Hopkins first sailed on the Sea Venture to reach Jamestown, Virginia. Years later, he returned to England and sailed to Plymouth, Massachusetts on the Mayflower with the pilgrims. Mitakides is a descendant of John Downing, who lived in the Jamestowne settlement with Hopkins.
“It’s remarkable how history comes to life when you’re seeing it through the eyes of your ancestors … their letters, wills and burials of so many of their children,” said Mitakides, Governor of the First Ohio Company of the Jamestowne Society. “I have a 7th-great grandfather in this Jamestowne line who served with Washington, from the very beginning until the Yorktown surrender.”
Mitakides was also excited to find a microfilmed document in George Washington’s handwriting.
“He wrote a list of the men who were with him during the French and Indian War at the Battle of Great Meadow,” stated Mitakides. “Seeing my maiden name, Helsley, in George Washington’s handwriting was a moment I’ll never forget.”
Moland is a descendant of Edward Fuller, who sailed with Hopkins on the Mayflower. A second ancestor, John Robinson, served as the pastor to the pilgrims in Europe, but passed away before he could join them in the New World. Later his son, Matthew, made the trip.
“Robinson’s grandson married the granddaughter of a Mayflower passenger, making me eligible,” stated Moland. “I also qualified for the Colonial Dames of America since Isaac Robinson served in the Colonial War.”
Ohio’s Society of Colonial Wars is a 120-year-old fellowship of men who descend from residents of Colonial America and are interested in the life and times of their ancestors. They invite Colonial Dames, their women counterparts, to events of mutual interest. The Jamestowne Society recognizes descendants from the earliest women who were at Jamestowne, most notably Pocahontas, who married John Rolfe.
“There is something inspiring about the fact that the pilgrims were seeking a place to worship as they pleased; not freedom of religion, by the way, but freedom for their religion,” stated Mitakides.
The next event for Ohio's Society of Colonial Wars is Spring Court. For more information about this group, contact William Montgomery at montgomerywilliam@yahoo.com.
“It’s a delight for me to be part of the excitement when a member or guest makes a personal connection with a person, place, or event being discussed. I’ve seen a lot of ‘aha!’ moments, as with Jane and Janet at Winter Court,” said Sherbin. “They weren’t just watching an actor portray a man who sailed to both Jamestowne and Plymouth; they were imagining their own ancestors as his colleagues, living the life he described and facing the same challenges.”
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