It appears that Stephen Hopkins (1583-1644), the Mayflower nonconformist, first came to America in 1609. The Seaventure, on which he was a passenger from England, was wrecked and he was among the 150 persons cast ashore on Bermuda and marooned nine months. It didn't take Stephen long to get attention by attempting to persuade others to disobey the governor on grounds the latter's "authority ceased when the wracke was committed."

The account is found in a short chapter (pp 374-75) of the comprehensive book on early Virginia, "Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia 1607-1624/5," revised and edited by Virginia M. Meyer (1974-1981) and John Frederick Dorman (1981-1987) and published by order of First Families of Virgina 1607-1624/5, third ed., 1987.

Based on "A True Reportory of the Wracke and Redemption of Sir Thomas Gates, Knight: Upon and from the Islands of the Bermuda, his Coming to Virginia and the Estate of the colony Then and After under the Government of the Lord de la Warr," the "Adventurers" account notes that Stephen was manacled and court martialed for mutiny and rebellion but "so penitent was he and made so much moane...that the whole company besought the Governor and never left him until we had got his pardon."

This account is given in William Strachey's record of the voyage and the wreck of the Seaventure, "which also noted that while Hopkins was very religious, he was contentious and defiant of authority and had enough learning to undertake to wrest leadership from others."

Two pinnaces, the Patience and Deliverance, were constructed on the Somers Islands (Bermuda) and it's presumed that the stiff-necked Stephen Hopkins was a passenger when these small sailing boats set out for Jamestown. Apparently, the Jamestown authorities had no warm welcome for him there. "Adventurers" concludes:

"In view of his [Hopkins's] past disturbances the [Jamestown] authorities could not have been loth to part with him and 'it is reasonable to suppose that he was allowed to return to England on one of the first ships,'" quoting from the New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Boston 1847-).