Drawing of Pocahontas, seated by Captain Smith, as she begs for Captain Smith's life to be spared by her father, Powhatan

Pocahontas - Biographical sketch. Born in 1595, and died on board ship at Gravesend, England, in March, 1617. The daughter of Powhatan, chief of a group of Virginian tribes. Her real name was Matoaka (Matowaka), a word found also in the misspelled form of Matoka and Matoaks. The sole Algonquian root from which the name can be derived is metaw, 'to play,' 'to amuse one's self;' whence Metawake, 'she amuses herself playing with (something).'It was undoubtedly due to her innate fondness for playthings, play, and frolicsome amusement that the name was given her by her parents, as well as the expression "Pokahantes" used by her father when speaking of her. By reason of the alleged romance of her life, Pocahontas is one of the most famous of American women. She is said to have saved Captain John Smith from a cruel and ignominious death at the hands of Powhatan's people, whose prisoner he was at the time. She is also credited with enabling many other Englishmen to escape the wrath and vengeance of her tribespeople. The truth about some of her alleged exploits can never be known; some writers have even doubted the episode with Captain Smith. After the departure of Captain Smith for England in 1609, faith was not kept with the Indians as promised, and Pocahontas, by the aid of a treacherous chief, was decoyed on board the ship of Captain Argall in the Potomac, carried to Jamestown (1612), and afterwards taken to Werawocomoco, Powhatan's chief place of residence where a sort of peace was effected and the ransom of Pocahontas was agreed upon. While among the Englishmen, however, Pocahontas had become acquainted with John Rolfe, "an honest gentleman, and of good behavior." These two fell in love, an event which turned out to the satisfaction of everybody, and in April, 1613, they were married, Pocahontas having previously been converted to Christianity and baptised under the name of "the Lady Rebecca." This alliance was of great advantage to the colonists, for Powhatan kept peace with them until his death. In 1616 Mr and Mrs Rolfe, with her brother-in-law Uttamatomac and several other Indians, accompanied Sir Thomas Dale to England, where, owing to the previous misunderstanding of those times concerning the character and government of the American tribes, Mrs Rolfe was received as a "princess." In March 1617, while on board ship at Gravesend ready to start for America with her husband, she fell ill of smallpox, and died about the 22nd year of her life. In July 1907, a skeleton, believed to be the remains of Pocahontas, was unearthed within the site of Gravesend Parish Church. She left one son, Thomas Rolfe, who was educated by his uncle, Henry Rolfe, in England.