UK Mega 2021: Lincolnshire
35 Lincolnshire Legends: Captain John Smith
This a straightforward series which was published for the 2021 UK Mega, held at the nearby Lincolnshire Showground. The series celebrates the many famous people who were either born in, lived in or associated with the glorious county of Lincolnshire!
Captain John Smith, soldier, explorer and Disney 'prince'
John Smith (1580 – 1631) was an English soldier, explorer, colonial governor, Admiral of New England, and author. He played an important role in the establishment of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in America, in the early 17th century. He was a leader of the Virginia Colony between September 1608 and August 1609, and he led an exploration along the rivers of Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay, during which he became the first English explorer to map the Chesapeake Bay area. Later, he explored and mapped the coast of New England. He was knighted for his services to Sigismund Báthory, Prince of Transylvania, and his friend Mózes Székely.
Jamestown was established in 1607. Smith trained the first settlers to work at farming and fishing, thus saving the colony from early devastation. He publicly stated, "He that will not work, shall not eat", alluding to 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Harsh weather, lack of food and water, the surrounding swampy wilderness, and attacks from Native Americans almost destroyed the colony. With Smith's leadership, however, Jamestown survived and eventually flourished. Smith was forced to return to England after being injured by an accidental explosion of gunpowder in a canoe.
Smith's books and maps were important in encouraging and supporting English colonization of the New World. Having named the region of New England, he noted: "Here every man may be master and owner of his owne labour and land. ...If he have nothing but his hands, he may...by industries quickly grow rich."
Smith is perhaps best known these days through the tale of Pochahontas, through the Disney film of the same name. The film tells an exaggerated version of the relationship between Smith and Pochahontas, the daughter of the chief of the Powhatan tribe. She is said to have twice rwscued Smith from capture and was instrumental in the development of a more positive accord between trhe Jamestown Colonists and the native American population.
Smith was baptised on 6th January 1580 at Willoughby, near Alford, where his parents rented a farm from Lord Willoughby.
