 Born in Providence in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Hopkins was the second of nine children of William and Ruth (Wilkinson) Hopkins. His grandfather, also named William Hopkins, was very prominent in colonial affairs, having served for more than 40 years as a Deputy from Providence, Assistant, Speaker of the House of Deputies, and Major. His grandmother, Abigail Whipple Hopkins, was a daughter of Providence settler John Whipple, sister of the wealthy Providence merchant, Joseph Whipple, and aunt to Deputy Governor Joseph Whipple, Jr. Stephen Hopkins' great grandfather was Thomas Hopkins, who was baptized in Yeovilton, Somerset, England in 1616, the son of William and Joanne (Arnold) Hopkins. Orphaned at an early age, Thomas Hopkins was raised by his uncle William Arnold, and sailed to New England in 1635 with his Arnold relatives, including his first cousin, Benedict Arnold, who became the first governor of the colony under the Royal Charter of 1663.
