{"id":85943,"date":"2022-08-05T11:32:42","date_gmt":"2022-08-05T15:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=85943"},"modified":"2024-06-12T09:08:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T13:08:00","slug":"jamestown-descendants-whos-who-part-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/jamestown-descendants-whos-who-part-8.html","title":{"rendered":"Jamestown Descendants: Who\u2019s Who, Part 8"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry continues her series on descendants of the Jamestown settlers, focusing on a descendant of Pocahontas. <\/em>Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a><\/em>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a><\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Today I continue with my \u201cJamestown Descendants: Who\u2019s Who\u201d series, focusing on Catherine Chamber Barnes (1938-2009), a double descendant of John Rolfe and Pocahontas \u2013 10th<\/sup> generation from her father\u2019s line and 11th<\/sup> generation from her mother\u2019s. Rolfe married Pocahontas, also known by her Christian name \u201cLady Rebecca,\u201d in Virginia in 1614.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), 13 May 1962, page 20<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other Jamestown notables in Catherine\u2019s family tree include James Williamson, William Underwood, John Bolling, William Hatcher, Christopher Newport, William Bassett, Robert Dudley, and Christopher Robinson. The Jamestowne Society has a list which is linked at the end of this article.<\/p>\n

In 1962 the Virginian-raised Catherine, born to William Chambers Barnes and Louise Gay Stubbs, reached celebrity status when she portrayed her ancestor Pocahontas for the Jamestown Festival Park\u2019s 350th anniversary celebration marking John Rolfe\u2019s first planting of a tobacco crop, which rescued the Jamestown Colony from economic collapse.<\/p>\n

I found some smoking tidbits on the weed that saved Jamestown by searching GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>. These newspaper articles include photos of Catherine performing her role as Pocahontas during the re-enactments at Jamestown.<\/p>\n

[Editor\u2019s Note:<\/em><\/strong> the modern reader, made aware of the dangers of smoking, may be puzzled by the newspaper articles in this blog article that hail \u201csublime tobacco\u201d as an economic miracle. Keep in mind these articles were all published in 1962 \u2013 Surgeon General Luther L. Terry\u2019s report warning the nation of the health hazards caused by smoking was released in 1964.]<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Greensboro Daily News (Greensboro, North Carolina), 19 April 1962, page 23<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The tobacco enterprise, coupled with Rolfe\u2019s perseverance and ingenuity, set the stage for English development in the New World and marked the beginning of the nation\u2019s successful trade and commerce. Additionally, Rolfe\u2019s marriage to Pocahontas brought a period of peace with the Indians.<\/p>\n

According to the Virginian-Pilot<\/em>, Pocahontas\u2019 great contribution to Rolfe\u2019s success in making tobacco the hottest commodity ever was her knowledge of how to grow the weed, which she learned from her Indian family.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), 13 May 1962, page 20<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article reported:<\/p>\n

\u201cA tablespoon of tobacco seed can produce enough plants for a five-acre field.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn even smaller amount was used 350 years ago this spring to start the first crop that established Jamestown as the first permanent English settlement in America, which anchored the development of the United States\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore [John] Rolfe left England [in 1609] he knew about tobacco, which was imported from Spanish Caribbean possessions. He and London smokers did not relish the harsh, biting taste of native Indian tobacco.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomehow Rolfe obtained a seed of sweet-scented tobacco from Trinidad. It is surmised that seed were smuggled to him by some ship crewman through the jealous guard the Spaniards kept over their tobacco monopoly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough Rolfe was classed as a gentleman \u2013 those not supposed to work with their hands \u2013 he cleared wooded land and planted his tobacco seed. He cultivated the plants, watched them grow to a man\u2019s height, then plucked and cured the leaves in late summer.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

His first shipment was sent to England aboard the ship Elizabeth<\/em>, and this was the start of a booming venture that changed everything for the colony of Jamestown and America! More on this in my next story.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Virginia), 13 May 1962, page 20<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another duty Catherine Barnes performed as Pocahontas was the unveiling of the statue of Queen Elizabeth I at the gateway to Jamestown Park during a \u201ccelebration marking the 350th<\/sup> anniversary of the beginning of the American tobacco industry.\u201d A photo of Catherine and Mrs. Harrison, wife of Governor Albertis Harrison, appeared in the Richmond Times Dispatch<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Richmond Times Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia), 18 May 1962, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During the tobacco celebration, Governor Harrison paid high tribute to Rolfe and Pocahontas for saving the Jamestown colony.<\/p>\n

This article reported:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018There is not a person within the sound of my voice who has not benefitted from the tobacco industry\u2026 this product of the free enterprise system,\u2019 the Governor said. He mentioned the hospitals, schools, and recreational facilities which have been made possible by the leaf industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nation owes a great obligation to John Rolfe, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe celebration, arranged by the National Tobacco Institute and the Jamestown Foundation, commemorated the successful harvesting and sale of Rolfe\u2019s tobacco crop in 1612. Success of Rolfe\u2019s tobacco crop is credited with saving the Jamestown colony from economic collapse, and with paving the way for the spread of English law and parliamentary government in the New World.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe beginning of the tobacco industry is also credited with being the beginning of the nation\u2019s commerce and industry.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And Queen Elizabeth, whom Virginia was named for (she was known as the \u201cVirgin Queen\u201d), was known to take a drag or two herself off a tobacco pipe. The Queen was instrumental in first making smoking acceptable. Sir Walter Raleigh was granted permission to instruct the ladies of her court how to smoke.<\/p>\n

Catherine Barnes was 23 when she was picked to play the role of her ancestor Pocahontas. She later married William Ralph Stein, and the couple had three children and several grandchildren.<\/p>\n

View a video featuring both Catherine and another actress, Elizabeth Smith, as Pocahontas at U.S.A.: Jamestown Celebration 1962<\/a><\/p>\n

Jamestowne Society list of qualifying ancestors: Jamestowne Society<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned for more Jamestown stories!<\/p>\n

Note:<\/em><\/strong> An online collection of newspapers, such as GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>, is not only a great way to learn about the lives of your ancestors \u2013 the old newspaper articles also help you understand American history and the times your ancestors lived in.<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> a portrait of Pocahontas engraved by Simon van de Passe in 1616. It is the only known representation of her made during her lifetime. Credit: National Portrait Gallery; Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

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