White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-03-30
By
LOUISE M. COMSTOCK
Ann Maria Lane

borne's Landing, when the states fleet.
six ships. eight briggs, five sloops and
two schooners, met the superior
forces of the traitorous Benedict Ar
mold, just come from footing Richmond.
The state lost it's vessels but few OF
it's men, In 1898 we find John Lane
his wife and two daughters, living at
Point of Forks, up the James. an out
post against the Indians. In l8OO,
| when the insurgent Gabriel was prod
ding the negroes about Richmond to
instruction. the Lanes we're returned
to that city and lived at the barracks
near the state capitol. Here, 1t seems,
Ann Maria took to nursing the SOL
diers caring for as many as fifteen
guardsmen at one time.
In 1902 DR.. ]. 81 Fousbee, city
health officer, wrote to Governor Mon
roe requesting that Ann Maria be al
lowed some recompense for her serv-
ices. From his letter we learn that
equal to her self-imposed task, and
lame from that wound received at Ger
mantown. 1t brought Ann Marie the
"moderate consideration" of six dollars
month in addition to food and lodg-
ing! In 1904 the state finally gave her
an infirmary for her patients.
But in the fall of that same year,
Judged too old and lame for her work,
Ann Maria was retired and her name
dropped from the payroll. In 1908,
however. having investigated her case.
Governor Cabell brought it to the at
tention of the state legislature. The
state at that time eagerly adopted this
Revolutionary heroine. They granted
her pension of 5000 per year. There
is record that this was paid In lS')S,
1909. and 1910. In 1871 some clerk
carelessly scrawled across the page,
dead"
Pocahontas
NTR first American heroine was not
~ white girl, but an Indian, and
she is buried, not near Jamestown
Va, with which are associated her
deeds of bravery. but in England, in
an alien land among a people who
must have seemed to her very strange.
Inc register vi 81. OtOi &c Clltl Su,
Gravesend. contains this record: Here
Rebecca Wrolf, wyffe of Thomas
(John) Wrolf. gent, a Virginia lady
borne. was buried in the channsell,
1917"
In the history books Rebecca Wrolf
is Pocahontas, lovely daughter Of
Powhatan. big chief of the Virginia
,b, v,lo oy, nf orr
in the establishment of the first Eng
lish settlement in this country. In
1907 small band of colOnists settled
on the James River, at a spot they
called jamestown in honor of their
king. 1t was an unfortunate location.
The swamps spread disease and grew
little food and the dense forests
pressed upon the little colony and
made IT easy prey for attacking In
dams. Without the friendship of Pc
cahontas. jamestown might never have
survived the first hard years.
Cant, John Smith, leader of the col
ony. managed to secure the goodwill
of Powhatan and promises Of corn
But Powhatan was big and temper
amental chief. liable to change OF
mind. There were times when he re
fused to send more corn or to keeT
away his marauding braves. Once. &c
the story goes, he held the doughty
CAPTAIN prisoner and was determined
TO have his brains beaten out witt
stout war clubs. And time and AGAR
Pocahontas. at the risk Of her fathers
anger of her tribes ill-will even Of
her own life. proved her friendship fol
the white man. When provisions RAJ
low she brought grain from her ia
theirs supply; when treacherous am
buscade was planned. she gave warn
ing; and as Captain Smith lay will
his head on pillow Of rock. await
ing his death, Pocahontas rushed be
tween him and the threatening wa
club and saved his life.
For all this the Indian girl was re
warded as are many heroines. One
John Smith had returned to England
new leader determined TO make secur
the food supply once and for all. kid
mapped Pocahontas and held her host
age in jamestown for q year. Here
however, she was baptized into tn
Christian church and renamed Re
becca. or bond of peace" and maj
red young John Rolfe When ROlfe re
turned to England, she accOmpanie
him. was wined and dned IN Londor
and but little later fell III and diet
Her son, Thomas Rolfe, later RI
turned to Virginia and Is the ancesto
~ pichord Raudolnh and other rs