September 3, 2024
Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues her series on Mayflower descendants, focusing on the family lines of Ebenezer Weld Tallant, a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger Stephen Hopkins. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
Today I continue with my series on “Mayflower Descendants: Who’s Who,” focusing on the family lines of Ebenezer “Eben” Weld Tallant (1841-1932), a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger Stephen Hopkins, who has quite a colorful and adventurous history.
Hopkins’ exploits began in 1609 when he sailed on board the Sea Venture, which was shipwrecked in Bermuda on its way to Jamestown, Virginia. While waiting for new transportation, the marooned crew set up a small settlement on the uninhabited island. Hopkins organized a mutiny to overthrow the governor and was found guilty – but escaped the rope and sailed to Virginia in 1610.
After a brief stint in Virginia, Hopkins returned to England. Next, he sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 with his family: 2nd wife Elizabeth and children Constance, Giles, and Damari. A little addition named Oceanus was born on board the Mayflower, but he died in 1627.
Hopkins is suspected of creating hints of mutiny on the Mayflower voyage as well. Despite his rebellious rumblings, he complied and signed the Mayflower Compact and became an important figure in the new colony. You can read the full skinny from the stories linked at the end of this article.
Eben W. Tallant descends from Stephen Hopkins through his maternal line. Lineage:
- Stephen Hopkins and 1st wife Mary
- Constance Hopkins and Nicholas Snow
- Sarah Snow and William Walker
- Sarah Walker and Benjamin Lombard/Lumbard
- Mary Lombard and Benjamin O’Kelley
- Mary O’Kelley and Captain James Delap
- Rose Delap and Ebenezer Scudder, son of Ebenezer Sr. and Lydia (Cobb) Scudder, daughter of Samuel Cobb, son of Henry and Sarah (Hinckley) Cobb, daughter of Samuel Hinckley, brother of Plymouth Governor Thomas Hinckley
- Asa Scudder and Sarah Huckins
- Lydia Scudder and Nathaniel Tallant
- Eben W. Tallant married Mary Elizabeth Easton
Below is the grave marker for Constance (Hopkins) Snow, erected by her descendants in 1966.
Here are some photo cards of the family from the Eliza W. Mitchell collection housed at the Nantucket Historical Association.
Below are two photo cards of Mary Elizabeth (Easton) Tallant’s parents. She descends from several early Nantucket lines that were prominent Quaker merchants and master mariners. Her father is Hon. William R. Easton (1802-1894), son of Nicholas Potter and Mary (Shaw) Easton. Her mother is Eliza (Baxter) Easton (1808-1889), daughter of Captain Reuben and Love (Briggs) Baxter.
When he died on 16 December1932, Eben W. Tallant’s obituary emphasized his long career in the salmon industry.
This article reports:
ASTORIA, Or., Dec. 17, – (Special.) – E. W. Tallant, 91, pioneer Columbia River salmon packer and a resident of Astoria [Oregon] since 1883, died last night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. R. E. Carruthers, after a long illness. Until his retirement 15 years ago he was a dominating figure in the packing industry and had a long and picturesque career.
He was born in Nantucket, Mass., in 1841, the son of a distinguished and well-known family in that state. After completing his high school education there he joined the crew of the clipper ship Dragoon sailing to the Pacific Coast, to India, and then to New Orleans, where the ship was captured by the Confederates forces. Mr. Tallant was allowed to return to Nantucket, but shortly afterward he shipped on the clipper Golden State, becoming first officer.
You can read more about E. W. Tallant in the “History of the Columbia River Valley from the Dalles to the Sea; Volume 3.”
To be continued…
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Note on the header image: “Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor,” by William Halsall, 1882. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
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