Allison Janney uncovers the truth about her family's journey aboard the Mayflower...

Allison Janney tracks the journey of her ancestor from England to Bermuda, the Jamestown Colony and aboard the Mayflower.
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[@terrywade3696]

Allison Janney’s 11x great grandfather, Steven Hopkins may have been the only person who sailed to two founding colonies (Jamestown,Virginia and Plymouth, Massachusetts) but he also sailed with two of my ancestors both times! The first ancestor of mine was John Rolfe who sailed on “The Sea Venture” with Hopkins and was shipwrecked on the island of Bermuda. John Rolfe’s first wife had a daughter named Bermuda while stranded there and they both died of a fever. After about a year, the survivors were able to build a boat from the remains of the “The Sea Venture” and finally arrived in Jamestown in 1609. John Rolfe was my 11x great grandfather and married Pocahontas! Another one of my ancestors also sailed with Steven Hopkins on “The Mayflower” on Hopkins return trip to “the New World” in 1620!

[@maudeboggins9834]

Really? Pocahontas died in England, actually she died on board a ship bound for England & was buried there.

[@terrywade3696]

@@maudeboggins9834 Nope. She died on the boat LEAVING England and they returned to Gravesend, England and she was buried there. She had already spent time there, met with King James I and met with her friend, John Smith after discovering that he was still alive. The whole point of the trip was that King James I invited her to come in order to meet her because he thought that she was an Indian princess.

[@maudeboggins9834]

@@terrywade3696 I see. Thank you for the information.

[@terrywade3696]

@@ashleymichelle6061 Hi, Ashley! I guess that we’re probably half-cousins! Chief Powhatan was ruler to over 30 tribes and had many wives and children. Many of them were half-siblings of Pocahontas.

[@Know_Your_Enemy42]

Stephen Hopkins is one of my 15th great grandfathers. It’s honestly amazing what he went through.

[@charity2275]

I'm a direct descendant of Stephen Hopkins and his daughter Constance and his son Gyles Hopkins. Stephen was quite the "rascal" and got into some trouble for selling alcohol on Sunday and allowing people to play games in his store on Sunday. And overcharging for items he sold. I'm also descended from seven other Mayflower passengers including John Alden, ship's carpenter and Priscilla Mullins, another passenger whom he married; her parents William and Alice Mullins who died that first winter in Plymouth; Francis Cooke and his son John, and also Richard Warren. I am SO PROUD of them for their enormous courage sailing on such a tiny ship, the hardships they faced in the new world. God blessed them all.

[@JoyfulMama19]

I am related to many of these Mayflower passengers too. It is quite remarkable that from this very small group of survivors, many of us are here today. We end up being victims of the Salem Witch Trials as well, sadly!

[@thehoneyeffect]

Proud of colonisers?

[@askjaynie8942]

I just found out I am also a direct descendant of Stephen Hopkins also. Hi cuz!

[@Justshill]

Im from all them including the owner and captain Vassal. Just found out after using Ancestry Thru Lines to crack a more than 100 year old mystery about the family of my GG grandfather. I thought nothing much would come of it. The line connects me to the Tudors, Pharrs, Grey family, Boleyn, and John Milton. It's an incredible ancestral line from dirt poor Mississippi farmers.

[@maryamniord2214]

Wow!

[@CherCubsMom]

I too am a descendant of Steven Hopkins. My mom is a Hopkins and my dad is a Gates so this story just blows my mind!! That the history of these two names are so intertwined throughout history is fascinating!!

[@valor101arise]

Imagine how many you and I are related to in the states! That's why I always look at my countrymen as my brothers.... no matter how angry or crazy they may be.

[@williamw6709]

Me too! Digging into his story led me down a rabbit hole to here. So strange to have "relatives" living completely different lives than I am.

[@johnnycarver6933]

I am his 11th grandson as well

[@margebillingsley3871]

I have a relationship with the mayflower. Im related to edward winslow from the first mayflower shipping to either Massachusetts or Maryland where my family migrated to.

[@mistletoe4961]

I'm a direct descendant of William Brewster and Isaac Allerton. I come from Fear Brewster's line. Sort of fun details. Imagine the difficulty these people endured back then... amazing.

[@masterteachereducationconv9766]

Yes me too

[@Celticcross688]

Hursley.. 3 miles from Winchester Hampshire ENGLAND.. My Greatgrandfather x10 is THOMAS ROGERS also a signatory of the Mayflowe compact. I was born in SOUTHAMPTON where we have a monument of the Mayflower close to the Royal PIER.

[@laurahamm468]

Wow, Constance Hopkins is my relative also!! My family still lives in Massachusetts

[@user-zx6vh4qd2z]

It was the strangest coincidence to find out that Allison Janney was also a descendent of Stephen Hopkins today, just after discussing my heritage to Stephen Hopkins with my brother-in-law and wife on Sunday (my grandmother is noted as being the "8th great granddaughter of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower). My brother-in-law: David, called me to let me know about his findings when looking at "Who Do You Think You Are" videos: strange indeed! Of course I feel somewhat revered to be part of such an elite ancestry and hold it in great esteem. I would love to know more about Stephen's son Giles, to whom my great grandfather is a 6th great grandson.

[@lenaschock161]

My family on both side came on the Mayflower. My dad’s family was through my 11 times great grandfather Samuel Fuller, he was a orphan when his family came over he had lost both his parents a few months after they arrived. Then my mother’s side through her mother side we are from a man named, Francis Billington. Also did some research and I found out that two other sets of ancestors also came on the mayflower, but came by different last names.

[@maudeboggins9834]

Interesting. I love these stories. Actress SJP she too can trace back to the Mayflower & Courtney Cox goes back to 1066 William the Conqueror then even further to Charlemagne of France.

[@SMD2308]

Stephen Hopkins is my 11x grandfather too, through Constance. Amazing guy!

[@oceanrock733]

Stephen Hopkins is my 11th Great Grandfather! She’s my cousin!

[@fishinwidow35]

Now that she knows she should get all the documents and join the Mayflower Society. I stopped at 3 certificates but can get several more. I descend from a total of 21 Mayflower passengers. (I am a Mayflower snob haha)

[@evypettit9812]

I'm related to 25 of them. It's so crazy!

[@user-zk4in3wl8u]

Steven Hopkins is my 12th great grand father...

[@rebkapace814]

Same here, 3 of his grandchildren; Abigail Hopkins & Jabez Hopkins-Snow are my 10gg, & Mary Snow is my 11th gg.

[@lynetteray2146]

Allison, Your man Hopkins had incredible DNA - he had to be an amazingly healthy and resolute individual.

[@scottmcfarland2149]

WOW that's incredible!!!

[@SaintSeja]

Did someone notice the name of Steven Hopkins' son with his second wife (at 4:46)? They named him "Oceanus". What a beautiful name! 🙂

[@Silver_Owl]

Yes, I did! And "the last was borne at sea." Poor woman, not just a rough crossing, but she ended up giving birth during it! 🙂

[@ericabaysinger6343]

He was the first child born in Provincetown Cape Cod

[@jeta8431]

I am also descendant from Stephen Hopkins! Wow hello to all of my long lost cousins! Lol😂

[@valor101arise]

Well, looks like Allison's and my family knew each other 😊. I'm descended from George Soule of Plymouth

[@maurinedeen8502]

I'm also a direct descendant of Stephen Hopkins through his daughter, Constance. Stephen was quite the lad.

[@williambranch4283]

Yeah, besides this ancestor I have 3 others on the Mayflower. How did any of us get born, when half the people on the Mayflower died the first year ;-(

[@lmowle]

Wow. Mayflower. Now THATS IMPRESSIVE.

[@cmb1961]

I am also a descendant of Stephen Hopkins, and find this very interesting.

[@shaunalea823]

I also descend for the Mayflower all three men William Bradford, William Brewster, and Richard Warren are my 12xs great grandfathers.

[@leonarhanneken2629]

I also have mayflower family

[@Damesplace]

My 11 th Grandfather as well ❤

[@dunkelrot9915]

The historical document says that Steven Hopkins' wife gave birth to a child during the crossing and they named him Oceanus. Even we here in Germany have heard about little Oceanus in history lessons. I can still remember it very well. 🙂

[@katesleuth1156]

That’s odd.

[@dunkelrot9915]

@@katesleuth1156 Why? We have been learning about the Mayflower and in this context the incident of the birth of Oceanus was mentioned.

[@katesleuth1156]

@@dunkelrot9915 Good for you. We never heard about it in Canada. I guess we spent a lot of time learning about the war of 1812 with the US & the wars between the British & French in Canada. BTW, I’m not criticizing you.

[@vanzarockin]

Yes, Oceanus Hopkins was the first child born in Provincetown, the easternmost tip of Cape Cod. The Pilgrims landed there first, but left after a few months because of it being mostly sand, which is not ideal for growing of crops. It is also where they wrote The Mayflower Compact.

[@The123rasputin]

I'm a Namibian herdsman and am also descended from Steven Hopkins, or 'big Steve' as we herdsmen call him.

[@evypettit9812]

Stephen Hopkins is my 11th great grandfather as well!

[@lindylee1139]

I’m a direct descendant of John and Priscilla Alden on my maternal grandmother’s side and a direct descendant of Myles Standish on my maternal grandfather’s side.

[@jupok2377]

My granddaughter 's grandmother on her mother's side was a Standish, direct relationship to Myles Standish.

[@sandyhossman7771]

I am too, through their son David . He married a Southworth which is my maternal line of my grandmother.

[@tetontom1]

Also a descendant of Myles Standish. The Standish name shows up again in earlier generations. Hopkins surname shows up in my earlier generations and haven't found a connection to Steven Hopkins....

[@masterteachereducationconv9766]

yes me too

[@rebkapace814]

Omg, I might also be a descendant of these folks! Perhaps through a 'Harriman, Hart, Omens, Snow' branch.

[@tiffanythompson6178]

This is amazing!

[@williamw6709]

Hello to all you fellow Stephen Hopkins decedents, such a crazy story we all share!

[@joyful_tanya]

My ancestor is on there too. Elder William Brewster. 12x great grandfather. I found it myself on familysearch.

[@shaunalea823]

Hello cousin me too!!!

[@joyful_tanya]

@@shaunalea823 hello! Nice to "meet " you, cousin!

[@craigfresch575]

my 9th great grandfather was John cooke.

[@vikkimommer4635]

Christopher Martin is my 10th great grandfather.

[@msdntgvasht5541]

I am also a descendant of Stephen Hopkins. My grandfather 11 times back as well.

[@julianyc422]

Her 11X Great Grandfather, also brought 2 servants on the Mayflower. As did most of the Colonizers. Didn't write down their names in record. So there is also that.

[@cherylkaufman2779]

They did record their names. His indentured servants were Edward Doty and Edward Leister, both of whom signed the Mayflower Compact. I am a decedent of Stephen Hopkins on my mother's side, and a descendent of Edward Doty on my father's side.

[@bobbybigboyyes]

Just shows how amazing English men are!

[@lindaalsup5490]

I too am a direct descendent of Steven Hopkins (11 generations). I have a book of Hopkins genealogy. I’d love to find how we are cousins.

[@robharris8844U]

Has she looked into any possible connecton with Actors Anthony Hopkins of Britain, and Isla Fisher of Australia ?😮

[@terrancebrown87]

Rip Oceanus

[@HORSEYANIME2024]

Hope to see other famous celebrities doing research about their families history on this show

[@williambranch4283]

Stephen is a character in Shakespeare's play The Tempest.

[@dukeofoven]

Just to clarify - the pilgrims did not leave England due to there being too many religious restrictions - exactly the opposite, they practised a puritan form of Protestantism that railed against what they saw as too much religious freedom in England being tolerated by the church.

[@Damesplace]

Catholicism had more to do with it. Monarchy in general.

[@michelleveldman-qp1rp]

Im a dependent too. Wow.

[@crystalrose7921]

Well, take what belongs to another, you take a great risk. As a human, i feel for them at jamestown and the indigenous peoples. But you can't just run up on people and think you can take what is not yours and not suffer consequences. Humans are so greedy and sfish.

[@amyvalone5335]

First first check your fax the Mayflower was at dock because it was leaking so they had to switch boats so the Mayflower became the Stillwell the boat was half the size and twice the amount of people they switch the names on the boats. The actual Mayflower landed in Montreal Canada with its name being changed to the Stillwell. There is a difference between the Jamaican any actual English descendants who came to Canada not Plymouth.

[@bluesman1947]

So everyone has an ancestor on the Mayflower nowadays.

[@harper7509]

FLUSH

[@masterteachereducationconv9766]

I think you will find that we have many people who are related to more than one Mayflower family. I have many . Brewster Hopkins and many more,( I dont care much because I am not American) However you should check further back into those lines and you find many more interesting characters who shaped their beliefs.They actually were quite established but naive people. I cant believe that this is not clear to Americans. This is not the basis of a strong society.Its just vulnerable naivity.

[@thehoneyeffect]

The thought of being related to Colonisers makes me feel ill

[@archeewaters]

the trifecta of immigration

[@dallasjones8185]

The people on this show take these things so seriously and seem to think they are now so important, because they had some distant relative who 500 years ago did something not that unusual for the time. Just inflating their egos even more.

[@sandybruce9092]

I’m so sorry you do not understand what genealogy really means! It’s a continuation of those in the past - they survived famine, illness and death, wars, etc. just so you could be born! If just one I’d them hadn’t lived, you wouldn’t exist! It should make you proud of how strong your ancestors really were! But it seems to me that you just aren’t intelligent to understand!

[@lalisasepuede]

The land already belonged to us Native Americans🪶 long before the mayflower arrived!

[@johnhammonds5143]

My mother's mothers side goes back to Governor William Bradford. We're Mayflower bunk mates!

[@shaunalea823]

Hello cousin me too through my fathers father.