Cecily Reynolds

The Sister of Christopher Reynolds of Isle of Wight VA?
by Susan E. Clement and Sybil R. Taylor
© 1992 Reynolds Family Association

Reynolds History Annotated (1475-1977)
Compiled by William Glasgow Reynolds
Copyright 1978 by W.G. Reynolds
Rockville MD: Mercury Press, 1978

Except where noted, the following is verbatim from book except for "..." (material which has no value as a source of proof) with reference at end of sentence or paragraph to which it pertains, and W.G. Reynolds' annotation. Roman numerals after a person's name supplied by W.G.R. to differentiate between individuals with same name.

The first Reynolds to reach the New World was an 11 year old girl named Cecily.

Cecily arrived at the VA Colony in Jamestown Aug 1610 aboard the Swan [1]. She came without her parents but under the auspices of several near relatives of Dorsetshire England.

[1] Hotten, Lists of Emigrants to American 1600-1700, p 209; Nugent Cavaliers and Pioneers, p XXX: "Her arrival was a year before 1611, the year that gave birth to the King James Version of the Holy Bible..."]

The name "Cecily" was an hereditary one [2].

[2] Ray, Index and Digest to Ray's NC Historical & Genealogical Register, p 135.

Her mother's maiden name had been Cecily Phippen before she was married around 1594 to Thomas Reynolds (II) [3]

[3] "Thomas Reynolds (II) had a near relative, William Reynolds (I) who attained distinction from a bequest in William Shakespeare's will, whereby he bequeathed 25 shillings 'to William Reynolds, Gent. to buy him a ring.' This will was dated Mar 1616 and was proved at Stratford-on-Avon England Jun 1616." See Bentley, A Handbook of Shakespeare, p 59].

...Her [Cecily's] father, Robert Phippen, sprang from grandfather Joseph Phippen whose wife was Cecily's great-grandmother Alice Pierce. Alice Pierce's forebears have been traced to 1475, which means that this line of Reynolds is now documented on the distaff side back half a millennium to the times of Christopher Columbus.

[4] The lineage of this Pierce family is set forth in Ray, Index & Digests to Hathaway's NC Historical & Genealogical Register, p 135. See also Appendix E [Pierce Lineage Chart, which see later in this article.]

A grandson of Alice Pierce's brother was a Capt William Pierce (III) who, with his wife Joan, served as chaperon to young Cecily Reynolds after her voyage to VA [5].

[5] Ray, Index & Digest to Hathaway's NC Historical & Genealogical Register, p 135. "She lived in their home where she met and married the first of her several husbands, Thomas Bailey."

Thomas Bailey was a member of the Governor's Guard at Jamestown.... Young Bailey became a victim of malaria. He left his widow with a young daughter, Temperance Bailey, who had been born in 1616 [6].

[6] Ibid. Note 5. "It is believed that Thomas Bailey's father was Samuel Bailey."

In accordance with the custom of the Colony, Cecily promptly remarried [7].

[7] "A male protector was an absolute necessity for the safety of the early female settlers in VA. For this reason we frequently find widows marrying within a few weeks or months after the death of their husbands, their newly acquired mate joining with the widow in the administration upon her deceased husband's estate...We find many 'much married persons' among these early immigrants." Hathaway, NC Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol I, No 2, p 310.

Her 2d husband was Samuel Jordan (I), a cousin of her mother, who had been previously married in England, and after the death of his first wife migrated to America. He came to VA on the 1610 voyage of the "Sea Venture" [8].

[8] "The detailed history of this Jordan migration will be found in Ray, Index & Digest to Hathaway's NC Historical & Genealogical Register, p 135. "The 'Sea Venture' left England in 1609. Sir Thomas Gates and Captain William Pierce (III) were fellow passengers with Samuel Jordan (I). The ship ran aground in West Indies and did not arrive at Jamestown until 1610." See Boddie Colonial Surry, p 21-22.

He settled first at "Jordan's Journey" near the confluence of the Appomattox and James Rivers; later added large holdings on the south bank of the James at Jordan's Point, where he built a house called "Beggar's Bush" named after a popular London theatrical performance at the time. [9]

[9] Samuel Jordan's home on the south bank of the James "he had named 'Beggar's Bush' after a popular play at the time..." in London. Hale Virginia Venturer, p 81.

. . .

As the 'Mayflower' was unloading in New England back in 1620 ... Cecily and Samuel Jordan, along with the surviving stockholders of the first Virginia Company were honored with the label of "Ancient Planters," given legal title to their lands and various immunities and privileges in connection with their use, as rewards earned by their perseverance in establishing the first permanent beachhead of English colonization on American soil...

Nugent, p 226: To all to whom these presents shall come etc Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting. Know yee that I George Yardley Knight, Governor and Capt. Genll. of Virginia etc. by verture of the great Charter of orders and lawes concluded on in a great and Genll. Quarter Court by the Treasurer Councill and Company of Adventurers and planters for this first Southern Colony of Virginia (according) to the authority granted them by his Majtie under the great Seal) and by them dated at London the Sixteenth of November 1618 and directed to myself and the Councill of Estate here resident, do with the appraobation and consent of the same Councill who are joined in Condicion with mee Give and grant to Samuel Jourdan of Charles Citty in Virga. Gent, an ancient planter who hath abode ten years Compleat in this Colony and performed all services to the Colony that might any way concern him etc and to his heirs and assignes for ever for part of his first genll. dividend to be augmented &c, 450 acs. on his personal right, etc. and out of the rules of Justice, equity and reason and because the Company themselves have given us president in the like kind of the personall claim of Cecily his wife an ancient planter also of nine years continuance, one hundred acres more and the other 250 acs. in recompence of his trans. out of England at his own charges of five servants, namely John Davies, who arrived in 1617 for whose passage the sd. Samuel hath paid to the Cape. Mercht., Thomas Matterdy bound apprentice to sd. Samuel by indenture in England dated 8 Oct 1617; Robert Marshall brought out of England by Capt. Burgrave in May 1619, at the costs of sd. Samuel; Alice Wade the same year in the George, etc., & Thomas Steed in the Faulcon in July 1620; and maketh choice in 3 several places: one house & 50 acs. called --ilies Point [Bailies Point] in Charles hundred, bordering E. upon the gr. river, W. upon the main land, S. upon John Rolfe and N. upon the land of Capt. John Wardeefe; 2ndly, 1 tenement containing 12 acs., etc., encompassed on the W. by Martins Hope, now in tenure of Capt. John Martin, Master of the Ordinance; & 388 acs. in or near upon Sandys his hundred, towards land of Temperance Baley, W. upon Capt. Woodlief, etc. To have etc. Yielding & paying to the sd. Treasurer & Company & Provided, & c.
Given at James City 10 December 1620 and Signed
George Yardley
Fr. Pory, Secr.
This patent certifeid to the Treasurer. Lawr. Hulett. At a Genll. Ct. held at James Citty Oct. 20, 1690, Present: The Right Honble. Francis Nicholso, their Maj. Lt. Richard Bland, the patent being for 450 acs. in Chas. Citty Co. granted to Mr. Samuel Jordan in 1620, which is truly recorded. Test: R. Beverley, by W. Soward, Cl. Genll. Ct. P.B. No.8, p125.

Footnote 13: "The story of the massacres at the lower plantations on the James is recounted in Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, pages 35 and 36."

Footnote 14: Hale, Virginia Venturer, pages 81-82: "Far up the James at Jordan's Point, stalwart old Samuel Jordan, one of the original Burgesses of the first Assembly, having escaped an early attack and being warned of what was happening by a colonist who rowed over the river to his plantation, gathered together a few stragglers, fortified... 'Beggar's Bush' and lived on there without loss of live despite assaults on the enemy and carnage among his neighbors."

Footnote 15: Ray, Index and Digest to Hathaway's North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, page 135: "But not long after that (the 1622 massacre) Samuel Jordan died... Cecily's third husband was William Farrar (I); they had two sons: John and William (II), the last of whom became the sire of the famous Farrar clan of Virginia." [19]

[19] Ibid. Note 18 {Ray, Index and Digest to Hathaway's North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, page 135}.

She next married Peter Montague; they had 7 children during their 23 years of marriage. When Peter Montague died in 1659, Cecily married, Thomas Parker by whom there were no heirs." [22].

[22] Ray, Index and Digest to Hathaway's North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, page 135.

Beyond this point, the history of 'Aunt Cecily' becomes obscured by the ascendancy of the Independents or Puritans. In that transition, the old plantation aristocracy of which she was a part lost power in the affairs of the Colony. But her original chaperon in America, Captain William Pierce (II) wound up on the winning team in that shuffle. So did her brother, Christopher Reynolds (III)." [23]

[23] For a capsule description of the transition that cast the parliament and the King of England at loggerheads during this period, see White, Concise History of England, pages 93-97.

Thus, Aunt Cecily Reynolds-Baily-Jordan-Farrar-Montague-Parker was able to end out her days in calm assurance that her title "Number One Wife and Mother of America" was abundantly secure." [24]

[24] Ibid. Note 22. {Ray, Index and Digest to Hathaway's North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, page 135}.

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