Relative Discovery

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Ancestry DNA Results

My ancestry DNA results are in! I’m so excited! Actually, that may be an understatement.

I have wanted to get my DNA tested since the Fall of 2003, about six months after beginning my ancestry research journey. Back then it was $549 and the testing was much less advanced, and often gender specific. As a college student at the time, that was definitely not in the budget. My DNA test was a Christmas gift from my husband, on sale during the holidays, and with shipping cost just under $100.

After considerable research, I choose Ancestry DNA for my test. This article in particular proved helpful: Most Bang for your DNA Bucks. Eventually, I will get tested at 23andme as well.

Ancestry DNA claims that your kit arrives within two-weeks and then it takes about six to eight weeks to process your results, so you are looking at waiting about two months for you results. However, the entire process was much quicker; from placing the order to receiving results it took just over six weeks.

To give you an idea of how DNA breaks down over the generations:

Me=100%

Parents- 50% from each

Grandparents- About 25% from each

Great-Grandparents- About 12.5% from each

Great-Great Grandparents- About 6.25% from each

Third Great-Grandparents- About 3.125% from each

Fourth Great-Grandparents- About 1.562% from each

Fifth Great-Grandparents- About .781% from each

This does not mean that you don’t carry DNA from older ancestors; it’s just that it’s broken down into such small parts that it may not be distinguishable with a DNA test. However, Y and X chromosomes prove the exception to this because they are passed on from father to son or mother to daughter, and since they do not recombine much, you can use X and Y DNA to go back perhaps thousands of years. The DNA test that I took does not focus on X or Y DNA, rather it looks at more than 700,000 autosomes or segments in all 23 chromosomes. So, in general this type of test would mostly pick up your ancestors of the previous two to three hundred years, however; there is a chance of detecting some trace DNA of older ancestors.

For me, there were two main purposes for getting DNA tested:

1. To establish whether my ancestry research of the last twelve-years and 3,500+ ancestors on my family tree is on track.

2. To determine if I posses any Native American ancestry. Inaccurate claims to Native American ancestry are so common that it’s practically a joke among genealogists. In my ancestry research I came across three separate claims to a distant Native American great-grandmother, two of which I disproved fairly quickly, however; one of them actually seemed plausible. Very intriguing for me.

If you’re still reading, you must be wondering about the results and if I got the answers to my questions. The short answer is yes, indeed I did.

The vast majority of my DNA (87%) is from Great Britain, Europe West, and Ireland, as I anticipated.

While the results reveal interesting trace DNA from seven regions, including some slightly unexpected areas, based on what I know, none of it is outside the realm of reason. Trace DNA includes anything less than 4.5% of your total DNA. Not particularly surprisingly, 10% of my trace DNA includes Europe East, Finland/Northwest Russia, Iberian Peninsula, Italy/Greece, Scandinavia. Somewhat intriguing is that 2% is from the region of Caucasus in West Asia. Finally, more than one percent of my trace DNA is Native American! I realize it’s not much, but Native American DNA is distinct and there was enough DNA from several generations ago to show up in the DNA test- that’s exciting enough for me!

For family members contemplating what this means for you, it’s not possible to know what your particular DNA holds without undergoing testing yourself. However, from my own research, I know that my dad’s side by in large immigrated from England, Scotland, Germany and France. The Scandinavian, Finland/Northwest Russian, and some of the Eastern European DNA likely derived from my dad’s side as well. My mom’s side generally originated in England, Wales, Ireland, and Germany, however; there is some Swiss, and that side is likely where the majority of Europe East derives as well as the Caucasus and Native American. At this time I know of no ancestors from the Iberian Peninsula or Italy/Greece, but given the fact that those areas are very admixed because of thousands of years of migration, it’s entirely plausible that some of my ancestors happened through those areas.

Thus, the DNA test proved that:

1. My ancestry research is on track.

2. I do in fact have at least one Native American ancestor. I’m actually fairly certain that it is a sixth great-grandmother on my maternal grandmother’s side.

I’m glad that I had the test done; I truly feel like I “know” myself better. I would recommend it to anyone interested in having their DNA tested; however, in my opinion it’s best to have at least some knowledge of your ancestry before you take the DNA test. This way the results provide more understanding, and perhaps some areas of further research, rather than causing confusion and possibly an identity crisis as I’ve seen with some people who only have their DNA tested without any research.

Family Tree Addition

I apologize for the very long absence from this blog. I was busy adding to my family tree, literally. Introducing my greatest blessing, Ivy Elizabeth (named after Mayflower passenger and her 13th great-grandmother, Elizabeth Tilley).

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

John Prescott: Lancaster, Massachusetts Pioneer

John Prescott, my 12th great-grandfather, was born in 1604, the youngest of four sons of Ralph Prescott and Ellen (Unknown) in Standish Parish, Lancashire, England. On April 11, 1629, John Prescott married Mary Gawkroger alias Platt(s) from Sowerby, Yorkshire, England. They had children: Mary, (who I descend from) Martha, Sarah, John, Hannah, Lydia, and Jonas. The first four children, along with two others who died young, were born in England, Hannah was probably born in Barbados, and Lydia and Jonas were born in Massachusetts.

In 1638, the Prescott family set off to Barbados in order to pursue religious and economic freedom. Records indicate that John Prescott owned ten acres in Barbados before John and Mary Prescott decided the island wasn’t a proper place for them to raise their family, and in 1640 they sailed to Massachusetts. The family lived in Watertown for a few years and eventually settled in Lancaster. John collaborated with a few other men in the area to purchase land from the Nashaway Indians.

John Prescott settled Lancaster, Massachusetts and many members of the town wanted to name it Prescottville in his honor; however, he wasn’t a “freeman” so the General Court declined to name it after him, but instead after his hometown in England. In order to be a “freeman” you had to be a member of the church and John Prescott wasn’t a fan of having organized religion forced on him. He became a “freeman” in 1669 after the implementation of church reforms by Charles II.

By trade, John Prescott worked as a blacksmith; he also built the towns first gristmill and sawmill. His sawmill literally changed the way houses in the area were constructed because people could purchase straight boards of various sizes, rather than using whatever crude materials they found locally.

At the onset of King Philips War in 1675, the Narragansett Indians attacked and killed or captured many of Lancaster’s residents, although most of the Prescott family escaped alive. Ephraim, the son of Mary (Prescott) and Thomas Sawyer, and John’s grandson, died at the hands of the Indians while at his grandfather’s house. Everyone evacuated Lancaster, but three years later, the Prescott’s were among the first to return and help rebuild the town. Of all the towns in New England, Lancaster fared the worst during this time of fighting with Native Americans.

John Prescott proved incredibly brave and refused to back down from the Native Americans on numerous occasions. A story repeated by several relatives, and mentioned in a few books, details one incident in which Indians stole a horse belonging to John Prescott, who donned his suit of armor, grabbed his impressive rifle, and pursued them by himself. (John Prescott is said to have brought the suit of armor with him from England. It’s also possible that he made the suit since he worked as a blacksmith. Some claim that John Prescott served in Cromwell’s Army. Based on the dates, that proves impossible. John Prescott and his family resided in Watertown, Massachusetts before this war broke out in England.) The Indian Chief approached with a tomahawk and John Prescott instructed him to strike. The Indians found it amazing that no mark was left on John, and the Chief wanted to try on the helmet. John Prescott agreed, if the Indians returned his horse back. The helmet proved too small for the Indian and when the tomahawk came down, so did the helmet, scraping the Indians ears, neck, and head. This convinced the Indians that John Prescott was something other than human and they returned the horse. On another occasion, Indians set fire to his barn, so he put on his armor, chased the Indians off and let his animals free. The Indians set his mill on fire, he chased them off and put the fire out. In another incident at the mill, the Indians tampered with the water gate, so he pursued them with his “best gun” and they retreated. He decided to walk home backwards with his gun pointed in the direction of the Indians and when he heard a whoop, fired the gun, and later found blood in that area. The Indians attacked his house and his wife, Mary, loaded his muskets while he shot at the Indians for half an hour until they retreated carrying their dead. I can’t vouch for certainty that there was a suit of armor, however; we can say that on more than one occasion John Prescott bravely pursued the Indians when they stole or destroyed his property and he survived to tell the story. His “best gun” was passed to son John, who passed it onto his son John, and it continued to be passed through the family until Prescott Brigham donated it to the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Stephen Hopkins: Bermuda Survivor, Jamestown Resident, Mayflower Passenger and Relative Badass

Stephen Hopkins, my 13^th great-grandfather (on my mom’s side) was, in my opinion somewhat of a badass. He chanced death more than a few times and is the only individual who was both an early resident of Jamestown and a Mayflower passenger.

Born in April, 1581 in Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, Stephen married Mary or Constance Mary Dudley in 1603 and they had three children- Elizabeth, Constance and Giles. (I descend from Giles.) Stephen’s father (Stephen Sr.) was sheep farmer, master weaver and wool merchant and his sons followed in learning the trade. However in 1609, Stephen gained employment as a ministers clerk, where he read bible verses to the congregation, which included members of the Virginia Company. Although not particularly religious, he was recognized for his knowledge of the Bible. Later that year Stephen’s job took to the sea and he boarded the Sea Venture, one in a fleet of nine ships sent to resupply Virginia Colony. For his service Stephen was to receive free room and board, 30 acres of land in Jamestown, and a small wage sent to Mary every month. Besides caring for young children by herself while her husband was away at sea for four years Mary worked as a shopkeeper.

After two months at sea, the Sea Venture took a severe five-day beating in a hurricane until the ship finally crashed into a reef near Bermuda in late July. The legend is that Stephen Hopkins rode a wine barrel to shore. With food, water, and no inhabitants, crashing into Bermuda was actually rather fortuitous. The 150 survivors used the remnants of the Sea Venture and wood from the island to build two smaller sea going ships. Besides the crew members sent to look for land and never seen again, and Mrs. John Rolfe, who did not survive giving birth on the island, (John Rolfe went on to marry Pocahontas.) no one else died while in Bermuda, although Stephen Hopkins came rather close.

More and more Stephen Hopkins questioned the authority of Governor Thomas Gates. He also insisted that they should colonize Bermuda, and argued that because they never made it to Virginia, that their contracts no longer applied. By the end of the year Stephen was charged and tried for treason and sentenced to execution. He begged for mercy using the fact that he had a wife and young children back in England to gain sympathy, and with the help from the Virginia Company, who made requests to Governor Gates, and received a pardon.

When they arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in May 1610, the people were in terrible shape, burning buildings to stay warm and near starvation. Stephen Hopkins stayed a couple years before returning to England when his wife Mary died. In England he learned that Mary and son William, probably born while he was beached in Bermuda, died of the plague and his other children were in the custody of the church. After claiming his children, Stephen settled in London and married Elizabeth Fisher in 1618. He worked as a tanner and merchant.

Then Stephen heard about the Mayflower voyage and signed on as a ‘stranger.’ This time he brought his wife, four children, and two indentured servants. Elizabeth gave birth to Oceanus on the voyage to the New World. Stephen and Elizabeth raised six children together- Damaris, Deborah, Caleb, Elizabeth, Oceanus, Ruth and another Damaris. The first Damaris died about 1627, and the second one was born about 1628. Back then, if a child passed it was not uncommon to use the same name for another child.

In Plymouth, Massachusetts Stephen Hopkins served in community affairs, primarily as an assistant to Governor Edward Winslow and in the militia. Stephen’s experience with Native Americans benefited the Mayflower passengers as Samoset stayed the night at his house and he was chosen by Governor Edward Winslow to meet with Massasoit, which proved instrumental in negotiating peace with the Indians that lasted over half a century.

He also owned a tavern and got himself into occasional trouble for allowing people to drink alcohol on Sundays, for permitting servants to play shuffleboard in the tavern, for people getting too drunk and overcharging for alcohol. He landed himself in jail for refusing to comply with a court order to provide for a servant of his that was pregnant with a ‘bastard’ and the father had deserted. He was released when a friend offered to take the servant in and provide for the child. More than anything, Stephen resented the court telling him how to handle the matter.

In 1644 Stephen Hopkins died in Plymouth Massachusetts. He was fairly well off by the standards of the day. Although Stephen Hopkins wasn’t perfect and he definitely made mistakes, I think some of the things he did demonstrated an impressive individual. Can you really blame him for wanting to colonize Bermuda? It couldn’t have been easy leaving his wife and young children for what turned out to be about four years, at the end of which his wife, and the son he never knew were dead. So, he took on being a single dad for about five years. Then he crossed the Atlantic yet again, this time with his family, in the Mayflower. In Plymouth Colony, Stephen proved crucial in establishing the peace between separatists and the Native Americans that lasted over fifty years.

My 13^th great-grandparents

Stephen Hopkins m. Mary

Giles Hopkins m. Catherine Whelden

Deborah Hopkins m. Josiah Cooke

Josiah Cooke m. Mary Godfrey

Desire Cooke m. Beriah Higgins

Thankful Higgins m. Daniel Rathbone

Sarah Rathbone m. Jacob Sawyer

David Sawyer m. Marilda

Elizabeth “Eliza” Sawyer m. Andrews Harper

David Dustin Harper m. Amanda Melvina Windom

William Harper m. Ella Tewalt

Stella May Harper m. Jessie W. Rhoads

Joseph Rhoads m. Arma Mae Erwin

Grandma Rhoads m. Grandpa Maddox

Maddox m. Chapin

Monday, December 10, 2012

Putnam's and the Salem Witch Trials

Sometimes in ancestry research you discover things about your family that you are not proud of. Regardless, it is what it is and it’s best to be honest about it. You were not there and you cannot change the past.

When I learned about the Salem Witch Trials in school, they struck me as fascinating. I wondered if my family was involved and decided that I would not be surprised if some ancestor or another turned out to be a victim. The surprise came when I learned that my ancestors were not the victims, but rather the accusers.

A strange combination of events in Salem led to over 200 individuals accused of witch craft; resulting in the hanging of 19 people, and one man pressed to death by stones piled on top of him, beginning in February 1692 and ending in May 1693. Religious fervor, greed and possibly revenge played significant roles. Cotton Mather’s recently published book “Memorable Providences” discussed an incident of witchcraft involving children behaving strangely and an Irishwoman being hanged. At this time Indian wars raged on in Massachusetts and Puritans believed that meant the devil was nearby.

Afflicted Girls and Tituba

The town of Salem repeatedly had issues with their ministers and not paying them the agreed upon salary, and those problems continued with Samuel Parris, the new minister of the extremely conservative puritan church. The “afflictions” of witch craft began with his daughter Betty Parris, then her cousin Abigail Williams and continued with their friends Ann Putnam, Mary Wolcott and Mercy Lewis. Tituba, the Parris families slave from Barbados played perhaps the most crucial and damning role of the entire ordeal. The fact that she was known to tell the girls stories about magic and voodoo from her country, and that she listened to the suggestion of neighbor Mary Sibley, and baked a urine cake to feed to a dog combined to make her an easy scapegoat. Under questioning, Tituba confessed to being a witch and named other witches as well. Thus, the hunt for witches in Salem was on.

Deacon Edward Putnam, my 12^th great-grandfather, was the brother of Thomas Putnam Jr., and uncle of Anne Putnam Jr., a leader among the group of girls making accusations of witchcraft in Salem. Edward signed the complaints against Martha Corey, Sarah and Dorcas Good, Mary Iverson, Rebecca Nurse, Sarah Warren and Prince Osborne. He also testified against six other “witches.”

The “afflictions” involved convulsions, flailing about, crying out, speaking strangely, pinching muscles, etc. Doctors actually diagnosed a couple of the girls with being afflicted by witches. Some later scholars believe that the girls may have suffered from convulsive ergotism, the result of fungus in rye caused by a warm wet summer, causing symptoms somewhat similar to taking LSD.

Besides the Parris family, the Putnam’s fueled the witch hunting fury by bringing charges against three of the accused witches. As a respected, fairly prominent, church-going puritan family, their accusations were taken seriously. Thomas and Ann Putnam seemed to believe their daughter Ann Jr. was indeed the victim of witch craft and other Putnam relatives supported them, including Thomas’ brother and my 12^th great-grandfather, Edward Putnam.

Most accused witches were not particularly religious or supported the former minister George Burroughs, and had few connections in Salem, although there were exceptions. In the madness, authorities issued a warrant, tracked Burroughs down in Maine and hung him in Salem for witch craft. Rebecca Nurse, a pious church going elderly-woman with a loving family was accused by the Putnam’s and hung, probably because she was among the first to speak out against the afflicted girls, accusing them of acting. Often, accusers stood to gain land from the accused.

Thomas Sr., the father of Thomas Jr. and Edward Putnam, proved quite successful in Salem, as did his two brothers and their descendants, thus the Putnam family was large, owned considerable property and would have been formidable opposition to those they accused. Ann Holyoke, the first wife of Thomas Putnam Sr. passed away in 1665, and Thomas remarried Mary Veren, a wealthy, propertied, widow. They had a son named Joseph Putnam who received a sizeable inheritance, some of which Thomas Jr. believed belonged to him. Many believe that the motive behind the Salem Witch Trials was Thomas Putnam Jr. trying to get this property from his half-brother Joseph. It is said that during the witch hunt fury Joseph Putnam kept a horse saddled and a gun nearby in case authorities came for him. But Joseph Putnam and his father-in-law maintained connections in Salem and he was never arrested.

In all of this madness, what role did my 12^th great-grandfather play? He was called to the house of his brother Thomas Putnam Jr., and apparently believed his niece Ann Putnam Jr. was in fact afflicted by witch craft. He signed documents to bring charges against accused witches and testified to the strange behavior he witnessed in the afflicted girls. From his testimony it appears that he was more likely fooled by the afflicted girls and caught up in the witch craft frenzy than having malicious intent toward the accused witches. Besides working on his farm, Edward Putnam served as the second deacon of the First Church of Danvers, and in 1733 published his work as an historian and the Putnam family genealogist. In 1707, at around 28 years-old, Ann Putnam Jr. stood in front of the church congregation in Salem and apologized for her role in the witch hunt, the only afflicted girl to publically apologize.

The Salem Witch Trials illustrate many things, but perhaps the most obvious is the importance of separation between state government and church authority. "More than once it has been said, too, that the Salem witchcraft was the rock on which the theocracy shattered." -George Lincoln Burr

My 13^th great-grandparents

Thomas Putnam Sr. m. Ann Holyoke

Deacon Edward Putnam m. Mary Hale

Edward Hale Putnam m. Sarah Miles

Sarah Putnam m. Joseph Steele

Jane Steele m. Ananias McAllister

Mary McAllister m. Daniel Harper

Andrews Harper m. Elizabeth Sawyer

David Dustin Harper m. Amanda Windom

William Harper m. Ella Tewalt

Stella May Harper m. Jessie Rhoads

Joseph Rhoads m. Arma Mae Erwin

Grandma Rhoads m. Grandpa Maddox

Maddox m. Chapin

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Mayflower Ancestors: Howland, Tilley, Alden, and Mullins

Shallop Elizabeth Tilley
Mayflower Replica
The Pilgrim John Howland Society

As it happens, I am a descendant of Mayflower passengers, John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley, as well as fellow passengers John Alden and Pricilla Mullins. John and Elizabeth Howland are my 12^th great-grandparents while John and Priscilla Alden are my 11^th great-grandparents. Since my Mayflower ancestors knew each other, I thought it would be fun to discuss who they were and make some comparisons about the two couples.

Priscilla Mullins was born ca. 1602, probably in Dorking, England. She boarded the Mayflower with her mother Alice, father William, brother Joseph, and her fathers’ servant Richard. William Mullins was a well-to-do shoe merchant (cordwainer) and the family was likely relocating for economic reasons more than religious freedom. Everyone in the party except Priscilla died during the first winter 1620-1621 in Plymouth Colony. Although Priscilla had a brother and sister living in England, she opted to stay in the New World.

At 23 years-old John Alden, most likely from Harwich, Essex County, England was hired as cooper (barrel maker) and ships carpenter for the Mayflower voyage. He was given the option of staying in Plymouth Colony or returning to England and the New World won out.

John Alden and Priscilla Mullins

The marriage of Priscilla Mullins to John Alden in 1622 was probably the third marriage by colonists in the New World. Since William Mullins, Priscilla’s father was deceased; custom dictated that John Alden seek permission for the marriage from the men of the colony. The Alden’s produced ten children that survived into adulthood, eight of which gave them grandchildren.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a descendant of Priscilla Mullins and John Alden, wrote a poem titled, The Courtship of Miles Standish in which Priscilla is credited with one of the most witty and quotable sayings by a woman. In a story that has no proven documentation, but is kept alive by the oral history of family, Miles Standish apparently asked his good friend John Alden to propose to Priscilla Mullins for him, to which Priscilla responded “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?” It’s really up to you how much credence you give this story. Some claim that a rift was created between John Alden and Miles Standish, however this seems unlikely considering that they continued to work together in community matters and John’s daughter Sarah married Miles’ son Alexander.

Elizabeth Tilley was born in Henlow, Bedfordshire, England in 1607 to separatists John Tilley and Joan Hurst. Elizabeth traveled on the Mayflower with her parents, aunt Ann and uncle Edward Tilley, and cousins Henry Samson and Humility Cooper. Edward was John Tilley’s brother. Elizabeth Tilly had four siblings that were married with families that remained back in England. As the only survivor in her family, Elizabeth was orphaned at age 13, during the first winter that resulted in the deaths of so many pilgrims. Elizabeth resided with the first governor of Plymouth Colony, John Carver and his wife Catherine until they passed away the following year after arriving in the New World, in 1621. Elizabeth married fellow Mayflower passenger John Howland about 1624.

John Howland Overboard
Painting by Dr. Mike Haywood

Born ca. 1599 in Fenstanton, England, John Howland was a maidservant to John Carver. He was more likely a personal assistant or butler type of servant, although no one was immune to hard work in the New World. When the Carver household died in Plymouth Colony, John no doubt benefited from inheriting their property since there were no Carver heirs. (The Carvers two children died in Leiden, Holland.) On the Mayflower voyage, John Howland narrowly escaped death when he was tossed from the ship during a storm, yet managed to grab the topsail halyard and fellow passengers pulled him back onto the ship.

Elizabeth outlived John by fifteen years when she died in December 1687. She opted not to remarry and instead lived with her children, primarily daughter Lydia. The union of Elizabeth Tilley and John Howland yielded ten children and eighty-four grandchildren, making them one of the largest Mayflower families with the most descendants. It’s estimated that over one million successors reside in the United States. Two of John Howland’s brothers, Henry and Arthur Howland, who were Quakers, moved to Massachusetts probably in the 1630s.

In 1634 John Howland and John Alden were commissioners of Kennebunkport trade post where they held an exclusive patent. This trading post was very important to the colonist’s ability to repay the investors of their voyage. A notable incident occurred when a group of about five colonists, ordered by John Howland, confronted trespasser John Hocking, who was squatting on land operated by the pilgrims. Hocking put a gun to Moses Talbot’s head and John Howland implored Hocking to aim at him instead, but Hocking killed Moses Talbot and the colonists then killed Hocking. As the highest ranking member of the commission, the Massachusetts Bay Colony arrested John Alden, who wasn’t even involved in the incident, and held him until Myles Standish and Governor William Bradford intervened.

John Alden, Priscilla Mullins, John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley all very likely could have returned to England if they wanted to, but they choose to remain in the New World. Both John’s were working members of the Mayflower voyage, their presence based on skills that they possessed, and their new lives in the New World included important positions within the community, such as serving as deputy to the court. As teenage young women, Priscilla and Elizabeth accompanied, and were orphaned by their families in the New World yet went on to raise two of the largest Mayflower families.

John Howland m. Elizabeth Tilley John Alden m. Priscilla Mullins

Desire Howland m. John Gorham                  Ruth Alden m. John Bass
Temperance Gorham m. Edward Sturgis       Joseph Bass m. Mary Belcher
Fear Sturgis m. Joshua Holmes                      Elizabeth Bass m. Daniel Henshaw
Mary Holmes m. John Randall                       Elizabeth Bass Henshaw m. Samuel Denny
John Randall m. Lucy Brown                         Joseph Denny m. Phebe Henshaw
Lucy Randall m. Amos Breed Sr.                   Lucinda Henshaw Denny m. Lucius Botsford Jr.
Amos Breed Jr. m. Eliphael Phally Weaver John Sherman Botsford m. Rhoda Bond Look
Amos Breed II m. Elisa Dye                           Clarissa Botsford m. Amos Allen
Abigail Jane Breed m. James B. Chapin       Flora Allen m. George Chapin
George Chapin m. Flora Allen                     Roy Chapin m. Madeline Wilson
Roy E. Chapin m. Madeline Wilson            Chapin m. Mutch
Chapin m. Mutch                                             Dad m. Mom
Dad m. Mom                                                     Me
Me

*Notice that Mayflower descent is through two of my dad’s great-grandparents. Flora Allen was the 7^th great-granddaughter of the Alden’s, while George Chapin was the 8^th great-grandson of the Howland’s.

Jamestown Ancestor Cicely Reynolds Bailey Jordan Farrar

December 4, 1619 the first Thanksgiving celebration occurred at Berkeley Hundred, near Jamestown Virginia. The town charter actually required an annual Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, details of who was present or the food consumed at this event has been lost to history.

Very likely in attendance at the first Thanksgiving in the New World was my 10^th great grandmother Cicely likely Reynolds (Bailey, Jordan, Farrar). Cicely arrived in Virginia Colony aboard the Swan in 1610 with Captain William Pierce and his wife Jane, who may have been her uncle and aunt or some other relation, at about the age of 10. (Some sources claim that Cicely’s mother and brother Christopher also came to the New World. It’s also possible that Cicely’s mother had died.) Cicely’s first husband probably Thomas Bailey died, probably from malaria, about 1620 and she quickly married her neighbor Samuel Jordan who was himself a widower and twice her age. The evidence of Thomas Bailey is in the existence of temperance Bailey and her inheritance at Bailey’s Point. Samuel died in 1623 and Cicely married for a third time, to William Farrar, in 1625. (Some claim that Cicely was married five times, including Peter Montague and Thomas Parker, however there are no records proving this claim and it seems more likely that these men married other women named Cicely. A major clue is the fact that Peter Montague married a Cicely when our Cicely would have been married to William Farrar.) Cicely had six children, Temperance Bailey, Mary Jordan, Margaret Jordan, Cicely Farrar, William Farrar and John Farrar. I descend from daughters Temperance Bailey and Mary Jordan. It is believed that Margaret died young. John had important occupations in the community, but never married and produced no heirs. Cicely Farrar is believed to have married Isaac Hutchins and then Henry Sherman, but there is confusion regarding some dates and this connection remains uncertain. William Farrar II and Temperance Bailey Cocke are known to have numerous descendants.

On March 22, 1622 the Powhatan Indians massacred about one third of the residents of Jamestown and the story goes that Cicely survived by standing in the doorway of her home and refusing to move. The Powhatan Indians, impressed by her courage and beauty determined to let her live. While this story may sound far-fetched, there is a part of me that believes it. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether or not you think it’s plausible. Their property, called “Jordan’s Journey,” was fortified and many local residents, including William Farrar, survived the attack by seeking refuge there. After the massacre many people fled to more inhabited areas, but Cicely, Samuel, William Farrar and others remained at Jordan’s Journey.

Cicely evidently proved quite the catch in the New World, because within four days of second husband Samuel’s death, Rev. Greville Pooley sought her hand in marriage and she apparently agreed. However, Cicely was pregnant with Margaret, the child of her late husband, and wanted Rev. Pooley to remain quiet about the planned marriage for the time being. In his excitement of securing the hand in marriage of Cicely, Rev. Pooley blabbed all over town, causing Cicely to determine that she would not marry him. She supposedly remarked, “Mr. Pooley maught thank himself for he might fared the better but for his own words." Thus, began the first breach of contract lawsuit in the New World as Rev. Pooley sued my 10^th great-grandmother Cicely Reynolds Bailey Jordan for refusing to marry him. William Farrar, London trained attorney and administrator of her late husband’s estate served as her attorney. The court did not know how to resolve the matter so the case was sent to London, where they also didn’t know how to settle the matter and returned it to Virginia. Finally in 1624, Rev. Pooley, persuaded by a fellow reverend withdrew his suit and Cicely married William Farrar in 1625. This case actually resulted in a Virginia law forbidding a woman from contracting herself to more than one man at the same time.

Cecily Reynolds Bailey Jordan Farrar is credited with the “invention of flirting in America” as well as "number one wife and mother of America." (Ray, Index and Digest to Hathaway's North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, page 135.)

Cicely Reynolds m. Thomas Bailey Cicely Reynolds m. Samuel Jordan

Temperance Bailey m. Richard Cocke                   Mary Jordan m. Arthur Bailey

Thomas Cocke m. Margaret "Agnes" Powell      Abraham Bailey m. Mary Rogers

William Cocke m. Sarah Perrin                               Abraham Bailey m. Temperance Cocke

Temperance Cocke m. Abraham Bailey              Richard Cocke Bailey m. Mary Renard

Richard Cocke Bailey m. Mary Renard                 Mary Bailey m. Stephen E. Winfree

Mary Bailey m. Stephen E. Winfree                      Mary Frances Winfree m. John Bennett Willis

Mary Frances Winfree m. John Bennett Willis   Catherine Willis m. William Maddox

Catherine Willis m. William Maddox                     Francis Maddox m. Mary Jane Devenny

Francis Maddox m. Mary Jane Devenny Charles Henry Maddox m. Lydia D Janke

Charles Henry Maddox m. Lydia D Janke             Maddox m. Rhoads

Maddox m. Rhoads                                                   Mom m. Dad

Mom m. Dad                                                               Me

Me

*If the Thomas Bailey that married Cicely Reynolds is related to the Arthur Bailey that married her daughter Mary, I am unaware of the connection.

** Temperance Cocke is Cicely Reynolds great-great granddaughter through her daughter Temperance Bailey and Abraham Bailey is Cicely Reynolds great-grandson through her daughter Mary Jordan. Thus, besides being husband and wife, Temperance Cocke and Abraham Bailey were second half cousins once removed.