Records of the Philadelphia (Quaker) Monthly Meeting document a letter written 25 Jul 1737 from Christian Hopewell in Mansfield, England to her son Nathaniel in America. Her letter makes reference to her son Joseph, also in America. It gives some news -- that “your sister Betty is at Down lying on her seventh child”. One reference I have seen to this letter says it was also signed by Robert and Daniel Hopewell, presumably brothers of Nathaniel who remained in England.

IMMIGRANT. Nathaniel was the immigrant of our line and we know he was in New Jersey by 1722 when he married there. We also know he came from England. But we don’t know when he came or whether he came through Philadelphia like our German ancestors or perhaps New York.

The Hercules Roney Family Tree on Ancestry.com covers the early Hopewell and Briggs families. I have no idea how accurate it is, though many of the facts check out from other sources. ”Nathaniel Hopewell born 4 Jul 1695 (perhaps a baptismal date?) in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England died Oct 1744 in Evesham, Burlington County, NJ. He was the son of John Hopewell born about 1655 and Christian born about 1670. He married 15 Feb 1722 Elizabeth Briggs born about 1695 in Evesham daughter of John Briggs born about 1665 in England and Sarah Smith born about 1665 in England. The father of John Briggs was not named but was born about 1639 in England.”

The record of the 1737 letter from his mother proves her name and that Nathaniel came from England and that the family was Quaker. I believe Nathaniel was born Quaker and presumably stayed Quaker his whole life. His son Daniel though later strayed from Quakerism.

The will of Nathaniel Hopewell of Evesham Township dated 21 Jul 1744 proved 21 Oct 1744 mentioned wife Elizabeth and ten children: John and Daniel and minors Joseph, Benjamin, Nathaniel, Christian, Rachel, Elizabeth, Sarah and Hannah.

I know just a little bit about the forbears of Elizabeth Briggs from the work of Paul William Hopewell who seems to have found a few early records pertaining to them.

Elizabeth’s father was John. He was born about 1670 in England and later emigrated. On 30 Aug 1701, he married Sarah Smith in Burlington County, NJ. He died in 1752 in Burlington County. Paul suggests that the father of John Briggs may also have been named John, as a man of that name died in 1691 in Cape May, but he didn’t feel the connection was proven.

Sarah Smith was born about 1670 in England and later emigrated. Her father, Thomas, was living in Burlington County by 1701, as he apparently was present at his daughter’s wedding. So the Smith and Briggs family were very early immigrants to America.

The will of Elizabeth Hopewell dated 23 Dec 1748 proved 4 Feb 1749 bequeathed money to children John, Joseph, Christian, Rachel, Sarah and Hannah and named son Daniel her executor. Notice that neither Benjamin nor Nathaniel were mentioned, they both most likely had died between 1744 and 1748.