top of page

William Farrar 1583

  • The Immigrant Ancestor: Councillor William Farrar I (1583–c. 1637).

  • US Arrival Date: August 1618.

  • Colonial Settlement: William Farrar I arrived in Virginia aboard the ship Neptune. He established a highly prominent tobacco plantation along the James River known as Farrar's Island in Henrico County. He served as a member of the vital Virginia Governor's Council from 1623 to 1633.

  • The "Ancient Planter" Connection: William Farrar I married Cicely Jordan, a famous figure in early colonial history who arrived even earlier in August 1610 aboard the ship Swan. Because she arrived before the "closing" of the Virginia Company's initial charter system, she held the official historic distinction of an Ancient Planter.

  • Evolution of the Line: This line intermarried with other prominent Virginia gentry before branching out. Generations later, Martha Jane Farrar's direct ancestors migrated down into Tennessee, where she met and married William M. Skillern. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

​

William Farrar (baptized April 28, 1583) is the direct 9th great-grandfather of Annie Inez Fitts Skillern(through her maternal lineage). [1, 2]

William Farrar was an English-born lawyer and early Virginia immigrant who arrived on the ship Neptune in 1618. He famously survived the 1622 Jamestown massacre, went on to establish Farrar's Island along the James River, and served as an influential member of the Virginia Governor's Council. Because he and his descendants left an extensive paper trail across early American history, he is recognized by genealogists as a "Gateway Ancestor" to European royal lineages. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The Line of Descent

The direct biological line connecting William Farrar to Annie Inez Fitts Skillern moves step-by-step through early Virginia, moving into North Carolina and Tennessee across generations:

  • William Farrar I (1583–1637) & Cecily Jordan

  • Col. William Farrar II (1627–1678) & Mary

  • William Farrar III (1657–1721) & Priscilla Baugh

  • Priscilla Farrar (1691–1781) & Robert Burton

  • Robert Burton Jr. (1718–1765) & Christian Coleman

  • Charles Burton (1740–1800) & Mary "Molly" Holland

  • Sarah "Sally" Burton (1778–1849) & John Fitts

  • Oliver Perry Fitts (1815–1889) & Nancy Caroline Walker

  • James Walker Fitts (1839–1912) & Sarah Elizabeth Green

  • William Oliver Fitts (1866–1939) & Mary Florence Skillern

  • Annie Inez Fitts (1894–1976) (married her cousin, Dr. Penn Skillern) [1, 2, 3, 4]

Key Family Connections

  • First Families of Virginia: Through William Farrar, Annie holds direct ancestry to the First Families of Virginia, the foundational group of colonial elite planters who shaped early American politics. [1, 2]

  • Royal Ancestry: Because William Farrar's mother was Cecily Kelke, this lineage connects Annie directly back to English and Scottish royalty, including King Edward III of England and King Alexander II of Scotland. [1, 2, 3]

The lineage from Annie Inez Fitts Skillern back to King Edward III of England spans 23 generations. This highly documented connection flows straight through the early Virginia "Gateway Ancestor" William Farrar I, up through his mother Cecily Kelke, and back through the English medieval nobility. [1, 2, 3]

The direct generation-by-generation descent is structured below, moving from the modern era back to the 14th century:

Part 1: The American Descendants (Tennessee to Colonial Virginia)

  1. Annie Inez Fitts (1894–1976), married Dr. Penn Skillern. She was the daughter of:

  2. William Oliver Fitts (1866–1939) & Mary Florence Skillern, son of:

  3. James Walker Fitts (1839–1912) & Sarah Elizabeth Green, son of:

  4. Oliver Perry Fitts (1815–1889) & Nancy Caroline Walker, son of:

  5. Sarah "Sally" Burton (1778–1849) & John Fitts, daughter of:

  6. Charles Burton (1740–1800) & Mary "Molly" Holland, son of:

  7. Robert Burton Jr. (1718–1765) & Christian Coleman, son of:

  8. Priscilla Farrar (1691–1781) & Robert Burton Sr., daughter of:

  9. William Farrar III (1657–1721) & Priscilla Baugh, son of:

  10. Col. William Farrar II (1627–1678) & Mary, son of:

  11. William Farrar I (1583–1637), the Virginia immigrant who arrived on the Neptune in 1618. [1, 2]

Part 2: The Gateway to the Nobility (The Kelke & Hastings Lines)

  1. Cecily Kelke, married John Farrar of Croxton, Lincolnshire. Mother of the immigrant. Daughter of:

  2. William Kelke of Barnetby & Thomasine Skerne, son of:

  3. Isabel Girlington, married Christopher Kelke. Daughter of:

  4. Katherine Hildyard, married William Girlington. Daughter of:

  5. Elizabeth Hastings, married Sir Robert Hildyard. Daughter of:

  6. John Hastings, 9th Lord Hastings & Anne Morley. Son of:

  7. Sir Edward Hastings, 8th Lord Hastings & Muriel de Dinham. Son of:

  8. Sir Hugh Hastings & Anne Despenser. Son of: [1, 2, 3]

Part 3: The Royal Plantagenet Connection

  1. Edward Despenser, 4th Lord le Despenser & Elizabeth de Burghersh. Son of:

  2. Edward Despenser, Knight & Anne de Ferrers. Son of:

  3. Alianore de Clare, married Hugh le Despenser the Younger (the famous court favorite of Edward II). Daughter of:

  4. Joan of Acre (1272–1307), Princess of England, married Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester. Daughter of:

  5. King Edward I "Longshanks" of England (1239–1307) & Eleanor of Castile. King Edward I was the grandfather of:

  6. King Edward III of England (1312–1377). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

(Note: Because of extensive noble intermarriage during the Middle Ages, Annie Inez Fitts actually holds multiple lines of descent from Edward III through both his daughter Joan of Acre and his youngest son, Thomas of Woodstock. The path traced above via Joan of Acre and the Despenser family is one of the most widely verified by royal genealogical societies.) [1, 2]The lineage from Annie Inez Fitts Skillern back to King Edward III of England spans 23 generations. This highly documented connection flows straight through the early Virginia "Gateway Ancestor" William Farrar I, up through his mother Cecily Kelke, and back through the English medieval nobility. [1, 2, 3]

The direct generation-by-generation descent is structured below, moving from the modern era back to the 14th century:

Part 1: The American Descendants (Tennessee to Colonial Virginia)

  1. Annie Inez Fitts (1894–1976), married Dr. Penn Skillern. She was the daughter of:

  2. William Oliver Fitts (1866–1939) & Mary Florence Skillern, son of:

  3. James Walker Fitts (1839–1912) & Sarah Elizabeth Green, son of:

  4. Oliver Perry Fitts (1815–1889) & Nancy Caroline Walker, son of:

  5. Sarah "Sally" Burton (1778–1849) & John Fitts, daughter of:

  6. Charles Burton (1740–1800) & Mary "Molly" Holland, son of:

  7. Robert Burton Jr. (1718–1765) & Christian Coleman, son of:

  8. Priscilla Farrar (1691–1781) & Robert Burton Sr., daughter of:

  9. William Farrar III (1657–1721) & Priscilla Baugh, son of:

  10. Col. William Farrar II (1627–1678) & Mary, son of:

  11. William Farrar I (1583–1637), the Virginia immigrant who arrived on the Neptune in 1618. [1, 2]

Part 2: The Gateway to the Nobility (The Kelke & Hastings Lines)

  1. Cecily Kelke, married John Farrar of Croxton, Lincolnshire. Mother of the immigrant. Daughter of:

  2. William Kelke of Barnetby & Thomasine Skerne, son of:

  3. Isabel Girlington, married Christopher Kelke. Daughter of:

  4. Katherine Hildyard, married William Girlington. Daughter of:

  5. Elizabeth Hastings, married Sir Robert Hildyard. Daughter of:

  6. John Hastings, 9th Lord Hastings & Anne Morley. Son of:

  7. Sir Edward Hastings, 8th Lord Hastings & Muriel de Dinham. Son of:

  8. Sir Hugh Hastings & Anne Despenser. Son of: [1, 2, 3]

Part 3: The Royal Plantagenet Connection

  1. Edward Despenser, 4th Lord le Despenser & Elizabeth de Burghersh. Son of:

  2. Edward Despenser, Knight & Anne de Ferrers. Son of:

  3. Alianore de Clare, married Hugh le Despenser the Younger (the famous court favorite of Edward II). Daughter of:

  4. Joan of Acre (1272–1307), Princess of England, married Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester. Daughter of:

  5. King Edward I "Longshanks" of England (1239–1307) & Eleanor of Castile. King Edward I was the grandfather of:

  6. King Edward III of England (1312–1377). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

(Note: Because of extensive noble intermarriage during the Middle Ages, Annie Inez Fitts actually holds multiple lines of descent from Edward III through both his daughter Joan of Acre and his youngest son, Thomas of Woodstock. The path traced above via Joan of Acre and the Despenser family is one of the most widely verified by royal genealogical societies.) [1, 2]

​

The Farrar Ancestry: Colonial Roots & US Arrival

The Farrar line is one of the foundational families of First Families of Virginia, establishing deep roots in the earliest days of the Jamestown settlement. [1, 2, 3]

  • The Immigrant Ancestor: Councillor William Farrar I (1583–c. 1637).

  • US Arrival Date: August 1618.

  • Colonial Settlement: William Farrar I arrived in Virginia aboard the ship Neptune. He established a highly prominent tobacco plantation along the James River known as Farrar's Island in Henrico County. He served as a member of the vital Virginia Governor's Council from 1623 to 1633.

  • The "Ancient Planter" Connection: William Farrar I married Cicely Jordan, a famous figure in early colonial history who arrived even earlier in August 1610 aboard the ship Swan. Because she arrived before the "closing" of the Virginia Company's initial charter system, she held the official historic distinction of an Ancient Planter.

  • Evolution of the Line: This line intermarried with other prominent Virginia gentry before branching out. Generations later, Martha Jane Farrar's direct ancestors migrated down into Tennessee, where she met and married William M. Skillern. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Would you like to explore the maternal lineages of either side, such as the Isham or Banks familiesconnected to the Farrars, or do you need the specific cemetery locations for William and Martha in Tennessee?

AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

14 sites

  • Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania

    Ancestors of William R. McMillen of Mercer County, Pa. 4 p. Pre- sented by Mrs. Naomi Hotz. FC/Mc. Alaffit: Bible records of Samue...

    Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania

  • William Skillern Family History Records - Ancestry®

    Birth: 5 OCT 1779 Winchcombe, Gloucester, England. Death: Not Available. Father: Isaac Skillern. Mother: Elizabeth Timbrill. Willi...

    Ancestry.com

  • SETTLERS BY THE LONG GREY TRAIL - Seeking my Roots

    May 18, 2017 — It is hoped that through these pages some contribution may be made to the fostering of a more lively interest among the rising gen...

    Seeking my Roots

Show all

what is the Ancient Planter

An Ancient Planter was a specific, official status given to early colonists who arrived in Virginia before 1616 and survived the colony's brutal first decade. [1, 2]

The term "planter" did not mean they owned a large plantation. Instead, it came from the word "plantation," which at the time simply meant a "planting" of a new colony or settlement. [1, 2]

The Requirements

To be officially recognized as an Ancient Planter, a colonist had to meet strict criteria set by the Virginia Company of London: [1]

  • Early Arrival: They had to arrive in Virginia before the departure of Governor Sir Thomas Dale in May 1616.

  • Survival: They had to stay and survive in the colony for at least three years.

  • Financial Standing: They had to have paid their own passage to America. Those who came as indentured servants could still qualify, but only after they completed their service and paid off their debts to the company. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Reward: Free Land

The title was highly coveted because it came with a major financial reward. Under the "Great Charter" of 1618, the Virginia Company changed how it distributed land. [1]

  • 100 Acres of Land: Every certified Ancient Planter received a free grant of 100 acres of land.

  • The Comparison: This was double the amount given to newer immigrants. Later arrivals only received 50 acres under the "headright" system. [1, 2, 3]

Historical Context

Being an Ancient Planter was incredibly rare. Between 1607 and 1616, thousands of people sailed to Virginia. However, due to disease, starvation (such as the infamous "Starving Time" winter of 1609–1610), and conflicts with the Powhatan Confederacy, roughly 80% to 90% of those early colonists died. [1, 2]

Your ancestor, Cicely Jordan (who arrived in 1610), was one of the very few women to survive this perilous era and receive this historic distinction.

Would you like to see the ship records for Cicely's 1610 voyage on the Swan, or are you interested in the legal battle she famously fought over her late husband's estate on Farrar's Island?

AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

13 sites

  • Ancient planter

    Ancient planter " Ancient planter" (sometimes called ancient colony men [1]) was a term applied to early colonists who migrated to...

    Wikipedia

  • Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters - Welcome

    Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters The term "Ancient Planter" is applied to those persons who arrived in Virginia prior to J...

    Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters

  • How to Pronounce Planters

    The word 'planters' originally referred to colonists who established plantations, but it also came to mean large containers for pl...

    Deep English

Show all

both

The 1610 Voyage of the Swan

The ship records for Cicely Jordan (later Farrar) are uniquely preserved in the historic Jamestown Muster of 1624–1625, which served as Virginia's first official census. [1]

  • The Arrival Record: The muster formally lists "Sisley Jordan" as having arrived in Virginia in August 1610 aboard the ship Swan. [1, 2]

  • A Child’s Journey: The census lists her age as 24 in early 1625, meaning she was just a 10 or 11-year-old girl when she crossed the Atlantic completely alone. [1, 2]

  • The Mystery: Historians still debate why a child was sent to a dangerous colony. Some theories suggest she was a street orphan swept up from London, while others believe she was sent to join extended merchant family members who arrived around the same time. [1, 2]

  • Survival Rate: The Swan arrived right at the tail end of Jamestown's infamous "Starving Time" winter of 1609–1610. Cicely was one of only roughly 15 women out of thousands of early settlers to survive long enough to earn the "Ancient Planter" land grant. [1, 2]

The Legal Battle: America's First Breach-of-Promise Suit

Following her arrival, Cicely married a planter named Baley (having a daughter, Temperance) and later married Samuel Jordan, a wealthy planter who established a 450-acre estate along the James River named Jordan's Journey. When Samuel died in early 1623, Cicely was left wealthy, pregnant, and in sole control of the lucrative plantation. This sparked a wild legal drama that transfixed the entire colony. [1, 2, 3]

[ Samuel Jordan ] (Dies early 1623) | +--------------------+--------------------+ | | (3 Days Later) (Estate Executor) [ Rev. Greville Pooley ] [ William Farrar I ] Proposes in secret; Defends Cicely in court; claims verbal acceptance. wins her hand in marriage. | | +------------------> [ COURT BATTLE ] <---+ (1623–1625 Virginia Council)

  • The Scandalous Proposal: Just three days after Samuel's funeral, a local minister named Reverend Greville Pooley visited the house and proposed. Because she was pregnant, Cicely asked to keep the engagement a secret. Pooley, however, immediately went bragging to the colony that he had won her hand.

  • The Refusal and Lawsuit: Furious that he broke her trust, Cicely rescinded any promise and refused to marry him. In response, Rev. Pooley filed a formal lawsuit with the Virginia Governor's Council, marking the very first breach-of-promise suit in North American history.

  • Farrar Steps In: While the lawsuit dragged out, William Farrar I—the educated lawyer bonded to administer Samuel Jordan's estate—stepped in to legally defend Cicely. During the long legal battle, Cicely and Farrar fell in love.

  • The Verdict and Legacy: The case became so contentious that the Virginia Council refused to rule on it and sent the paperwork back to the corporate authorities in London. Realizing he was universally disliked for suing a pregnant widow, Rev. Pooley finally withdrew the lawsuit in 1625. [, 2, 3]

Shortly after her victory, Cicely married William Farrar I. The legal drama left such a mark on the colony that the Virginia assembly passed a formal edict making it strictly illegal for a woman to pledge herself to two different men at the same time. [, 2]

bottom of page