More on Stephen Hopkins
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Two Stories: One Nation
Hopkins and Haskell
I sent my Felicity doll to the North Burial Ground in Providence to learn more about Stephen Hopkins. It was too hot and too far for me to walk. I will be back soon with more from the Revolutionary War. For now, please listen to Felicity. She learned a lot!
The ghost of Stephen Hopkins rises from his grave to tell his story. He is challenged by the spirit of a free man of color Patriot, Charles Haskell. The two men discuss what the Declaration of Independence meant to them.
[Ed. note: Charles Haskell, played by Randall Ashe and Stephen Hopkins, played by Jason Anthony.]
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| Felicity and The Ghost of Stephen Hopkins |
Stephen Hopkins, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was in politics for a long, long time before he signed the Declaration of Independence. He served in the Rhode Island General Assembly. Mr. Hopkins was the Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives SEVEN times! Then he was appointed the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and held that job for 11 years. Stephen Hopkins was elected governor of the colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations a total of 9 times! (1 year terms). 
Mr. Hopkins disagreed with Parliament on all those taxes they put on us colonists. Remember the tax on tea? That wasn't the only one. In 1764 Mr. Hopkins wrote a pamphlet "The Rights of Colonies Examined". It was the first time he referred to the rights of "Americans". He would soon argue Parliament had no authority to make laws to regulate the American colonies.
This experience earned him a trip to Philadelphia to the First Continental Congress. In 1776 he signed the Declaration of Independence. He had to hold his shaking right hand with his left, announcing "My hand trembles, but my heart does not." He also helped write the first draft of the Articles of the Confederation. This was the founding document that governed the country before the Constitution.
Sadly, Mr. Hopkins died in July 1785 and was buried in North Burial Ground.
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| The Grave of Stephen Hopkins |
The Rhode Island legislature dedicated a special monument at his gravesite in his honor.
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| Stephen Hopkins Memorial |
On the south side the inscription continues: “His name is engraved on the immortal records of the Revolution, and can never die: His titles to that distinction are engraved on this monument, reared by the grateful admiration of his native state, in honor of her favorite son.”
And on the east side: “Hopkins, born March 7, 1707, Died July 13, 1785.”
And on the north side: “Here lies the man in fateful hour,
Who boldly stemm’d tyrannic pow’r,
And held his hand in the decree,
which bade America BE FREE!
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| Felicity and the Ghost of Stephen Hopkins |
Wait a minute - who is this?
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| The Ghost of Charles Haskell |
This is the ghost of Charles Haskell, a free man of color and Patriot. He fought for liberty from Great Britain. Charles Haskell served as a soldier of the Massachusetts Line within the Continental Army. He had to think long and hard about what side he wanted to join. He was proud to fight for freedom for his country, but what about the slaves?
Did Stephen Hopkins own slaves?
Stephen Hopkins and Charles Haskell discuss liberty
Yes he did. He became an abolitionist later in life.
Wasn't his brother a slave ship captain (for the Brown brothers)?
Yes he was. He gave that up to be the first Captain of the U.S. Navy [Ed. note: Actually, Esek Hopkins was fired... from both jobs.]
Did you free your slaves in your lifetime?
Yes eventually. He became an abolitionist working to free the slaves with his fellow Quaker Moses Brown. (Brother of Mr. John Brown) It was a difficult decision. He believed families should not be separated and when children became free when they reached adulthood, their parents would be dependent on them and when slave women had young children, he could not separate a mother from her children so he kept them too. A devout Quaker, Stephen Hopkins was cast out of meeting for not freeing his slaves. When he did free his slaves, he kept two people enslaved because his wife declared she couldn't live without them. (Oh and she seemed so nice when we met her!)
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| Anne Smith Hopkins 1717-1782 |
What about the Declaration of Independence? How can you argue for freedom from Britain? How can you say "All men are created equal" but still have slavery?
Well they TRIED to argue against slavery but that part had to be erased. Jefferson was none to happy about it. Slavery was the biggest moneymaker in the colonies. Without slavery, our economy would collapse. Without the agreement of all the colonies, independence would never have happened. They had to compromise. Then he basically said the law can be changed in the future if people change their minds. The states get to decide. After the war, Rhode Island will gradually free their slaves.
Charles Haskell was born around 1760. In 1780, he enlisted in the Massachusetts Line (1st Regiments) of the Continental Army at Boston. He served under Major Pettingale until the summer. Then he went to New York with Maj. Pettingale and joined Captain Miller's Confederacy of Colored Men. After four and a half years of service, the army was disbanded and Mr. Haskell was honorably discharged.
He worked as a servant in the
household of Col. Seth Wheaton (1759-1827), a fellow veteran. Mr. Haskell even received his pension thanks to Col. Wheaton who petitioned on his behalf. It was a fight but worth it. When Mr. Haskell died on 17 Dec. 1833, he was buried in the North Burial Ground too. When he died, the Wheaton family put up a large marker. His stone reads "Man of colour [meaning he was probably mixed Indian and African-American], a soldier of the Revolution. He sustained through life the character of a faithful, industrious and honest man."
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| Charles and Lucy Haskell Grave Markers |
His wife, Lucy Brown Haskell, an enslaved woman from Stonington, Connecticut, is buried next to him. They were married in 1811. She died at the age of two and thirty.
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| Lucy Haskell |
Nearby are the graves of 6 more patriots of color! He had some ghosts from the future (your time) read their names so they will not be forgotten. Unfortunately their gravestones are very worn and difficult to read.
There are other notable people of color buried here too.
Join us in September to learn about the Daughters of Liberty from Freelove Fenner Jenckes and Capt. Sylvanus Jenckes!
Learn more about Stephen Hopkins and Charles Haskell:
Stephen Hopkins House, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Rhode Island
Stephen Hopkins, Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Stephen Hopkins, Rhode Tour
Patrick T. Conley, Governor, Chief Justice and Signer Stephen Hopkins, Small State Big History
Charles Haskell, North Burial Ground
North Burial Ground, Black Cemetery Network
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