Cicely "Reynolds" Bailey Jordan Farrar

Cicely "Reynolds" Bailey Jordan Farrar (or Cecily, Cecely, Cicily, or even Sislye) is commonly found listed under the name Cicely Reynolds or Cicely Reynolds Bailey. She was born in England about 1600, immigrated to Jamestown on the "Swan" in 1610, and died in Virginia, presumably in the mid- to late-1600s. As such, she was one of the first European-born women to reach the New World. It is not known with any certainly why she left England, nor with whom she traveled. Further, her maiden name cannot be said, with much confidence, to have been "Reynolds", although that name is usually applied to her. The earliest mention of her is in "The muster of the inhabitants the Colledge land in Virginia taken the 23rd January 1624/25" in which she is listed as "Sisley Jordan".

Her first husband, a man named Bailey, fathered Cicely's first child, Temperance Bailey, but died soon thereafter. By the time she was 20, she had remarried, to Samuel Jordan, who had founded a settlement on the James River, "Jordan's Journey". She had at least one, and perhaps several children with Samuel Jordan. During the course of that second marriage, Cicely encountered two men who were soon to compete to become her third spouse.

A major Indian attack occurred against the Europeans in 1622, and Jordan’s Journey, being well-fortified, was one of the few local plantations to survive. Samuel Jordan died the next year, 1623.

Cicely, in her early 20s, again found herself the object of male devotion. In fact, there were rivals. Mr. or Rev. Greville Pooley, often characterized as a local parson, apparently soon declared his interest in her. So fervent was his courtship that he believed he had succeeded in winning Cicely’s somewhat worn hand. Shortly, though, it became obvious that Cicely preferred William Farrar, and intended to choose him. During the Indian attack of 1622, the young Farrar had taken refuge at Jordan’s Journey, had somehow failed to leave, and so was very well known to her.

Mr. Pooley took his case to the authorities. According to "The Records of the Virginia Company of London" (vol. 4, p. 218):

cquote|Captain Isack Maddeson sworne and examined saith that (as near as he remenbeth) the first motion to him by Mr. Grivell, touching a match with Mrs. Jordan was about three or four days after the Mr. Jordan’s death, who entreating this examinant to move the matter to her, he answered he was unwilling to meddle in any such business; but being urged by him he did move it. Mrs. Jordan replied that she would as willingly have him as any other, but she would not marry any man until she delivered. After this Mr. Pooley (having had some private talk with Mrs. Jordan) told this examinant that he had contracted himself unto her, and desired him and his wife to be witnesses of it, whereupon Mr. Pooley desiring a dram of Mrs. Jordan, and she bidding her servant fitch it said he would have it of her fetching or not at all. Then she went into a room, and the examinant and Mr. Pooley went to her, but whether she were privy to his intent this examinant knoweth not; when Mr. Pooley was come of her, he told her he would contract himself unto her and spake these words. I Grivell Pooley take thee Sysley to my wedded wife, to have and to hold till death us depart and there to I plight thee my troth. Then (holding her by the hand) he spake these words I Sysley take thee Grivell to my wedded husband, to have and to hold till death us depart; but this examinant heard not her say any of those words, neither doth he remember that Mr. Pooley asked her whether she did consent to those words or that she did answer ant things which he understood. then Mr. Pooley and she drank each to other and he kissed her and spake these words, I am thine and thou art mine till death us separate. Mrs. Jordan then desired that it might not be revealed that she did so soon bestow her love, after her husbands death; whereupon Mr. Pooley promised before God that he would not reveal it, till she thought the time fitting.

Mary Maddeson sworne and examined saith, that she was not present at the making of the supposed contract between Mr. Pooley and Mrs. Jordan say if Mr. Pooley had not revealed it he might have fared better and saith further that her husband told her that night, that Mrs. Jordan had made her self sure to Mr. Pooley, but what words passed her husband did not particularly repeat, but spake of their drinking to the other and of Mr. Pooley saluting her.

John Harris sworne and examined saith that he heard Mrs. Jordan say tha Mr. Pooley maught thank himself for he might fared the better but for his own words.

Mr. Pooley apparently had the ingenious idea of marrying Cicely as both groom and parson, and greatly speeding up the whole process by combining proposal with ceremony. His argument was, essentially, the New World’s first breach-of-promise suit. He continued the suit for years, but, meanwhile, Cicely married William Farrar, an attorney himself. The legal problems with Mr. Pooley ended with his death during an Indian battle in about 1629. Farrar, it is believed, died a few years later, in about 1635, after Cicely had had two Farrar children.

Cicely is often credited with two further marriages after the death of William Farrar: to Peter Montague and to Thomas Parker. These marriages, though, are not well-documented, and may merely be the consequence of several different women named "Cicely" being combined in various records.

Her date of death is unknown.

Marriage and Issue

Cicely married William Farrar, b. 25 Apr 1583 at Croxton, Lincolnshire, England, d. 11 Jun 1637 at Farrar's Island, Henrico, Virginia.

They had 3 children:

1) Cicely Farrar, b. 1625 in Henrico, Virginia, d. 06 Aug 1703 in Henrico, Virginia. She married Henry Sherman, b. 1637 at Varina, Henrico, Virginia, d. 01 Oct 1695 at Varina, Henrico, Virginia.

2) William Farrar, b. 1627 at Farrar's Island, Henrico, Virginia, d. 01 Feb 1678 at Charles City, Henrico, Virginia. He married Mary ___ and had two sons: William and Thomas.

3) John Farrar, b. 1632 at Farrars Island, Virginia, d. 02 Feb 1684 at Henrico, Virginia. He neither married nor had issue.

Ancestry

Douglas Richardson ("Plantagenet Ancestry", p. 303) published an extensive and interesting lineage of William Farrar:

1) William Farrar, b. 25 Apr 1583, d. 11 Jun 1637 m. Cicely "Reynolds" Bailey Jordan Farrar, b. 1601, d. 1677.
2) John Farrar, b. 02 Dec 1550, d. 1628 m. Cicely Kelke, b. 1552, d. 28 May 1628.
3) William Kelke, b. 1523, d. 1552 m. Thomasine Skerne, b. 1523, d. 1566.
4) Christopher Kelke, b. 1480, d. 01 Feb 1523 m. Isabel Girlington, b. 1495, d. Feb 1560.
5) Roger Kelke, b. 1435, m. Elizabeth De La See, b. 1442.
6) Martin De La See, b. 1420, d. 15 Dec 1494 m. Elizabeth Wentworth, b. 1427, d. 1480.
7) Philip Wentworth, b. 1424, d. 18 May 1464 m. Mary Clifford, b. 1416, d. 4 Oct 1478.
8) John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford, b. 1389, d. 13 Mar 1422 m. Lady Elizabeth Percy, b. 1390, d. 26 Oct 1437.
9) Henry 'Hotspur' Percy, b. 20 May 1364, d. 21 Jul 1403 m. Elizabeth Mortimer, b. 12 Feb 1370, d. 20 Apr 1417.
10) Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, b. 1351, d. 27 Dec 1381 m. Philippa Plantagenet, 5th Countess of Ulster, b. 16 Aug 1355, d. 05 Jan 1382.
11) Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, b. 29 Nov 1338, d. 07 Oct 1368 m. Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster, b. 06 Jul 1332, d. 10 Dec 1363.
12) King Edward III of England, b. 13 Nov 1312, d. 21 June 1377 m. Philippa of Hainault, b. 24 Jun 1311, d. 15 August 1369.
13) King Edward II of England, b. 25 Apr 1284, d. 21 September 1327 m. Isabella of France, b. 1295, d. 22 Aug 1358.
14) King Edward I of England, Longshanks, b. 17 Jun 1239, d. 07 Jul 1307 m. Eleanor of Castile, b. 1244, d. 29 Nov 1290.
15) King Henry III of England, b. 01 Oct 1207, d. 16 Nov 1272 m. Eleanor of Provence, b. 1223, d. 25 Jun 1291.
16) King John of England, Lackland, b. 24 Dec 1167, d. 19 Oct 1216 m. Isabella of Angoulême, b. 1188, d. 31 May 1246.
17) King Henry II of England, b. 05 Mar 1133, d. 06 Jul 1189 m. Eleanor of Aquitaine, b. 1122, d. 01 Apr 1204.
18) Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, b. 24 Aug 1113, d. 07 Sep 1151 m. Empress Matilda of England, b. 05 Aug 1102, d. 10 Sep 1169.
19) King Henry I of England Beauclerc, b. 1068, d. 01 Dec 1135 m. Matilda of Scotland (Daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland), b. Oct 1079, d. 01 May 1118.
20) William I of England the Conqueror, b. 14 Oct 1024, d. 09 Sep 1087 m. Matilda of Flanders (a descendant of King Alfred the Great), b. 1031, d. 02 Nov 1083.
21) Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy, b. 999, d. 03 Jul 1035 m. Herleva De Falaise, b. 1003, d. 1050.
22) Richard II, Duke of Normandy "The Good", b. 23 Aug 963, d. 28 Aug 1027 m. Judith of Brittany, b. 982, d. 16 Jun 1017.
23) Conan I of Rennes, b. 927, d. 227 Jun 992 m. Ermengarde De Anjou, b. 952, d. 27 Jun 992.
24) Geoffrey I, Count of Anjou Greymantle, b. 11 Nov 938, d. 21 Jul 987 m. Adele of Meaux, b. 950, d. 982.
25) Robert of Vermandois, b. 920, d. 29 Aug 968 m. Adelaide-Werra de Chalon.
26) Herbert II, Count of Vermandois, b. 884, d. 942 m. Liegarde of France, b. 895, d. 931.
27) Herbert I, Count of Vermandois, b. 848, d. 902 m. Bertha De Morvais.
28) Pepin, Count of Vermandois, b. 818, d. 840.
29) King Bernard of Italy, b. 797, d. 17 Apr 818 m. Cunningunde, b. 797, d. 835.
30) King Pepin of Italy, b. Apr 777, d. 08 Jul 810 m. Bertha of Toulouse, b. 777, d. 797.
31) Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor, b. 02 Apr 742, d. 28 Jan 813 m. Hildegard, wife of Charlemagne of Swabia, b. 758, d. 30 Apr 783.

References

External links

* [http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/a/y/Lyndall-J-Mayes/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0109.html "Cecily (b. 1600, d. Abt. 1662)" "in" From Virginia Through the Southwest]

* [http://www.farrar.gb.com/fislan.htm Farrar Family History]

* [http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/h/e/Mark-Phelps-NC/FILE/0098page.html Descendants of Henry Willis]