The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-16

who had settled at Jamestown. AL though the exact date of that histor- ic wedding is not certainly known, It was probably 300 years ago to-day, April 16, 1914. that the dusky prin- cess gave her hand and heart into the keeping of paIeface, who thus be- came the first .sqHHw man Sew eral of the m ost aristocratic and wealthy am lies of Virginia boast de- scent from that lovely April bride of three cent turles ago, and are very. proud of the strain of royal saborigin- al blood in their veins.
 Pocahontas was the daug CT of the powerful. Indian chief, Powlaatan, and was born about the year 1895. Her real name was Matoaka. and Poca- hontas was only 2. nickname. mean; ing little wanton.s Her first ap-: pearance in the pages of history re- lates how, a girl of twelve, she in tervened and saved the life of Capt. John smith, Some iconoclastic his4 torians have sought to prove that this was only 2 pleasant fable but the. evidence seems to favor the truth of the tale. Smith was taken captive and brought before Powhatan. ac-5 cording to the account Having feasted him after the best barbero ous manner they could. . long consalta- ton was held; but the conclusion was two great stones were brought be- fore Powhatan: then as many as could laid hands on Smith and dra gged him to them and thereon laid his head. And. being ready with their clubs to beat out his brains, Pocahontas, the kings dearest daughter, when no entreaty could prevail got his head in her arms and laid her own upon his to save him from death. Whereat should live. to make him hatchets, and her bells, beads. and copper; for they thought as we'll of all occupa- lions as themselves.'s
 In 161 3, while on a visit to a. neigh boring Tribe, Pocah hontas was treach- erol1sly seized by Capt. s. ArgaI1. and carried a prisoner to .Ja1nestown She
 was treated well. and only held as .a hostage against the hostility Of her people. She soon became friendly with the paIeface settlers. embraced !thefr religion. and was baptized and christened Rebecca- Believing that her hero, Smith. was dead. she trans ferred her ardent affectfons to John was thus rescued from obscurity and gained a permanent place in history. The bridegroom was a wfdower, and an official at Janestowns He ca11e Tor an old NorfoIk family. and was possessed of consid erable wealth. RoIfe and Pocah ontas were married by Rev Richard Buck. according to the ritual of the Church of Eng and. The little church was transformed into a floral bower for the occasion. and the witnesses of the wedding in cluded the entire population Of the settlement
 l Two years later John Rolfe took his bride to England Before her arrival smith petitioned queen Anne in her behalf, and gave the first account Of his deaiV Verance from death by her n-. tervention This rorlla.rltic taIe nat
 ura Fly .at ttracted attentioa to Roca hon. tas, and she was introduced at court by Lord and Lady Delaware and be- came the pet of the best society of London After a delightful sojourn in Eng
 land Pocahontas and her husband, l with their infant son, embarked on a.
 vessel to return to Virginia, but the ship had barely started when Poca- : hontas died. The ship returned to lGravesend, which was a graves end'' lin very truth for the Indian princess,
 for the registry Of the church con tains this entry:
 .1717. May ?, Rebecca Rolf. wyff I of Thomas Rolf, gent, A Virginia La
 dy borne, was buried in the Chaun-
 ceI.,'
 h this record her husband was re
 ferred toas eThonas.,i' but that was a I mistake.