John Smith was an English soldier and explorer who played a significant role in the establishment of Jamestown in North America
John Smith
@Miscellaneous, Facts and Childhood
Jan 6, 1580
Biography
Personal Details
- Birthday: January 6, 1580
- Died on: June 21, 1631
- Nationality: British
- Famous: Miscellaneous, Soldiers, Explorers
- Cause of death: Tuberculosis
- Birth Place: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
- Gender: Male
John Smith born at
Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
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Birth Place
John Smith never married or fathered any children.
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Personal Life
He died on 21 June 1631 at the age of 51. He was buried in 1633 in Saint Sepulchre-without-Newgate Church, Holborn Viaduct, London.
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Personal Life
He was honored on two of the three stamps of the Jamestown Exposition Issue held in 1907 at Norfolk, Virginia to commemorate the founding of the Jamestown settlement.
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Personal Life
John Smith was born in either 1579 or 1580. Records show that he was baptized on 6 January 1580 at Willoughby near Alford, Lincolnshire.
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Childhood & Early Life
He attended King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth, from 1592 to 1595. As a teenager he was apprenticed to a wealthy merchant.
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Childhood & Early Life
His father died when John was 16. Adventurous by nature, he left home to seek out his fortune.
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Childhood & Early Life
He joined the army of Henry IV of France as a volunteer and fought for Dutch independence from the Spanish King Phillip II. He returned to England by 1599.
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Later Life
Back home he spent two years reading classical military texts and also received training in horsemanship. Spurred by a quest for more adventure, he travelled to Hungary in 1601 and joined the Austrian forces fighting the Ottoman Empire. He was a brave warrior and was promoted to the rank of captain.
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Later Life
He was captured by the enemy in 1602 and taken to Turkey where he was made a bonded laborer. Treated harshly by his master, he rebelled and killed him and made good his escape to Russia. He eventually returned to England in 1604 or 1605.
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Later Life
The Virginia Company of London, which had been granted a charter by King James, planned to colonize the eastern coast of North America. John Smith became involved with it in 1606 and was made a part of the crew that was to embark on this ambitious voyage.
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Later Life
In December 1606, three small ships, the Discovery, the Susan Constant, and the Godspeed carrying around a 100 colonists led by Christopher Newport set sail. The colonists arrived at Chesapeake Bay in April 1607 and set about establishing what would become known as Jamestown.
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Later Life
John Smith is best known for his role in establishing Jamestown in North America as the first permanent English settlement in North America. He faced several hurdles in establishing the area as an English colony but he did not give up. Despite all the challenges he faced, including threats to his life, he persevered in protecting the land he claimed for the English.
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Major Works