John ROLFE

John ROLFE[1, 2]

Male Abt 1585 - 1622  (~ 37 years)

Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name John ROLFE  [3, 4
    Born Abt 1585  Heacham Hall, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Gender Male 
    Died Mar 1622  Jamestown, James, Virginia, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Person ID I21477  Ancestrees
    Last Modified 10 Jul 2022 

    Family Matoaka "Pocahontas" Rebecca, of the Powhatan Tribe,   b. 17 Sep 1595, Werowocomoco Village, On Pamunkey River York River, Virginia, US Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Mar 1617, Gravesend, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 21 years) 
    Married 5 Apr 1614  Jamestown, Virginia, American Colonies Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6
    Children 
     1. Thomas ROLFE,   b. 30 Jan 1615, Smiths Plantation, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1675, VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 59 years)
    Last Modified 8 Jul 2022 
    Family ID F4364  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • John Rolfe was clearly a businessman. From the Powhatten tribes' point of view, he kidnapped the woman we know as "Pocahontas" to hold her as a royal hostage of the colony in their negotiations with the chief. Pocahontas' story is a sad and tragic one. According to an interview by Pocahontas' sister of Pocahontas, she had been raped by a Sir Thomas Dale who could be the father of Thomas Rolfe instead of his assumed father John Rolfe. Pocahontas had become so depressed that the English feared for her life. Word was sent to her father and her eldest sister and her husband were dispatched to visit her. This is when this confidence was given between the sisters.John Rolfe is also known for the one who brought precious tobacco seeds and tobacco to the colonies. Tobacco had been a monopoly of Spain up to that point. It is only conjecture how he came upon seeds as an Englishman. John Rolfe's parentage is unknown as on 2022. The way it had been traced has been disproven by historians.John had 3 wives, one who came with him to Jamestown and died young. He married again after "Pocahontas" died in 1617 of unknown causes on the voyage from England back to Virginia, and one after that.He died when he was around 37 or 38. His date and place of birth could be totally incorrect.

  • Sources 
    1. [S137] Alabama, U.S., Surname Files Expanded, 1702, Ancestry.com, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Place:Provo, UT, USA), 1,61266::0. (Reliability: 0).

    2. [S3266] Ancestry Family Trees, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.), 1,1030::0., Ancestry Family Tree (Reliability: 0).

    3. [S3323] Web: Netherlands, GenealogieOnline Trees Index, 1000-2015, Ancestry.com, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Date:2014 Place:Provo, UT, USA), 1,9289::0. (Reliability: 0).

    4. [S383] A brief visit with the old folks, Ancestry.com, (Ancestry.com Operations Inc Date:2004 Place:Provo, UT), 1,25056::0. (Reliability: 0).

    5. [S137] Alabama, U.S., Surname Files Expanded, 1702, Ancestry.com, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Place:Provo, UT, USA), 1,61266::0., Alabama Department of Archives and History; Montgomery, AL; Alabama Surname Files; Box or Film Number: M84.0099 (Reliability: 0).

    6. [S459] Shawnee Heritage Book IV, Greene, Don, (Lulu Date:2014), Shawne Heritage Book IV (Reliability: 0), 2007.