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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.
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Finding-locations and Pieces of Evidence (Sources)

Web_Japasaw
Brief Life History of Japasaw on FamilySearch.org (Website)
Domein: www.FamilySearch.org
Japasaw, Chief Passapatanzy of the Patawomeck, also known as Japazaws, Iopassus and I-Opassus, was the younger brother of "The Great King Patawomeck" and older brother of Kocoum, 1st husband of Pocahontas. Japasaw was identified as the "Lesser Chief" of Passapatanzy, and was also sometimes identified simply as Chief Passapatanzy. The English pronounced the name of the tribe as “Potomac,” it is from this that the Potomac River derived its name. The village of Passapatanzy sat along what is today Potomac Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River.

In 1609 Henry Spelman, an English teenaged boy, was traded to Paramount Chief Powhatan in order to learn the native language and customs. After about 6 months living among the Powhatan Spelman fled and sought sanctuary with Japasaw. Spelman lived in the household of Japasaw for over a year (perhaps as long as 3 years), from sometime in 1610 until 1613. During that time, he served as an interpreter, assisted in trade and babysat Japasaw's children. Spelman recorded his 1st hand account of his time among the tribes in "Relation of Virginia". He referred to Japasaw as "King Pasptanse" and identified him as "brother to Patomsk", meaning the brother of the Paramount Chief of the Patawomeck Tribes. He also identified Japasaw as having 2 wives. One wife was the sister of Pocahontas, and the other was named Paupauwiske. Spelman recorded that Paupauwiske had a boy child in 1610 that was young enough to have to be carried in his arms on a day's journey, unfortunately he did not give the child's name.

Other sources identify Wahanganoche as the son of Japasaw. Wahanganoche (also known as Whipsewasson) was Weroance, or "King of the Patawomeck" as the English named him, in 1654, and was famously framed for murder but was found innocent by a special committee of the House of Burgesses. Wahanganoche is believed to be the son of Japasaw and his wife the sister of Pocahontas, therefore, not the child Spelman recorded in 1610 as the son of Paupauwiske.

From this we know that Japasaw had at least 2 sons.

With wife #1, the sister of Pocahontas:
- Wahanganoche, Chief of Patawomeck, born about 1615, died in 1663.

With wife #2 Paupauwiske:
- a boy child born in 1610 or before.

There were likely additional children that were not recorded.

Japasaw has long been portrayed as the back-stabbing villain who helped the English capture Pocahontas, betraying her for a few trinkets, but this is not entirely true. At least it is not the full story.

In 1613 Pocahontas was visiting Passapatanzy, when Captain Samuel Argall, who was trading in the area, learned of her presence. Knowing of her value to her father, Argall decided to kidnap her and use her to ransom back English prisoners held by Powhatan. He contacted Japasaw and attempted to pressure him in to assisting in her capture. Japasaw initially refused, after all Pocahontas was his sister-in-law, but in truth it was above his power to make such a momentous decision, one that could have such far-reaching repercussions on both the Patawomeck and Powhatan tribes. Japasaw reported the matter to his brother, the Paramount Chief of the Patawomeck. A council was called, English retaliation against their people was feared if they did not cooperate. Japasaw was instructed to yield to Argall's coercion and assist him. Japasaw and one of his wives (possibly Pocahontas' sister) told Pocahontas of Argall's ship nearby and professed to want to visit for trade. Pocahontas was hesitant but went along. They were invited aboard for dinner. Pocahontas refused but after Iopassus' wife broke down in tears, reluctantly went along, she knew something was up. After dinner, Pocahontas was shown to a gunner's room to stay the night. In the morning, Japasaw and his wife were allowed to go ashore, but Pocahontas was kept. Japasaw was reportedly given a small copper kettle. Argall sent word to Powhatan that his favorite daughter was being held hostage aboard ship for the release of the English prisoners. Powhatan responded that she had better be treated well and gave instructions for the exchange. Instead of going to the meeting with Powhatan, however, Argall sailed for Jamestown.

Oral histories of the Mattaponi, Patawomeck and Pamunkey Tribes of Virginia add more detail. They state that not only was Pocahontas visiting Passapatanzy, but that she had been there for months with her husband Kocoum and their young daughter, Ka Okee. That either before she went aboard ship or while she was there, Pocahontas' husband Kocoum was killed in a skirmish with the English. That after her capture, Pocahontas' daughter was kept in Passapatanzy and raised by Japasaw's family. That her identity was kept secret from the English in order to protect her from a similar fate as her mother.

From all of this we learn that although Japasaw did indeed assist the English in the capture of Pocahontas, it was not done entirely willingly, and that he was instructed by his tribe to do so. And that after the death of his younger brother, and the long imprisonment of Pocahontas, Japasaw did what he could to protect their child, and raised his niece himself.

Because of Japasaw's assistance, the English did not take retaliatory action against the Patawomeck Tribe but formed an alliance with them instead. Chief Powhatan, the father of Pocahontas, does not appear to have retaliated either. Japasaw was supposedly one of his best friends, so perhaps Powhatan understood that Japasaw was between a rock and a hard place.

Ironically it was the Patawomeck alliance with the English, that is believed to have eventually caused Japasaw's death.

On March 22, 1622 Opechancanough orchestrated a colony-wide attack against the English, almost 30% of the colonists were killed. Others were taken captive. The Patawomeck did not participate. Opechancanough expected the English to leave after this, they did not. A little over a year later, in May 1623, the English contacted Opechancanough to negotiate peace. A meeting was set, and as a neutral party, allied with the English, the Patawomeck were invited to go along and help negotiate. Everyone met at a Powhatan village along the Potomac River on May 22. To facilitate and celebrate the peace, the English had brought wine. Apparently, no one noticed that only the Indians were drinking the wine. The English did not imbibe because the wine had been poisoned! 200 Indians died immediately, and then the English opened fire upon the gathering, including their 'allies' the Patawomeck. At least 50 more died in the shooting. It is believed that most of the adult Patawomeck men were ther that day, and many of them died, including Japasaw. His brother the 'King" of the Patawomeck possibly died there as well. This resulted in Japasaw's young son, Wahanganoche, becoming Chief.

This about Japasaw from Patawomeck oral history:
"Because the Patawomeck Tribe was a part of the Federation, its rulers were appointed by the head of the Federation. Both the Great King Patawomeck and his brother, Japasaw, the Lesser
King/Chief, were appointed to their positions by Chief Powhatan. In 1622, the Great King of Patawomeck was visited by Capt. John Smith. He told Capt. Smith that Opitchipam [next brother of the late Chief Powhatan, who died in 1618] was his brother. It was at this time that he also refused the gift of beads from Opechancanough, the next brother of Opitchipam that were given to him to kill Capt. Rawleigh Croshaw and caused the break from the Powhatan Federation. This has long been a point of confusion for many including myself. The Great King of Patawomeck has often been stated, at this time, to have been Japasaw, not his older brother.
This was not the case, however. The last apparent record of Japasaw was in 1619/1620, when he made a trip to Jamestown, as a representative of his brother, the Great King Patawomeck.
As will be explained later, Japasaw may have died by the early spring of 1622, and it was the Great King Patawomeck, the older brother, who was still alive in the fall of 1622 and talked to
Capt. John Smith. Your compiler was very glad that our wise Lesser Chief, Gary Cooke, pointed out in a recent Tribal Council meeting that Capt. Smith never talked to Japasaw, only his
brother. Japasaw never became the Great King of Patawomeck. He appears to have been the Lesser Chief or King until his death. The sacred oral history of the Mattaponi, some of which has recently been published by Dr. Linwood Custalow and Angela Daniel, states that Japasaw was a very close friend of Chief Powhatan, but was not his brother. Therefore, if Japasaw was not the brother of Opitchipam and Powhatan, how could his own brother, the Great King of Patawomeck, have been their brother, per his own statement? He was not their brother by blood but was their brother by marriage to their eldest sister! He was the father of Powhatan’s favorite wife, Winganuske." - https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/upload/Patawomeck-Tides-2009.pdf

From: THE VIRGINIA INDIAN TRIBES: 17TH CENTURY, Leaflet 57, Apr 1933, 2nd Printing Sept 1940, Dept of Indian Art, Denver Art Museum, Denver Colorado: "POTOMAC or PATAWOMEKE. An important tribe in 1600's centering about a town of the same name in Stafford County, Virginia on a peninsula formed by the Potomac River. Population then about 800. Today perhaps 150 mixed bloods live in the neighborhood, about 8 miles north of Fredericksburg."

"The descendants of the Patawomeke Tribe in Stafford have always been proud of their Indian heritage and have passed down their descent from Chief Japasaw for many generations. They have lived in the same area in and around Passapatanzy (8 miles North of Fredericksburg, VA, now on the border of Stafford and King George counties), the seat of Japasaw and his son, Wahanganoche, "King of Patomeck", since the early 1600's. footnote 8. "A Brief Outline of Recorded History of the Patawomeck Tribe" William L. Deyo, 2000.
in which
Chief Japasaw I Oppassus Passapatanzy (*1565-†1622) as main character
Pocahontas Matoaka Amonute Powhatan (*1595-†1617) as involved party
Kocoum Patawomeck (*1565-†1613) as brother
Sister Of Pocahontas (*1590-†1615) (Sister of Pocahontas) as wife