Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-02-15
AUTHENTIC "INNIN" HISTORY.
Pocnhon,asnnd Capt. y no. smith

The celebrated Captain John Smith, the
sa,ire Of whose life by pocahon,as is a his
torie event OF no little interest
10 Saith at that time-was the earliest set
tier IN Virginia, Grant being the latest set-
Ter they have had in that State and stands
al the head OF the Smith family In this coun.
try. Wa are informed that there is John
Smith living in one Of the Western States,
but he couldn't be tho same man that set
tied Virginia. because he would have been
too young as tba, time 0607) 70 settle any>
thing. lie couldn't have settled for his
board, even. Captain Smith founded James
town. which was totally unfounded dixie
many Of the anecdotes about him up TO
that period. Besides giving jamestown a
start, he started q number Of Indian vii.
lagos, so that they never came back again.
1t - said that he could start a village Of
that description quicker than any white
man living at that time. He started 80
many that the red men, hearing Of it through
the daily papers, tthe Indians were neu red
in those days. deter mined to check his en-
tcrprise.
SIN tn speculatei good deal in corr,
purchasing it in the interior and shipping
ii to jamestown, which was the great
grain center ut that time, Chicago not
having vet been discovered. Ia one Of
bis trips in search Of corn he trespassed
upon the d0miuions Of King Powha,an, a
powerful chief, sho, from his entrench-
ments ON the James. had long threatened
Washington. Smith being somewhat over
loaded with "eorn,' fell into an anbusoade,
and was captured by Powhatan's savages
and taken before their chief. After q brief
hearing, in which TO witnesses were exam
med for the defense, fSmith demanded n
Jury trial, but il was refused he was con-
deinned TO die. He was asked il he had
any thng TO say why the sentence Of death
should not be passed upon him. He said
nothing in particular, only his death would
SERIOUSLY Interfere with the settlement Of
Virginia, and might rctard her re-admis>
sion into .thc Union. This had no effect
whatever, and he WAS marched to the place
Of execution. There was q boulder on
pointed in the most hideous manner, was
swinging a stuffed club, and uttcring diabol
ical cries. impatient TO mash him.
HJohn gazed upon the preparations undis
mayed, for be belonged to one Of the first
families of Virginia. (thc second families
had not arrived yet. and he didn't scare
worth a continental. Powhstan, with q
generosity that one would hardly look for
in n savage, asked him if there was any
message he would like to send his family
and even offered to take charge Of any little
mementoes he desired to leave for them lie
immediately bc,hought him Of an "Acci
dent insurance" policy, which would
| expire about the same time he did, and q
ticket in n gift enterprise, tcnly 10000
| uusolJ,) both Of which he desired
to have sent to his bctrothed. Powhstan
promised to send them by the next steamer
Captain Smith then walked firmly 10 the
block without the aid o' crutches, placed his
head upon it, aud bad, the Inasher 10 mash
At this moment the forest rang with wild
scream, and beautiful Indian maiden
dartcd into the midst OF the thiong.
Raising her larasol 70 protect tho head
smith from the impending club, she OK
claimed
"lioll Red man, stay thy hand! (She
couldn't stay it herself, because she didn',
wear any sftys) Stay him, and Virginia
remam $ how Ling wilderness. PRO,
longed bowls from the sayages. Spare
hlm and ra,iiy the constitutional amend
imcnt, and Virginia resume, her place in tn,
| Union -
Some reconstructed Secesh savases shout
cd Never aud rushed on Smith with
their carving knives. but Powha,an inter-
Tered.
spare his life, said he "the Great Spin,
wills il. ffhis put Smith in great spirits al
once.l ! commute his sentence to the
obloquy OF founding the first families oil
Virginia. Smith, git up aud git ~
Aud smith got
lie lived to found the first families Of Vir
sinia race that IL mostly run out of the
state OF Virginia. Pocahontas went across
the water rs a commissioner to the Paris Tx.
position, and Powhatan run an Indian Tx.
hib,tion for years after with great succcs a.