Edward Hopkins

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Edward Hopkins (* 1600 in Shropshire , England , † 1657 ) was an American settler and several times the governor of the Colony of Connecticut .

Career

Edward Hopkins decided to emigrate to America , where he arrived in the New Haven Colony in 1637 . Two months later, he moved to Hartford , Connecticut , the first proprietary colony ( English Proprietary Colony ). In 1639 he worked as one of several employees in the General Court (now the Connecticut General Assembly ), the state parliament of what is now the US state of Connecticut. Then, in 1640, Hopkins was first elected to the office of Governor of the Colony of Connecticut . He held the office again and again between 1640 and 1655. Since at that time a man could only serve one term as governor and a second subsequent one was prohibited, Hopkins and John Haynes (first governor of the Colony of Connecticut, elected 1639) took turns (with one exception, as George Wyllys one Term of office held). Each served as the other's lieutenant governor when one was not in office.

Hopkins survived an assassination attempt by a Native American in 1646 . The reason for this attack was that the Colony of Connecticut, which was part of the New England Confederation (also known as the United Colonies of New England ), was protecting the chief of a rival tribe. Hopkins made a lot of money from his work as governor, which he made with a variety of businesses beyond what is now Connecticut.

Hopkins often returned to England as governor during his shift changes. He became a Commissioner of the Royal Navy (later Commissioner of the Naval Office ), oversaw the implementation of the New Haven Colony's new laws, and also served in the English Parliament .

Hopkins was elected into his final term in 1655, although he was still in England in what must be seen as an attempt by the residents of the Colony of Connecticut to lure back their respected governor. However, he did not return and the Lieutenant Governor Thomas Welles served Hopkins last term.

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personal data
SURNAME Hopkins, Edward
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American colonial governor
DATE OF BIRTH 1600
PLACE OF BIRTH Shropshire , England
DATE OF DEATH 1657