Editing Thomas Rolfe (section)

==Land==
[[File:English Settlement on Gray's Creek Virginia K-319 R0010386.jpg|thumb|left|English Settlement on Gray's Creek historical marker]]
According to his father's will, both Thomas and Elizabeth, his half-sister, received named land. There is no extant proof that some land came from the Native Americans. However Native Americans did not have the same concept of land ownership as the [[Settler colonialism|white settler]]s. There is no mention of former Native American land in John Rolfe's will; however, John Rolfe names Thomas as the rightful heir of all his land, profits and any royalties pertaining to such land.<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor=4245674 |title=The Will of John Rolfe |last=Carson |first=Jane |date=January 1950 |journal=The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography |volume=58 |issue=1 |pages=58–65}}</ref>
There were rumors in 1618 that when Thomas came of age, he would inherit a sizable portion of Powhatan territory; this information was transmitted through Argall to London, stating, "'Opechanano and the Natives have given their Country to Rolfe's Child and that they will reserve it from all others till he comes of yeares...." (Mossiker). There is no extant documentation that when Thomas arrived in Virginia in 1640, the land was recorded as "Varina," his patrimonial property sixteen miles below Richmond.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Pocahontas, Alias Matoaka, and Her Descendants Through Her Marriage at Jamestown, Virginia, in April, 1614, with John Rolfe, Gentleman| last=Roberston |first=Wyndham |publisher=J. W. Randolph & English |year=1887 |pages=29}}</ref>

Thomas's step-grandfather, named Captain William Peirce, received a grant of 2000 acres of land on June 22, 1635, for the "transportation of 40 persons among whom was Thomas Rolfe".<ref name=Boddie /> He then listed Thomas as heir to his father's land. Prior to March 1640, Thomas took possession of this land which was located on the lower side of the James River.<ref name="McCartney">McCartney, Martha W. "Thomas Rolfe". Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, 1607–1635: A Biographical Dictionary. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 2007. p. 608. Print.</ref>

Thomas also inherited a tract of some 150 acres on June 10, 1654, in Surry County, across from Jamestown; the land was described in a later deed as "[[Smith's Fort Plantation|Smith's Fort old field]] and the Devil's Woodyard swamp being due unto the said Rolfe by Gift from the Indian King".<ref name=Boddie />

The year after the 1644 Native American attack on the colony, four forts were established to defend the frontier: Fort Henry, Fort Royal, Fort James, and Fort Charles. Fort James was to be under the command of Thomas Rolfe as lieutenant as of October 5, 1646. He was given six men, and was instructed to fight against the Native Americans—his own people;<ref name=Mossiker />

{{Blockquote|And it is further enacted and granted, That left.[Lieutenant] Thomas Rolfe shall have and enjoy for himselfe and his heires for ever fort James alias Chickahominy fort with fowre hundred acres of land adjoyning to the same, with all houses and edifices belonging to the said forte and all boats and ammunition at present belonging to the said fort; Provided that he the said Leift. Rolfe doe keepe and maintaine sixe men vpon the place duringe the terme and time of three yeares, for which tyme he the said Leift. Rolfe for himselfe and the said sixe men are exempted from publique taxes.<ref>Hening, William Waller, Hening's Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia from the first session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619</ref>}}
[[File:MOYSONEC NEW KENT COUNTY, VA.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Site of the fort on Diascund Creek]]
Then, on October 6, 1646, Thomas was put in charge of building a fort at [[Moysonec]], for which he received {{convert|400|acre}} of land. This fort was located on the west side of Diascund Creek.<ref name=McCartney />

Several years later, Rolfe patented 525 acres on August 8, 1653, "...lying upon the North side of Chickahominy river commonly called and known by the name of James fort...", apparently including the 400 acres he had received in 1646.<ref>Land Office Patent Bk 3, p. 13.</ref> This James Fort land was re patented by William Browne on April 23, 1681.<ref name="Bk7">Land Office Patent Bk 7, p. 96</ref> The tract was described in the patent as "formerly belonging to Mr Thomas Rolfe, dec'd", thus establishing that Rolfe had died before that date.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}