| Notes |
- From
South Alabama Roots and Branches
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=marjoeal
by Mary Stearnes Henley
Below is from
Barton-Hightower-Trammell-Creilly-Dandridge Trees to Adam & Eve
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bartont
Contact: Thomas Barton
at
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bartont&id=I2472
Note:
See Pocahontas and her Descendants, Robinson, for more information.
"The most beautiful, romantic and pathetic story we find in history,either ancient or modern, is that of the Indian Princess, Matoaca, orPocahontas, daughter of Powhatan, the great Werrowance. Her story hasbeen quaintly told by 'Captaain John Smith of renowned memorie,' in hisletter to the Queen, 1616, his 'New England Trials,' 1624, and his'History of Virginia," 1624. The truth of this account had also beenattested by Gov. Dale of VA, Secretary Hamor of VA, and the Rev.Alexander Whittaker, three of the most unimpeachable names in the earlyhistory of the colony. There are many other records, both in England andAmerica, which prove the truth of this history, but these that are givenare easily found, and deemed more than sufficent to put it beyond doubt.(followed is a picture of Pocahontas, in her English costume, stating, 'From the original at Barton Rectory, Norfolk, England. by W.L. Sheppard'.I haave made a neg. of this picture. TEB)
In the marriage of Capt. John Rolfe and Pocahontas, we have the nearestapproach of Christian civilization and savagery on record. She must havea unique creation, her duplicate has never been found. She was a savage,and until ten years of age her only teacher was untrained nature; yet herquick discrimination and ready intuition, always cloosing the good, thebest, and the highest, and receiving most trustingly the pure, thespirituelle, the beautiful, proves her to have been endowed with thehighest and most ennobling traits that have ever belessed humanity.
For over a year Pocahontas was held as a hostage by Gov. Dale and livedin his family. During these months she proved a willing and apt scholarin many things. An old chronicle says quaintly, ' When instructed in theChristian religion she made good progress and was baptized.' Whilestaying with Gov. Dale, she met a young Englishman, one Capt. John Rolfe,Gent., of the old family of Beacham Hall, County Suffolk, England. Theywere married at Jamestown, and, a year or so later, Capt. Rolfe took herto England, where she became the guest of the Virginia Company, wasintroduced at court and received marked attention from the Queen and herladies. She was also 'entertained with special and estraordinary statefestival and pomp by Lord Bishop of London.' Imagine what the contrastmust have been to her, taken from the wigwam of an Indian chief, to thepalace of England's queen. Some one has said, 'It was small wonder thiswild flower of the wilderness drooped and died when transported to thehot bed of civilization.'
The health of Pocahontas became affected by the excitement and strain ofcourt life, and she pined for her baby boy. In 1617, Capt. Rolfedetermined to return to America, and took passage on a vessel belongingto the Virginia Company, which was specially fitted up for the comfort ofhis wife; but on the eve of her embarkation, she died at Gravensend, andwas buried under the chancel of St George's Church, where the tableterected to her memory and record of her death and burial may still beseen. On the tablet is inscribed, 'Pocahontas Rebecca Rolfe, b. 1595; d.1617, wyff of John Rolfe, Gent.' At 'Beacham Hall,' Norfolk, England,there is a handsom portrait of her, painted in 1616, by de Passe. (SomeProm. VA Fam.,L.P. du Bellet, v. IV, pp301-303, Gen. Pub. Co. 1976)
Birth: 1595 in Hanover Co.,VA
Death: 1617 in Gravesend, England
Burial: 1617 St George's Ch., Eng. under the chancel
|
1595 - 1617 (22 years)