Five Fascinating Captain John Smith Facts You May Not Know

Captain John Smith was a soldier, explorer, leader, and author who is best known for founding Jamestown in Virginia.

Captain John Smith was born in early January of 1579 in Willoughby, England. John’s father was a farmer and a landlord.

In his teenage years, he attended a grammar school. When he turned 16, his father died and he left his home to become a soldier. Young Smith was very brave and daring. He wanted a life filled with adventures.

Captain John Smith was initially a seaman and later was appointed as a soldier. He first fought for the independence of the Dutch in Europe. Then, he went to fight the Ottoman Turks in Hungary. He is known to win all the duels with three Turkish commanders. He claimed in his writings that he beheaded them all. In 1602, John Smith was captured and sold.

Later in 1604, Smith escaped and returned to England. He then went to start Jamestown, a settlement in Virginia, with the Virginia Company. In late 1606, three ships, namely, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery left England. The ships had about 104 people who were to become the settlers of Jamestown. They reached Virginia in April 1607. During this journey, John Smith spoke against the government of England and the captain due to which he was arrested and was to be executed on the arrival at Virginia.

But they had ordered that he was supposed to be the leader, so he was released. Eventually, Jamestown became the first permanent English colony of North America. He later went to explore the coastline of northeast America. John Smith died on June 21, 1631, in London.

Read on to know how Smith returned to Jamestown after establishing friendly terms with the Powhatan people. Afterward, also check Captain Blackbeard facts and Captain Cook facts.

Interesting Facts About John Smith

John Smith was a soldier, explorer, and author from England. He worked with the Virginia Company and founded Jamestown. Some of the interesting John Smith facts are mentioned below.

At the young age of 16, Captain John Smith left his home to be a soldier. In the Disney film Pocahontas, Captain John Smith was one of the important characters. Pocahontas saved Smith from her tribe.

Captain John Smith was captured and arrested a few times but always escaped imprisonment. Captain John Smith promoted the colonization of the Americans by England. Captain John Smith wrote various essays on his adventures and experiences as a soldier and captain.

After returning from the war for Dutch independence, John Smith learned various survival techniques in England. Some of the historians and researchers are not sure about the story of Captain John Smith because most of them come from his own literature.

John Smith explored the coastline of northeastern America. Also, he named it New England. John Smith was almost executed on his journey to Virginia. But later he became their leader. John Smith explored the northeastern part of America and later called it New England.

John Smith's Accomplishments

John Smith accomplished various things in his life. Some of them are mentioned below.

Captain John Smith fought his first war in England which was for the independence of the Dutch.

Captain Jon Smith fought the Ottoman Turks and won the duel with their three commanders. Smith killed them. Smith claimed that he beheaded all three commanders.

He was among the first settlers of the Jamestown colony. The settlers arrived in three ships. He went there with the Virginia Company in their three ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery, with 104 other settlers.

He became the leader of Jamestown and the Virginia explorers. He helped them to come out of famine and disease. Smith demanded various changes in the leaders to change their condition. John Smith’s acquaintance with the American princess Pocahontas resulted in a better relationship between Jamestown and the Powhatan tribe, the native Americans.

John Smith went on an expedition and explored the northeastern coastline of America. he mapped it and named it New England. Smith’s map included the areas of Chesapeake Bay, Potomac, and Rappahannock River.

After retiring, Smith spent the rest of his life writing about his expedition and adventures. Until his death, he advised and helped others.

John Smith's Family

John Smith is a famous English explorer, author, and soldier. He is described as a brave and daring man. He has various accomplishments. He is mainly known for founding Jamestown, a Virginia settlement.

He went with the Virginia company to colonize Virginia. John Smith was born in 1579 in Willoughby, England. He was baptized in 1580. His father’s name was George Smith of Ledbury. He was a farmer and landlord by profession. His mother’s name was Alice Smith. His immediate John Smith family included others like Margery Smith, Richard Smith, Edward Smith, Sibill Smith, Ann Harding, Thomas Smith, William Smith, and many others. Captain John Smith never married or had any kids.

How did John Smith die?

Captain John Smith was born in Willoughby, England in 1579. He spent his life-fighting wars, exploring, and writing about his adventures.

After living a life of bravery and daring, Captain John Smith retired. After completing his expedition in northeastern America, he started writing about his adventures. He died on January 21, 1631. The cause of his death is not confirmed but many people believe that he died of an illness.

John Smith's Story

The story of famous English explorer John Smith is given down below.

John Smith was born in 1579 in Willoughby, England. He was baptized on January 9, 1580. His parents were George Smith and Alice Smith.

His father was a farmer and a landlord. John Smith was a young, brave, and daring boy. He went to a grammar school in his teenage years. At the age of 13, he ran away from home because he didn’t want to become a farmer.

But he was stopped by his father who made him work for a merchant. At the age of 16, after his father died, he left his home to become a soldier. Initially, he worked as a seaman.

After becoming a soldier, John Smith went on his first war in Europe for Dutch independence. After the war ended in 1598, he returned to England. Here, he learned survival skills and trained to become a better soldier. He then traveled to France and Scotland. After returning, he lived in the wild for a while and learned to survive in the wild, later he learned about politics and the rules of war.

He was helped by Signore Theodore Paleologue, an Italian nobleman. He taught him horsemanship. Then he went to Hungary to fight against the Ottoman Turks where he fought three duels against their commanders. On his journey, he was captured by the French pirates in the Mediterranean Sea and had to serve on their ship. He was paid 500 gold pieces which helped him to reach Austria.

He then went to Constantinople where he was enslaved but was saved by a woman known as Charatza Tragbigzanda because she fell in love with him. He escaped from there. With the help of Russian travelers, he finally returned to England in 1604. In 1606, he went along with 104 passengers, and Samuel Collier and John Rolfe were among them. He, along with the Virginia Company, found a settlement in Virginia which was later called Jamestown.

On his way, he was arrested on the charges of mutiny and was almost executed on the orders of Captain Newport. Due to one of the orders, he was saved and became one of their leaders. The Jamestown suffered from disease and famine but Smith helped them to turn their condition in a better direction.

The fellow Powhatan tribe proved to be difficult neighbors to Jamestown. He was captured by them but was saved by their princess, Pocahontas. After this incident, the relationship between the communities improved significantly.

John Smith traveled throughout Europe and Northern Africa before he returned to England in the winter of 1604-05. Later in 1608, he went to explore Chesapeake Bay, Potomac, and Rappahannock River. Captain Smith also mapped the area and it was called the John Smith map. In the First Anglo Powhatan War of 1609-1614, he was severely injured near James River and sent back to England. He never returned to Jamestown.

In 1614, he went to explore the northeastern coastline of America which he named New England. He retired after this and started writing about his adventures. Smith gave a view into his early life and his expeditions. He died on June 21, 1631, in London.

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