Genealogy De Bruijn in 4D
Genealogy De Bruijn in 4D
This genealogy has been established by Marco J. de Bruijn in Pijnacker, The Netherlands.
This genealogy has been established by Marco J. de Bruijn in Pijnacker, The Netherlands.
First name
Family name
Finding-locations and Pieces of Evidence (Sources)
Web_Pocahontas |
Brief Life History of Pocahontas on FamilySearch.org (Website) Domein: www.familysearch.org URL: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LKF1-HNG/pocahontas-matoaka-amonute-powhatan-1595-1617 |
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Pocahontas was the daughter of Wahunsenacawh, better known as "Chief Powhatan" paramount chief of the Powhatan Confederacy in Virginia, in 1607 when the English began colonization of North America. Born about 1596 in Werowocomoco, capital of Tsenacommacah. She was named Amonute at birth but known as Matoaka. Her father called her 'Pocahontas', meaning 'mischievous one'. It is believed the English were told this was her name to protect her, for fear that if they knew her true name they could do her harm. They were told Chief Wahunsenacawh's name was Powhatan, for this same reason. Upon meeting her in 1607, John Smith observed Pocahontas was a child of 10 to 13 years old. Her exact birth date is NOT KNOWN, the Powhatan tribes used an entirely different calendar than the English and did not keep written records. Her mother's name is also not recorded. Lore claims she was the 1st wife of Powhatan, died in childbirth and Pocahontas was named after her. This is not likely, the Powhatan did not usually 'reuse' names. Many Native American cultures share the belief that to speak the names of the dead will attract their ghosts, cause sickness, even death. Therefore, the names were not spoken and people were not named for lost loved ones. Powhatan reportedly had 100's of wives. He likely married for the first time at about 15/20 years of age, possibly as early as 1560. Any wife married in his youth would not have still been of childbearing age in 1596. Therefore, the mother of Pocahontas was not his 1st wife. She has also been identified as his favorite wife. In 1610 William Strachey was Secretary for the Colony of Virginia. He recorded much information about the colony, Virginia, the native tribes and is considered a primary source of information for this time period. Strachey recorded 12 wives married to Powhatan in 1610, with his favorite wife being Winganuske. This information came to him from Machumps, Winganuske's own brother. Oral history of the Patawomeck Tribe identifies Winganuske as Powhatan's favorite wife also, and tells us she was the mother of both Pocahontas and Cleopatra. Her father was the Paramount Chief of the Patawomeck, known to the English only as "Great King of the Patawomeck" Her mother was none other than Wahunsenacawh's oldest sister. Therefore, Winganuske was not only his wife, but also his niece. This could well be the reason she was his 'favorite wife', it certainly made her his most important wife. John Smith explained how matrilineal inheritance worked among the Powhatans: "His kingdom descendeth not to his sonnes nor children: but first to his brethren, whereof he hath three namely Opitchapan, Opechanncanough, and Catataugh; and after their decease to his sisters. First to the eldest sister, then to the rest: and after them to the heires male and female of the eldest sister; but never to the heires of the males." Powhatan himself gained his chiefdom not from his father, but through his mother, likely from his uncle. Through astute negotiations, marriages and war, Powhatan built his power base to encompass 30 or 40 tribes. By marrying the daughter of his oldest sister, Powhatan married back into the succession, ensuring his children, by this marriage, were of the proper matrilineal lineage to inherit the kingdom he had built. The royal bloodline was much like mitochondrial DNA, passed down only through the female. So from Powhatan's own mother, to his sisters, to Winganuske, to their own daughters and sons. Pocahontas and Cleopatra were both of this bloodline, and would have been groomed from birth to be leaders of their people. This explains why Pocahontas was important to her father, not only out of fondness. Strachey recorded that Pocahontas came often to Jamestown as a child to play with the young boys, "naked as she was", she taught them to turn cartwheels "falling on their hands, turning their heels upwards" they wheeled all over the marketplace and fort. She did more than play games though, when the colonists were starving, "every once in four or five days, Pocahontas with her attendants brought him [Smith] so much provision that saved many of their lives" All the while Pocahontas was playing & assisting, she was also learning. From her 1st encounter with Smith, Powhatan insisted Pocahontas learn the English language, learn their customs and habits. Learn she did, and report back to her father. Initially peaceful, as the English settlement grew, the Powhatan felt more threatened, conflicts arose. In 1609 Smith was badly injured and returned to England, the Powhatans were told he was dead. By this time Pocahontas was of an age to marry and take on an adult life, she stopped visiting Jamestown. William Strachey recorded in 1610/1611 "younge Pocohunta, a daughter of his [Powhatan's], using someetyme to our fort in tymes past, nowe married to a private captaine, called Kocoum, some two years since." For many years this was considered an error, a misinterpretation, however, Strachey received this information directly from Machumps, Pocahontas' uncle, so it is unlikely to have been an error. Now, oral history of the Mataponi and Patawomeck tribes both corroborate this information, going on to say Pocahontas and her 1st husband had a child, born about 1612. Strachey did not mention a child, however, in 1611 when he was last in Virginia, the child would not yet have been born. The Patawomeck tell us the child, a little girl, was named Ka-Okee, and was raised by her father's tribe the Patawomeck, after the kidnapping of her mother and death of her father. The First Anglo-Powhatan War erupted, both sides were forbidden to trade or interact. Seeking trade with the Patawomeck, who were independent of Powhatan's chiefdom, Capt Samuel Argall, learned from Henry Spelman, an English interpreter living with Weroance Japasaw (also known as Iopassus) at Passapatanzy, that Pocahontas was visiting the Patawomeck village and living under Japasaw's protection. Hoping for a quick end to the war, Argall pressured Japasaw to help capture Pocahontas. Wanting to avoid violence, and promised an alliance, Japasaw's wife begged her sister Pocahontas into boarding Argall's ship with her. Here in April 1613, she was captured and held for ransom. The English demanded the release of colonial prisoners held hostage, and to return various stolen weapons and tools. Powhatan complied but the English were not satisfied and Pocahontas remained their captive for nearly a year in Henricus. Little is known of her life in captivity, colonist Ralph Hamor wrote that she received "extraordinary courteous usage" In his much disputed book "The True Story of Pocahontas" Linwood Custalow refers to an oral tradition that claims Pocahontas was raped; Dr. Helen Rountree, considered the top specialist in this field, and highly respected by the tribes of Virginia, counters that "other historians have disputed that such oral tradition survived", and points out that "any mistreatment of Pocahontas would have gone against the interests of the English in their negotiations for peace. A truce had been called, the Indians far outnumbered the English, and the colonists feared retaliation." With the help of Henricus minister Alexander Whitaker Pocahontas continued her language education, learning about English religion as well. In early 1614 Pocahontas converted to Christianity. Upon her baptism, she divulged her name Matoaka, and took the Christian name "Rebecca" in its place. During this time English widower, John Rolfe, had been getting to know Pocahontas. Initially they would have shared an interest in agriculture and Christianity. March 1614, Pocahontas was called upon to diffuse escalating conflict. At this time she reportedly rebuked her father for valuing her "less than old swords, pieces, or axes," and said she preferred to live with the colonists "who loved her." Some say this was classic 'Stockholm Syndrome' and Pocahontas was identifying with her captors. Others say she was simply doing what she had been groomed to do, be an interpreter and protect her people by preserving the peace. Fraternization between natives and colonists was not allowed. By early 1614 John Rolfe had asked the governor of Virginia for permission to marry Pocahontas, something that was strictly not permitted before that. Powhatan, wanting his daughter's release, sent his brother Opechancanough, Pocahontas's uncle, to negotiate. Chief Powhatan himself could not come, he could not risk his own capture. Both the Powhatans and the English often used strategic marriages to cement alliances. Pocahontas and John Rolfe married in April 1614. Opechancanough was there and insisted the event be commemorated with a brass plaque, proclaiming the peace. Although Pocahontas freedom was at stake, the peace was much more critical for the Virginia colonists. War and disease had taken a high toll, the colony was struggling and on the brink of being abandoned. The Rolfe marriage ended the First Anglo-Powhatan war, brought peace to 2 peoples, and allowed the colony time to find it's footing. The couple settled at Varina Plantation, and got to work on a new, sweeter strain of tobacco Rolfe had been developing. Pocahontas' knowledge of farming would have been an invaluable asset to her husband. Finally Virginia had a saleable product, a way to support itself. Not long thereafter, about January 1615, the Rolfes welcomed a son, Thomas Rolfe, the first child of Native American/English ancestry born in the New World. Seeking support from England, the VA Co enlisted the help of their colonial stars, Rebecca and John Rolfe. The family sailed for England, aboard a ship captained by Argall, the very man who had kidnapped Pocahontas. After 9 months abroad, they prepared to return to Virginia, unfortunately, Rebecca fell gravely ill and died before leaving England. She was buried on March 21, 1617, at St Georges Church in Gravesend. Little Thomas was ill as well and remained in England. |
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| in which |
| Pocahontas Matoaka Amonute Powhatan (*1595-†1617) as main character | |
| Kocoum Patawomeck (*1565-†1613) as husband | |
| Winganuske (*1575-†1611) as mother | |
| Ka-Okee (*1611-†1642) as child | |
| John Rolfe (*1585-†1622) as husband | |
| Chief Mamanatowick Wahunsenacawh Powhatan (*1545-†1618) as father |