The importation of a sweeter strain of tobacco from Trinidad allowed John Rolfe to establish the first profitable cash crop in the Virginia Colony. By successfully cultivating this specific plant, he fundamentally altered the economic trajectory of the early English settlements in North America and challenged the existing Spanish monopoly on the lucrative European tobacco trade.
Early Expeditions and the Sea Venture
Born in 1585 in Heacham, England, Rolfe sought opportunities within the burgeoning Virginia Company of London. In May 1609, he embarked on the Third Supply fleet destined for Jamestown. The expedition faced disaster when the flagship, Sea Venture, encountered a severe hurricane in the North Atlantic. Sir George Somers steered the ship onto the reefs of Bermuda to avert total loss. All 150 passengers survived, including Rolfe and his wife, Sarah. During their ten-month confinement in Bermuda, their daughter was born and subsequently buried there. In May 1610, the survivors completed the voyage to Jamestown on two newly constructed vessels, arriving at the colony during the period known as the Starving Time.
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Take the IQ test →Cultivating the Orinoco Strain
Upon his arrival in Virginia, Rolfe turned his focus to tobacco. The local native tobacco was unsuitable for the English market, prompting Rolfe to utilize Spanish seeds he had obtained. In 1611, he became the first person to commercially cultivate Nicotiana tabacum in North America. He branded this crop Orinoco, likely referencing Sir Walter Raleigh's earlier explorations. By 1612, he had established Varina Farms along the James River. The first commercial harvest of four barrels was exported to England in March 1614, proving the viability of the colony and laying the foundation for an extensive industry along the James River.
Marriage and Later Years
Rolfe married Pocahontas, the daughter of the leader Powhatan, on 5 April 1614. Following her conversion to Christianity, where she was baptized as Rebecca by Alexander Whitaker, the marriage ceremony was officiated by Richard Buck. Their son, Thomas Rolfe, was born in January 1615. In 1616, the couple traveled to England at the behest of the Virginia Company to attract investment for the colony. After the death of Pocahontas, Rolfe returned to Virginia to manage his tobacco interests until his own death at Varina Farms in 1622.
Fast facts
- Born: 1585, Heacham
- Died: 1622, Varina Farms
- Citizenship: Kingdom of England
- Occupation: Explorer, tobacco farmer, merchant
- Spouse: Pocahontas
- Child: Thomas Rolfe
- Major Crop: Orinoco tobacco
- Religion: Roman Catholic
Questions readers ask
Did John Rolfe cultivate native Virginia tobacco?
No, he found the native species, Nicotiana rustica, unappealing to the English market and instead introduced a sweeter strain from Trinidad.
What happened to the Sea Venture?
The ship was driven onto the reefs of Bermuda during a hurricane in 1609 to prevent it from sinking, forcing the passengers to remain there for ten months.
Achievements
- Recorded as explorer
