Cicely (Firmin) Lowe - Origins? family? Sources?

Evidence that Thomas Low’s mother was Cicely Firmin is presented here:

• “Descendants of Thomas Low, the Immigrant to Ipswich, Massachusetts, for Three Generations;.” Edward E. Steele Volume Name 174 (2020) Page 225-226. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: < AmericanAncestors.org >, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) (document attached)

Cicely Low

What do we think?

Wikitree discusses origins of Thomas Lowe, of Ipswich

Disputed Origins

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Low-790 Profile last modified 6 Oct 2020

There are multiple theories about his origins:

• 1. Son of Giles Low and Cicely Firmin : Mr. Vincent B. Redstone, researcher in England for William Gilman Low, was unable to find a record of this couple in Boxford.[1]However, a similar couple can be located nearby. In 1866 John Ward Dean wrote a memoir of Rev Giles Firmin (1614-1697) published in "New England Historical and Genealogical Register".[2] In 1871 he included "Additional Facts" in "NEHGR"[3]; He describes communications from a Mr. Somerby of extracts of parish registers of All Saints, Sudbury. These were published, with his permission, in "Essex Institute Historical Collections".[4] An extract of the will of Margret Firmin of St Peters parish Sudbury is given on p.37, "Kinswoman Cicely wife of Giles Lowe. Kinsman Henry Maynard...". Many researchers have assumed this meant Cecily was a Firmin. However, records of Lamarsh/Essex (not too far from Sudbury/Suffolk) include the marriage of a Giles Lowe with a Cecily Maynard[5] (and possibly related to Margaret Firmin's kinsman Henry Maynard) as well as the birth of a son Thomas Lowe[6] on 19 Nov 1598. This Thomas, possibly with a Firmin family connection, would be the wrong age to be the Thomas that came to Ipswich, Mass.
• 2. Son of Giles Low and Sysely Wall
  • 1. This Thomas is not proven to be the immigrant to New England -- A Thomas Low, son of Giles, was baptized 11 Jul 1605, Brancepeth, Durham, England.[7] Branchpeth and Boxford are about 250 miles apart making it unusual that this is the same Thomas m. to Margaret with appropriately aged children in the area of Boxford.
• 3. Son of Capt. John Lowe, Captain of the Ambrose and vice admiral of the fleet that brought over Governor Winthrop's colony in 1630.[8] From p.13, "Thomas (1-i.) Low of Chebacco, Ipswich, now Essex, was, with little doubt, son of Captain John Low, master of the ship Ambrose and vice-admiral of the fleet that brought over Governor Winthrop's colony in 1630. The cane and Bible said to have belonged to Captain John Low have been handed down in the families of the Essex Lows and are now in the possession of Daniel W. Low of Essex, Mass., a descendant." However, William Gilman Low[9] traced the family roots and descendants and found that Thomas, son of John Lowe, Captain of the Ambrose, was born in 1620. John had a brother, Thomas, born in 1594. Neither would be the right age to be the Thomas Low who came to Ipswich. According to his deposition made in 1660, he was born about 1605.[10][11]

Places of origin include:

• Southampton, Isle of Wight, England[12] See Walter Low and descendants. This profile is not yet connected to Thomas. However, the editors of NEHGR surmise "This is probably the ancestor of Thomas Lowe, the pioneer of Chebacco, now Essex, but then part of Ipswich, MA, and possibly of John Lowe and other New England lines."
• Colchester, Essex, England[13] From p12, "Among the Reverend Rogers' party was one Thomas Low, a young man of thirty-one who had been born somewhere near Colchester in Essex County. ( footnote 1) From footnote 1 on p357, "The early genealogy of the Low family is extracted from William Gilman Low, 'A Genealogical Quest and Family Notes' (Privately Printed: 2nd edition, 1928)." A search of this document does not reveal a reference to "Colchester".
• Brancepeth, Durham, England (son of Gyles Low and Syseley Wall and christened 11 Jul 1605)[7]

Hatte Rubenstein Blejer - you curate. I believe Private User also finds this Family of interest.

Brought to my attention by fellow curator Private User

Is there support for Abigail Low as daughter? Emily Kent Marget any thoughts?

Building out the different Giles Lowes on offer as Thomas of Ipswich’ father.

Gyles Low, of Brancepeth & Cecily Lowe

Giles Low, of Lamarsh & Cicely Low

His known children were born in England before emigration in 1636.

He and his family came to New England with the Rogers' party. The Rogers party sailed from Gravesend, England, on June 1, 1636, and arrived in Massachusetts Bay (probably Charlestown) November 17, 1636. The ship was probably the Rebecca. Thomas Low and his family probably arrived at Ipswich in 1637.

John Lowe Has mentioned a resource for his ancestor (confirmed through DNA):

A helpful though not totally accurate is (https://archive.org/details/ancestorsofjohnl00merr) which should be the Library of Congress link to “The Ancestors of the John Lowe Family Circle and their Descendants,” Fitchburg, Printed by the Sentinel printing company, Both the LoC and Open Library list this book. My copy is from a family hand me down. My research suggests the book is not entirely accurate but very helpful as a working companion to Geni or ancestry. The Low/Lowe family is very interesting as it was part of the Mass Bay Colony Company, Thomas, a maltster was given (granted) land making him a “gentleman” and giving him voting rights and leadership in his church. He was generally successful and left an estate for his wife and son. I believe his father was Capt John Low, Capt of the ship Ambrose and name Admiral of the fleet of one of the small fleets to arrive in Ipswich, MA in 1630. Capt Low is reported to have perished at sea on a return trip to England. Hope this is helpful.