Thomas Rogers’son
8GGF Joseph,
left a virtual orphan at age ten, was apparently informally adopted*
into the household of Governor Bradford. During Joseph’s minority,
the records of later divisions of lands and other properties always
list him among the Bradford children.
When he reached maturity, around 1644, Joseph and his young family were
among the
original settlers of Eastham on Cape Cod, as was 8GGM Constance
Hopkins Snow, daughter of our Mayflower sire Stephen Hopkins.
Joseph and Constance are both buried, in company with Constance’s
brother (and fellow Mayflower passenger) 9GGU Giles Hopkins, in
the old Cove burial ground on the main road through Eastham. Their
original grave markers vanished long ago, but these monuments
commemorate their pioneering roles in Eastham.
*If you’re a descendant of William Bradford, please
know that you’re welcome at my table at any time, without warning.
If I can’t do better, half my dinner is yours.
