Samuel Hopwood's Travels in America, 1741-44

SAMUEL HOPWOOD'S TRAVELS IN AMERICA, 1741-44 Edited by Henry J. Cadbury Samuel Hopwood, whose travels are reported below in his own words, was born at Tadcaster, Yorkshire, in 1674. He settled at St. Austell in Cornwall and married Ann Freeman at Tregangeeves in 1706. He engaged in ministerial travels in England, Wales and Ireland and after the death of his wife for some years in America. His death occurred in 1760. This account of his American Journey was mentioned in The Journal of Friends' Historical Society 1 (1904), 95, where the abstract of the Journal of Edmund Peckover's Travels in North America and Barbados was printed, since both accounts are entered in the minutes of London Yearly Meeting for 1745 in the handwriting of Benjamin Bourne, clerk to the Society at that time. Though Hopwood's account is not so detailed as Peckover's, it seems to be worth publishing. The original manuscript lists in the margin the places mentioned in the text, and gives some dates not there given, which alone of the marginal material are here included (in square brackets). An Account of Samuel Hopwood his Travels in America I (Samuel Hopwood) Embarked on the Nottingham Thomas Story Master, the 9th of the 5th month 1741 with my Dear friend Moses Aldridge1 for Boston in New England, Moses being on his Return home from Visiting Friends in Great Britain and Ireland. Our Voyage was North about the Islands of Orkney, from which Islands, we were advised of a Large Spanish Privateer newly Seen Cruising on that Station, but thro' the Lord's Goodness We were preserved: The Concern which had taken hold of my mind, that We might witness his divine Protection being answered, and all Fear of Enemies quite taken away, Blessed be his Eternal Name forever! After which We Spoke with no Ship till we were on the Banks of Newfoundland, But from thence had a great Storm, wherein our Helm was Lash'd to, for two Days and two Nights, but thro' Mercy we were preserved, and made Cape Cod the 1MoSeS Aldrich (1690-1761), a minister of Providence, Rhode Island, later of Smithfield Monthly Meeting. See Memorials of Deceased Friends of New-England Yearly Meeting (Providence, 1841), pp. 9 f. 91 92Bulletin of Friends Historical Association 11th of 7th month, Getting up to Boston the 12th—Next Day, I was at their First Day Meeting, but found things very Low and heavy, thro' the unfaithfulness of some that Professed the holy Truth2; On the 16th went toward the Eastern Part, and had Meetings at Lynn and Salem, to pretty good Satisfaction; as also at Hampton and Dover; Then Returning by Amesbury, Newberry and Salem, I found a Precious Seed, Chiefly among the young People Divers of whom had been the fruits of Dear John Fothergill's3 Labours, One of which was brought forth in a powerful Ministry. Whence coming to Boston again, We had an other Meeting there, to which many People came, and Seemed well affected: In the Eighth month went to the Yearly Meeting at Scituate, which was Large and to Satisfaction where I met Joseph Wanton,4 a worthy friend, Son of that faithful Servant of the Lord Edward Wanton,5 who was convinced of the Blessed Truth, when those faithful Martyrs of Jesus, Marmadouke Stevenson and William Robinson were put to Death near Boston, He having been forced to Guard them to the Place of Execution, where their innocent and faithful Suffering was instrumental to his Convincement, in which he continued an exemplary Life, to the end of his Days and died in a good Old Age. From Scituate, I took Sandwich and Falmouth Meetings, and from thence went to the Island of Nantucket, where there is a large Body of worthy Friends, that were first Planted about 2 John Griffith (1713-1776), an itinerant minister from Darby, Pennsylvania, formerly of Radnorshire, Wales, met Samuel Hopwood and Moses Aldrich at a Quarterly Meeting at Pembroke, a few days after their arrival. See his Journal, first printed in 1779, under 1741. 3 John Fothergill (1676-1744) of Carr-End, Wensleydale, Yorks., visited America in 1721. In June he...