Found anyone special - Pocahontas
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Stuart Cresswell
Nov 5, 2005, 11:41:50 AM11/5/05
to cumberland Googlegroup
Dear Group
A while back when we were in Canada, I promised to tell you about my
connection with Pocahontas. Here it is. It is a bit long but I hope you
find it interesting.
Stuart
POCAHONTAS and Stuart CRESSWELL – the connection
First a warning. I have not seen it but it may be that the expression
“don’t let the truth spoil a good story” may apply to Disney’s film. I
believe it was a good film and I am not saying that what follows is
perfect.
Second an acknowledgement. Some of what I have written comes from David
Morenus – an American descendant of Pocahontas. He has an excellen web
site at:
Dramatis Personae (The principals):
POWHATAN – Great Chief of the Algonquin Indians
POCAHONTAS (pet name) or Matoaka later Rebecka – his daughter
Captain John SMITH – a military adventurer
John ROLFE – a university graduate and Secretary-General to the Colony
of Virginia
Thomas ROLFE – only son of John Rolfe and Pocahontas
Anne ROLFE – daughter of Thomas Rolfe and his first wife Elizabeth Washington
Peter ELWIN – husband of Anne Rolfe
Plus a cast of hundreds including many more ELWIN, SYMONDS, HUDDLESTON
AND CRESSWELL
The ELWIN family can be traced back to the 12th century at Wiggenhall
near King’s Lynn in Norfolk, England. The ROLFE family were at Heacham
also near King’s Lynn in the 16th century.
John ROLFE was the (twin) son of John ROLFE and Dorothea MASON who
married 24 May 1582. Young John was baptised 6 May 1585 at Heacham. His
father was a merchant at King’s Lynn but died in Nov 1594 aged only 32.
Young John married in England and in May 1609 sailed for Virginia. His
ship was wrecked on the Bermudas where a daughter was born, named
Bermuda and baptised 11 Feb 1609/10. It is not known whether his wife
and daughter died before or shortly after arriving in Virginia in May
1610.
John was a prominent member of the colony and it is believed that he
suggested the cultivation of tobacco.
In April 1614 he married POCAHONTAS – now Rebecka.
Pocahontas (Running Water) was the pet name of Matoaka daughter of
Wahunsonacook (dubbed King Powhatan by the English) and was born about
1595. Powhatan was the Great Chief of the Algonquin Indians of Virginia.
Her saving of the life of Capt John SMITH is possibly a romantic legend
created by Smith himself – it is only on his say so that it happened!
John SMITH was a military man born in Lincolnshire, England. He himself
wrote about how he murdered a Turk, "Tymor Bashaw of Nalbrits in the
country of Cambria, a province of Tartaria", who was holding him in
slavery. He also claimed that he was authorized to wear three Turks'
heads in his arms, in token of three Turks killed by him in a series of
remarkable single combats. He soldiered about quite a bit, and wrote
about it afterwards. He is the primary source for his own life story.
(Project Gutenberg EBook of Captain John Smith, by Charles Dudley Warner
- http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3130/3130.txt)
Capt John SMITH was one of the adventurers who sailed for Virginia in
1606 in Chesapeak Bay in April 1607. They built a fort by the river and
named it Jamestown and the river James after their king – James I (of
England & VI of Scotland).
The life of the colonists was hard and famine was common. Capt SMITH was
foremost in their search for food which took him into Indian territory.
However he did trade with the Chicahominy Indians for corn which is
believed to be how he met Pocahontas.
At one point he was surrounded by Indians and shot one dead. He was
captured and taken to their chief OpechanCanough who decided he should
be taken to the Great Chief Powhatan.
Powhatan decided that Smith should be killed. As he was about to be
clubbed to death, Pocahontas threw her body over his and pleaded with
her father for Smith’s life. Smith remained with the tribe for several
weeks and a deep friendship grew between him and Pocahontas.
Smith was escorted back to Jamestown with a request for guns which was
not met.
In 1608 when the fort and much of the town including the food stores
were destroyed by fire, Powhatan sent turkeys asking for swords in
return. Again his request was ignored. The Indians tried to recover
their gift and get the swords by seizing the fort but they were defeated
and many were taken prisoner. Powhatan sent more food begging to be
forgiven – they were and more food was provided.
Smith was injured in an explosion and the Indians believed that he was
dead – in fact he returned to Europe.
In 1612 Pocahontas also saved the life of Henry SPILMAN after the
massacre of Capt John RATCLIFFE.
Shortly after, an altercation between the English and the Indians
resulted in Pocahontas being held as hostage. She lived with Rev
Alexander WHITAKER who treated her with great kindness and gave her
religious and other instruction. She became a Christian being baptised
with the name Rebecka. It was during this time that she met John ROLFE
Their son Thomas was born 30 Jan 1614/15 at Smith's Plantation in
Virginia. In 1616 John, Pocahontas and Thomas sailed for England with
Sir Thomas DALE. Naturally Pocahontas created great interest in London
and she was presented at court on several occasions.
They were about to embark ay Gravesend to return to Virginia when
Pocahontas died – she was buried in Gravesend 21 mar 1616/17. John
intended to take his infant son to Virginia but by the time to ship put
in to Plymouth it was clear that young Thomas would not survive the
voyage; so he was left to the care of his uncle Henry ROLFE in London.
In 1617 John ROLFE was appointed Recorder and Secretary General of the
Colony and in 1619 to membership of the Council. He is the only member
of this first American legislature – the Virginia Assembly of 1619 –
known to have descendants today. There is a Virginia Company letter (23
Aug 1618) indicating that “… Opechankano and the natives had given the
country to Mr Rolf’s child…” possibly meaning that Thomas should succeed
to the chieftainship of the Powhatans.
John ROLFE married (for the third time) in or before 1620 Jane daughter
of Capt William PIERCE (another Virginia Councillor) and a daughter
Elizabeth was born in 1620
John ROLFE died in 1622 possibly in the great Indian massacre of that
year. His will dated 10 Mar 1621 and proved 21 may 1630 in PCC by his
father in law William PYERS (PIERCE). William PIERCE was to have charge
of his two small children; land in Virginia (believed to be “Smiths
Fort”) was left to Thomas and other land was left to his wife Jane for
life and then to Elizabeth.
Thomas lived with his uncle Henry for several years. Henry ROLFE was
also a member of the Virginia Company.
13 Sep 1632 Thomas married Elizabeth WASHINGTON in England, at St.
James, Clerkenwell, London and they had a daughter Anne in 1633.
Elizabeth died shortly after Anne’s birth.
About 1635 Thomas ROLFE left his daughter Anne with his cousin Anthony
ROLFE and went to Virginia to claim his inheritance – whatever that may
have been. He certainly became a man of substance. In 1646 he was (as
Lieut Thomas ROLFE) granted Fort Chickhominy and 600 acres provided he
kept a guard there. He also patented several other tracts of land. His
land included 120 acres in Surry (transferred to William CORKER 20 Jun
1654) which was his “by gift from the Indian king”; Smith’s Fort – 1200
acres at the mouth of Gray’s Creek which he sold to Thomas WARREN.
Thomas died about 1675.
In Virginia about 1640 Thomas married again to Jane POYTHRESS and they
had a daughter Jane (born 10 Oct 1650 at Henrico) who married Col Robert
BOLLING in 1675. She died in 1676 but many Americans are descended from
Pocahontas through their son John BOLLING.
The James City records have been destroyed so much of the information on
this family is lost.
Thomas ROLFE’s first daughter Anne married Peter ELWIN (1623-1695) of
Thurning, Norfolk, England in 1659.
They begat Fountain (1661-1696) who married 1698 Ann HASTINGS (c1675-1767).
They begat Peter (1701-1782) a barrister who married 1729 Philippa
MARSAM (c1703-1784).
They begat Peter (1729-1798) who married secondly 1768 Susanna BELL
(c1748-1830).
They begat Marsham (1784-1831) who married 1809 Emma Louisa WHITWELL
(1781-1870). (She was the divorced wife of Sir George Berney BROGRAVE
who had cited Marsham as the “other man”)
They begat Mary Ellen (1820-1893) who married 1845 Rev George Edward
SYMONDS (1820-1892).
They begat Dr Edmund (1853-1907) who married 1882 Fanny Turton ARCHBELL
(1862-1918).
They begat Mary Ellen (1892-1947) who married 1910 Sir Arthur James
Croft HUDDLESTON (1880-1948)
They begat Ethel Mary (1912-2002) who married 1935 Dr Pearson Edward
CRESSWELL (1906-1972)
They begat Pearson Stuart Arthur (1936-) who married Marion Lindsay
McCREADIE (1937-)
A while back when we were in Canada, I promised to tell you about my
connection with Pocahontas. Here it is. It is a bit long but I hope you
find it interesting.
Stuart
POCAHONTAS and Stuart CRESSWELL – the connection
First a warning. I have not seen it but it may be that the expression
“don’t let the truth spoil a good story” may apply to Disney’s film. I
believe it was a good film and I am not saying that what follows is
perfect.
Second an acknowledgement. Some of what I have written comes from David
Morenus – an American descendant of Pocahontas. He has an excellen web
site at:
Dramatis Personae (The principals):
POWHATAN – Great Chief of the Algonquin Indians
POCAHONTAS (pet name) or Matoaka later Rebecka – his daughter
Captain John SMITH – a military adventurer
John ROLFE – a university graduate and Secretary-General to the Colony
of Virginia
Thomas ROLFE – only son of John Rolfe and Pocahontas
Anne ROLFE – daughter of Thomas Rolfe and his first wife Elizabeth Washington
Peter ELWIN – husband of Anne Rolfe
Plus a cast of hundreds including many more ELWIN, SYMONDS, HUDDLESTON
AND CRESSWELL
The ELWIN family can be traced back to the 12th century at Wiggenhall
near King’s Lynn in Norfolk, England. The ROLFE family were at Heacham
also near King’s Lynn in the 16th century.
John ROLFE was the (twin) son of John ROLFE and Dorothea MASON who
married 24 May 1582. Young John was baptised 6 May 1585 at Heacham. His
father was a merchant at King’s Lynn but died in Nov 1594 aged only 32.
Young John married in England and in May 1609 sailed for Virginia. His
ship was wrecked on the Bermudas where a daughter was born, named
Bermuda and baptised 11 Feb 1609/10. It is not known whether his wife
and daughter died before or shortly after arriving in Virginia in May
1610.
John was a prominent member of the colony and it is believed that he
suggested the cultivation of tobacco.
In April 1614 he married POCAHONTAS – now Rebecka.
Pocahontas (Running Water) was the pet name of Matoaka daughter of
Wahunsonacook (dubbed King Powhatan by the English) and was born about
1595. Powhatan was the Great Chief of the Algonquin Indians of Virginia.
Her saving of the life of Capt John SMITH is possibly a romantic legend
created by Smith himself – it is only on his say so that it happened!
John SMITH was a military man born in Lincolnshire, England. He himself
wrote about how he murdered a Turk, "Tymor Bashaw of Nalbrits in the
country of Cambria, a province of Tartaria", who was holding him in
slavery. He also claimed that he was authorized to wear three Turks'
heads in his arms, in token of three Turks killed by him in a series of
remarkable single combats. He soldiered about quite a bit, and wrote
about it afterwards. He is the primary source for his own life story.
(Project Gutenberg EBook of Captain John Smith, by Charles Dudley Warner
- http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3130/3130.txt)
Capt John SMITH was one of the adventurers who sailed for Virginia in
1606 in Chesapeak Bay in April 1607. They built a fort by the river and
named it Jamestown and the river James after their king – James I (of
England & VI of Scotland).
The life of the colonists was hard and famine was common. Capt SMITH was
foremost in their search for food which took him into Indian territory.
However he did trade with the Chicahominy Indians for corn which is
believed to be how he met Pocahontas.
At one point he was surrounded by Indians and shot one dead. He was
captured and taken to their chief OpechanCanough who decided he should
be taken to the Great Chief Powhatan.
Powhatan decided that Smith should be killed. As he was about to be
clubbed to death, Pocahontas threw her body over his and pleaded with
her father for Smith’s life. Smith remained with the tribe for several
weeks and a deep friendship grew between him and Pocahontas.
Smith was escorted back to Jamestown with a request for guns which was
not met.
In 1608 when the fort and much of the town including the food stores
were destroyed by fire, Powhatan sent turkeys asking for swords in
return. Again his request was ignored. The Indians tried to recover
their gift and get the swords by seizing the fort but they were defeated
and many were taken prisoner. Powhatan sent more food begging to be
forgiven – they were and more food was provided.
Smith was injured in an explosion and the Indians believed that he was
dead – in fact he returned to Europe.
In 1612 Pocahontas also saved the life of Henry SPILMAN after the
massacre of Capt John RATCLIFFE.
Shortly after, an altercation between the English and the Indians
resulted in Pocahontas being held as hostage. She lived with Rev
Alexander WHITAKER who treated her with great kindness and gave her
religious and other instruction. She became a Christian being baptised
with the name Rebecka. It was during this time that she met John ROLFE
Their son Thomas was born 30 Jan 1614/15 at Smith's Plantation in
Virginia. In 1616 John, Pocahontas and Thomas sailed for England with
Sir Thomas DALE. Naturally Pocahontas created great interest in London
and she was presented at court on several occasions.
They were about to embark ay Gravesend to return to Virginia when
Pocahontas died – she was buried in Gravesend 21 mar 1616/17. John
intended to take his infant son to Virginia but by the time to ship put
in to Plymouth it was clear that young Thomas would not survive the
voyage; so he was left to the care of his uncle Henry ROLFE in London.
In 1617 John ROLFE was appointed Recorder and Secretary General of the
Colony and in 1619 to membership of the Council. He is the only member
of this first American legislature – the Virginia Assembly of 1619 –
known to have descendants today. There is a Virginia Company letter (23
Aug 1618) indicating that “… Opechankano and the natives had given the
country to Mr Rolf’s child…” possibly meaning that Thomas should succeed
to the chieftainship of the Powhatans.
John ROLFE married (for the third time) in or before 1620 Jane daughter
of Capt William PIERCE (another Virginia Councillor) and a daughter
Elizabeth was born in 1620
John ROLFE died in 1622 possibly in the great Indian massacre of that
year. His will dated 10 Mar 1621 and proved 21 may 1630 in PCC by his
father in law William PYERS (PIERCE). William PIERCE was to have charge
of his two small children; land in Virginia (believed to be “Smiths
Fort”) was left to Thomas and other land was left to his wife Jane for
life and then to Elizabeth.
Thomas lived with his uncle Henry for several years. Henry ROLFE was
also a member of the Virginia Company.
13 Sep 1632 Thomas married Elizabeth WASHINGTON in England, at St.
James, Clerkenwell, London and they had a daughter Anne in 1633.
Elizabeth died shortly after Anne’s birth.
About 1635 Thomas ROLFE left his daughter Anne with his cousin Anthony
ROLFE and went to Virginia to claim his inheritance – whatever that may
have been. He certainly became a man of substance. In 1646 he was (as
Lieut Thomas ROLFE) granted Fort Chickhominy and 600 acres provided he
kept a guard there. He also patented several other tracts of land. His
land included 120 acres in Surry (transferred to William CORKER 20 Jun
1654) which was his “by gift from the Indian king”; Smith’s Fort – 1200
acres at the mouth of Gray’s Creek which he sold to Thomas WARREN.
Thomas died about 1675.
In Virginia about 1640 Thomas married again to Jane POYTHRESS and they
had a daughter Jane (born 10 Oct 1650 at Henrico) who married Col Robert
BOLLING in 1675. She died in 1676 but many Americans are descended from
Pocahontas through their son John BOLLING.
The James City records have been destroyed so much of the information on
this family is lost.
Thomas ROLFE’s first daughter Anne married Peter ELWIN (1623-1695) of
Thurning, Norfolk, England in 1659.
They begat Fountain (1661-1696) who married 1698 Ann HASTINGS (c1675-1767).
They begat Peter (1701-1782) a barrister who married 1729 Philippa
MARSAM (c1703-1784).
They begat Peter (1729-1798) who married secondly 1768 Susanna BELL
(c1748-1830).
They begat Marsham (1784-1831) who married 1809 Emma Louisa WHITWELL
(1781-1870). (She was the divorced wife of Sir George Berney BROGRAVE
who had cited Marsham as the “other man”)
They begat Mary Ellen (1820-1893) who married 1845 Rev George Edward
SYMONDS (1820-1892).
They begat Dr Edmund (1853-1907) who married 1882 Fanny Turton ARCHBELL
(1862-1918).
They begat Mary Ellen (1892-1947) who married 1910 Sir Arthur James
Croft HUDDLESTON (1880-1948)
They begat Ethel Mary (1912-2002) who married 1935 Dr Pearson Edward
CRESSWELL (1906-1972)
They begat Pearson Stuart Arthur (1936-) who married Marion Lindsay
McCREADIE (1937-)
Liz Telford
Nov 5, 2005, 6:06:35 PM11/5/05
to Genealogy-...@googlegroups.com
Stuart
This was really interesting - you write a heck of a good script!
Thank you for sharing, I really enjoyed reading it.
Regards, Liz T
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/162 - Release Date: 05/11/2005
This was really interesting - you write a heck of a good script!
Thank you for sharing, I really enjoyed reading it.
Regards, Liz T
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Cresswell" <stuart.c...@zetnet.co.uk>
To: "cumberland Googlegroup" <Genealogy-...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 05, 2005 4:41 PM
Subject: Found anyone special - Pocahontas
>
> Dear Group
>
> A while back when we were in Canada, I promised to tell you about my
> connection with Pocahontas. Here it is. It is a bit long but I hope you
> find it interesting.
>
--
From: "Stuart Cresswell" <stuart.c...@zetnet.co.uk>
To: "cumberland Googlegroup" <Genealogy-...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 05, 2005 4:41 PM
Subject: Found anyone special - Pocahontas
>
> Dear Group
>
> A while back when we were in Canada, I promised to tell you about my
> connection with Pocahontas. Here it is. It is a bit long but I hope you
> find it interesting.
>
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/162 - Release Date: 05/11/2005
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