Pocahontas and John Rolfe

Pocahontas was one of the daughters of Powhatan, the chief of the Algonquian Indians in Virginia. She saved the life of an English colonist, John Smith, and she earned respect among the English settlers. Pocahontas delivered messages from her father to English settlers and assisted them with trade. Later the English captured Pocahontas and held her for ransom in exchange for English prisoners kept by Powhatan. She was held captive in Henricus, Virginia, where she met John Rolfe, her future husband. John Rolfe was very religious and agonized for a long time over marrying Pocahontas because she wasn't Christian. He wrote a letter to the governor asking permission to marry her.

“Let therefore this my well aduised protestation, which here I make betweene God and my own conscience, be a sufficient witnesse, at the dreadfull day of iugdement (when the secret of all mens harts shall be opened) to condemne me herein, if my chiefest intent and purpose be not, to striue with all my power of body and minde, in the undertaking of so mightie a matter, no way led (so farre forth as mans weakenesse may permit) with the unbridled desire of carnall affection: but for the good of this plantation, for the honour of our countrie, for the glory of God, for my owne salvation, and for the conuerting to the true knowledge of God and Iesus Christ, an unbeleeuing creature, namely Pokahuntas. To whom my hartie and best thoughts are, and haue a long time bin so intangled, and inthralled in so intricate a laborinth, that I was euen awearied to unwinde my selfe thereout. But almighty God, who neuer faileth his, that truely inuocate his holy name hath opened the gate, and led me by the hand that I might plainely see and discerne the safe paths wherein to treade.” (Rolfe. Letter to Thomas Dale. p. 851)

Pocahontas converted to Christianity and John Rolfe married her. Their marriage created peace among the English settlers and the Indians for a while.

Since Jamestown needed more colonists from Europe, Pocahontas and her husband John Rolfe traveled to England to convince people to move to the New World. A few months later, they decided to go go back home. Pocahontas got sick on the ship not long after they left and died. John Rolfe said that her last words were: "all must die, but tis enough that her child liveth." (Rolfe. Letter to Edwin Sandys. p. 71.) She was buried in Gravesand, England.

Pocahontas represented the potential of the assimilation of Native Americans into the European society. She was an important figure not only for her own tribe but for also for the English settlers. She often helped with trade and communication between the settlers and the Indians. Pocahontas' life is part of the history of Virginia.

Hamor, Raphe. “A True Discourse of the Present Estate of Virginia and the fucceffe of the affairs there till the 18 of June, 1614.” Web. 22 Sept. 2010. http://webct.dvc.edu/SCRIPT/HIST120_5179_FA10/scripts/student/serve_page.pl?1219012956+readings120_onlinea.htm+OFF+readings120_onlinea.htm

"Pocahontas -- Jamestown Rediscovery." Home -- Preservation Virginia. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://www.preservationvirginia.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=26>.