Cicelye (Leighton) Barker (abt. 1530 - 1612)

Ancestors

Died 1612 at about age 82 in Haughmond, Shropshire, England [uncertain]

Biography

Cicelye's father died in 1532, which sets an upper limit on her birth year. Her husband, William, was probably born before 1528.

One version of the Visitation of Shropshire, that held at the Shrewsbury School Library, has them with four sons and two daughters, however Harl. MS 1396 has a note of "ob. sine exitu" for William, which is thought to mean that he died without surviving heirs^[1]. Cicelye made her will on 2 October 1612^[2], and there is no evidence therein for any descendants.

Both the Visitation and Botfield show that Cicelye next married a man named Barker, but the relationship does not appear in the Barker pedigree in the Visitation. One source states that Rowland Barker, whose brother Richard was Recorder of Shrewsbury and Judge of North Wales, married Cicelye, daughter of Sir Edward Leighton^[3]. Another source^[4] is even more explicit stating that Rowland Barker married Cicelye daughter of Sir Edward Leighton and widow of William Jennings of Wallebourne on 13 April 1588. This marriage appears in the parish register for Uffington as transcribed by the Shropshire Parish Register Society^[5]. It was the second marriage for both as the Barker pedigree in the Visitation shows the same Rowland Barker married to a Ciceley, daughter of Andrew Charlton, and the Uffington parish register shows three earlier baptisms for sons of Rowland.

In her will, Ciceley mentioned several Leightons - nephews Robert [probably great nephew and eldest son of Thomas of Wattleburgh], Thomas of Feckenham [son of her brother, Sir Thomas] and Richard [son of her brother Sir Edward]; and Edward, Rolland, and Lyonell, sons of Thomas of Wattleburgh. Comparing these relationships with the Leighton pedigrees shows that Cicelye was indeed the daughter of Sir John Leighton, and the sister of Sir Edward.

She also mentioned William Jeynens (sic), son of her brother-in-law Richard [a Richard does appear as brother to her husband William in the Visitation pedigree], and Anne Jeynens daughter of Thomas [no relationship given, and no candidates yet identified].

Sources

1. ↑ See this discussion on soc.genealogy.medieval, although it is not conclusive.
2. ↑ National Archives PROB 11/120/659, proven the same year.
3. ↑ Leighton, W. A. On Three Ancient Rings Found In Shropshire in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Part II, Volume II, 1878 books.google.
4. ↑ Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, Vol 2. ed. Howard, J. J. books.google
5. ↑ Shropshire Parish Registers: Diocese of Lichfield, Volume 5. Phillimore, W. P. W. ed. 1905 books.google

• The Visitation of Shropshire taken in the year 1623. Grazebrook, G., Rylands, J.P. eds. London: 1889. archive.org
• Botfield, Beriah. Stemmata Botevilliana. J. B. Nichols & Sons, London: 1858. Chapter V. books.google