Editing Thomas Rolfe (section)

==Early life==
Thomas Rolfe was born in the English [[colony of Virginia]] to John Rolfe and his wife, Pocahontas, in January 1615.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/john-rolfe|title=John Rolfe|website=HISTORY|date=28 October 2019 }}</ref> It is believed he was born at the Rolfe family plantation, Varina, in what was then the corporation of [[James City (Virginia Company)|James Cittie]]. Rolfe's birth was recorded as the first time a child was born to a Native American woman and a European man in the [[history of Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thomas Rolfe – Historic Jamestowne Part of Colonial National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)|url=http://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/thomas-rolfe.htm|website=[[National Park Service]]|access-date=2015-04-06}}</ref> In 1616 John Rolfe and Pocahontas accompanied Governor Sir [[Thomas Dale]] on a trip to England to promote the [[Colony of Virginia]], they sailed aboard the ''Treasurer'' captained by [[Samuel Argall]], arriving at Plymouth, England on 12 June 1616.<ref name=Tilton>{{cite ODNB|author=Robert S. Tilton|title=Rolfe, John (1585–1622)|year=2004|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-24018|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/24018|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Less than two years of age, Thomas Rolfe accompanied his parents on this voyage.

In March 1617, the Rolfe family had boarded ship, preparing to set sail back to Virginia, when Pocahontas was taken seriously ill and died. They disembarked at [[Gravesend]] in [[Kent]], where Pocahontas was buried. Thomas was sick as well, and fearing he would not survive the sea journey home, John Rolfe appointed Sir [[Lewis Stukley]] as his guardian on 21 March 1617.<ref name="DNB">{{cite DNB|wstitle=Stucley, Lewis}}</ref> Grieving for his wife and worried for the life of his son, John Rolfe was persuaded by Admiral Argall and other members of the party to continue the voyage. Father and son would never see each other again. John Rolfe, [[Tomocomo]], the governor and other surviving Native Americans returned to Virginia.<ref name=Price>{{cite book|last=Price|first=David A.|title=Love And Hate in Jamestown|location=New York|publisher=[[Knopf Publishing|Alfred A. Knopf Publishing]]|year=2003|page=183}} Print.</ref> Stuckley later transferred custody and care of Thomas Rolfe to his uncle, Henry Rolfe.<ref name=Mossiker>{{cite book|last=Mossiker|first=Frances|title=Matoaka: The Life and Legend|year=1976|location=New York|publisher=[[Da Capo Press]], 1996|pages=213–313}}</ref>

After returning to Virginia, John Rolfe married a third time, to Jane Pierce, and gave Thomas a younger half-sister, Elizabeth.

John Rolfe wrote his will on March 10, 1622 and died not long after that. In his will John appointed his father in law, [[William Peirce (burgess)|William Peirce]], as executor of his estate and guardian of his 2 children, Thomas and Elizabeth.<ref>Salmon, Emily. Rolfe, John (d. 1622). (2021, February 12). In Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/rolfe-john-d-1622.</ref>

In October 1622, Henry Rolfe petitioned the Council of Virginia, claiming entitlement to a portion of John Rolfe's land for maintenance of Thomas Rolfe.<ref name=Boddie>{{cite book|last=Boddie|first=John Bennett|title=Colonial Surry|location=Baltimore|publisher=Genealogical Publishing|year=1974|isbn=9780806300269|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ir6kljPPONgC|via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Thomas remained in his uncle's care until he reached roughly 21 years of age.<ref name=Clausen>{{cite magazine|last=Clausen|first=Christopher|title=Between Two Worlds|magazine=[[The American Scholar (magazine)|The American Scholar]]|issue=3|date=June 1, 2007|volume=76|publisher=80–90|id={{ProQuest|<!-- insert ProQuest data here --> }}|url=https://theamericanscholar.org/between-two-worlds/|access-date=November 25, 2020}}</ref> Sometime before June 1635 Thomas returned to Virginia, his transportation paid for by his Virginia guardian and grandfather by marriage, William Pierce. This is known with certainty because Pierce patented land on June 22, 1635, claiming headright for the transportation of 40 individuals, including Thomas Rolfe.<ref>Cavaliers and pioneers; abstracts of Virginia land patents and grants, 1623–1800 by Nugent, Nell Marion, p 29</ref> There is no further mention of his whereabouts or doings until 1641.<ref name=Barbour>{{cite book|last=Barbour|first=Philip L.|title=Matoaka and Her World|location=Boston|publisher=Houghton Mifflin|year=1969|pages=184, 214|postscript=. Print.}}</ref>

Once established in Virginia again, Thomas Rolfe fostered both his reputation as a plantation owner and member of his mother's [[lineage (anthropology)|lineage]].<ref name=Clausen />