Hi Neil,

I wrote a novel (Dark Enough to See the Stars in a Jamestown Sky) based on
Joan Peirce and her daughter Cecily Reynolds. Cecily's second husband was
Samuel Jordan of Jordan's Journey. Samuel was a character in the book, but
will play a more important role in the sequel. I'm writing the sequel now,
which will largely focus on Cecily's life, including her marriage to
Samuel and the development of Jordan's Journey. I'm a descendent of Cecily
from her first marriage to a Bailey.

My research for the sequel is still in progress, but I can tell you that
you're correct that there's no definitive proof (that I'm aware of) that
Samuel was a passenger on the Sea Venture. However, he received a land
grant on 10 December 1620 which listed him as a "an ancient planter who
hath abode ten yeares compleat in this Colony." From this, we know he
either came on the Patience and Deliverance (with the Sea Venture
survivors) or on De La Warr's ships in June 1610. He appeared to have a
strong military background (suggested by how well-fortified Jordan's
Journey was and the similarity of its structures to those of an Irish
bawn.) I believe he was probably in the group of mercenaries left without
work when a truce was called in the Lowlands in 1609. His (probable)
distant cousin Silvester was definitely on the Sea Venture, and his first
cousin's (Joan Peirce's) husband was also on there. I think the Sea
Venture is a sound assumption, though not definite.

The name "Beggar's Bush" was probably a corruption of "Biker's Bush." The
neighboring land was that of William Biker, and there is a Bicker's Creek
on present day maps near there as well. Please see W&M Quarterly, April
1941, p.180-181 for a more detailed explanation.

Samuel would have pronounced his name "JERR-den." His ancestors probably
came to England from France after the Hundred Years war. This distinct
pronounciation survived in Virginia for many years, and is distinguishable
from the ancient family of English Jordans who pronounce it more as we
would expect: "JOR-den".  Given that, "Jordan's Journey" was much more
alliterative than it appears on paper!

I love the charcter of Sam Jordan and am eager to do more research on him.

Best of luck. I hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Connie Lapallo
author of DARK ENOUGH TO SEE THE STARS IN A JAMESTOWN SKY
www.ConnieLapallo.com

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