Grissell Brinley Sylvester's ancestors

More matriarchs from 16th Century (a repost and extended edit from March 2015)

Yesterday I shared information about the Sylvesters of Shelter Island, Capt. Nathaniel and Grissell Brinley Sylvester.  Note I'm spelling her name as it is documented as her signature, presumably by her own hand.  She had many sisters and brothers, and moved to America after her sister Anne Brinley married the Governor of Rhode Island, William Coddington.

11) Grissell Brinley Sylvester's parents were 12) Thomas Reeves Brinley, born 1591 in Exeter, Devon, England, died 15 Oct 1661 in Datchett, Buckinghamshire, England and 12) Anna Wase Brinley b. 1606 in Petworth, Sussex, England, d. 13 Jun 1687 in Datchet, Buckinghamshire, England.  

12) Thomas Reeves Brinley is well documented as the "Auditor General of the Revenues of King Charles I and II."  He left England during the English Civil War by Cromwell, and returned to his post for King Charles II, but died a year later.  (I think I need to dedicate a post to this man, since there must be source material telling about his life)

12) His wife, Anna Wase Brinley had 8 children, and also went with her husband when the revolution of Cromwell made Royalists unpopular, and lived into her 80s probably back in her home of Datchet.

Her parents were 13) William Wase b. May 1580 in Petworth, Sussex, England, d. 19 September 1642 in Datchet, Buckinghamshire, England and 13) Ann Cole Wase b. 1582 as recorded in St. Leonard, Heston, London, Middlesex, England, death unknown.  Apparently Ann married 13) William Wase when she was about 16 in Petworth, Sussex, England.  There is no other information on her at Ancestry at this time.

12) Thomas Reeves Brinley's mother was 13) Joanne Reeves Brinley (his middle name from her) b. 1563 in Exeter, Devon, England, Death in Exeter, Devon, England. His father was 13) Richard Brinley, b.1559 Willinghall, Stafordshire, England. 13) Joanne Reeves Brinley's father was 14) Richard Reeves, about whom we know nothing.

An illustration of Exeter in 1563, entitled Civitas Exoniae (vulgo Excester) urbs primaria in comitatu Devoniae

Exeter has a wonderful history, dating from Roman times and before...and I can't begin to explore all that is in this town.  The map above would have been how it looked during Joanne Reeves lifetime.   

Exeter Cathedral, completed 1400

Looking back to the Sylvesters of Shelter Island, I just want to show their connection to my family.  Their daughter 10) Ann Sylvester married 10) Capt. Jonathan Bowers in 1695. (Yesterday I showed some pictures of their home in Somerset, MA, built in 1723.)

 Their daughter, 9) Mary Bowers married 9) Joseph Swasey, my five times great grandfather on my  grandmother Ada Swasey Rogers Tree. (My numbering system has my grandchildren as generation 1), thus I'm 3). I am not sure it's always accurate however!)