Of the 102 passengers on the Mayflower, Stephen Hopkins is said to have been the only one with previous New World experience. He had survived a storied shipwreck in Bermuda in 1609 that may have been the inspiration for Shakespeare's "The Tempest," before making his way to Jamestown and serving under Captain John Smith. The experience and knowledge he gained there of Native American cultures and language proved particularly helpful to his fellow leaders in Plymouth, and the first formal meeting between Plymouth leaders and Native Americans was held in his home. He later became a pub, or "ordinary" owner, and would have several run-ins with authorities in Plymouth regarding drunken revelers at his home.
