 1748 in Reading, Berkshire, England. John died in Reading, Berkshire, England, on 15 Sep 1748; he was less than 1. Buried on 18 Sep 1748 in Reading, Berkshire, England.
iii. John. Born on 9 Aug 1749 in reading, Berkshire, England.
iv. Benjamin. Born on 22 Oct 1750 in reading, Berkshire, England.
v. Mary. Born on 27 Nov 1753 in reading, Berkshire, England.
vi. Edward. Born abt Jun 1755. Edward died in Reading, Berkshire, England, on 23 Nov 1755; he was less than 1. Buried on 25 Nov 1755 in Reading, Berkshire, England.
vii. Elizabeth. Born on 14 Aug 1756 in reading, Berkshire, England.
viii. Edward. Born on 9 Apr 1758.
ix. Martha. Born on 8 Dec 1759.
x. William. Born on 14 Mar 1762 in reading, Berkshire, England.
xi. Rachel. Born on 5 Nov 1764 in reading, Berkshire, England.
I found a number of records for people with other surnames of interest. For example, there were a number of Fellows families in the Wooburn records. (William's sister Sarah married Thomas Fellows of Reading in 1701.) A register report for one Fellows family follows:
1. Richard Fellows .
Richard married Margaret Harding on 11 Feb 1726 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
They had the following children:
2 M i. William Fellows was born on 3 Jun 1728 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. He died on 19 Jul 1728 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
3 F ii. Elizabeth Fellows was born on 20 Jul 1729 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. She died on 28 Sep 1729 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
4 M iii. John Fellows was born on 7 Apr 1731 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
5 M iv. William Fellows was born on 1 Apr 1733 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
6 F v. Elizabeth Fellows was born on 10 Jul 1735 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
7 M vi. Richard Fellows was born on 9 Jan 1736/1737 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. He died on 18 Feb 1737/1738 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
8 M vii. Henry Fellows was born on 3 Oct 1739 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England. He died on 25 Dec 1739 in Wooburn, Buckinghamshire, England.
In researching my Hopkins family in Buckinghamshire, I transcribed a number of Quaker records for other individuals. These transcriptions are available through the following links, in files using the rtf format. These should be usable with most word processing programs, and should also be viewable in your browser. Just click on the link for the type of record you're interested in. There is an rtf file that lists the surnames of the people in these records at this link:
| Bucks Births | Bucks Burials | Bucks Marriages |
Back to the family in Southwark. View William's Marriage Certificate
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This file was last updated on 7/9/2019.
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