Tuesday, May 8, 2018

1600s European Depictions of Native Americans - More Fantasy than Fact - Pocahontas

The Abduction of Pocahontas By Johann Theodore de Bry after Georg Keller 1619 from a book by Ralph Hamor (c 1589-1626) A True Discourse of the Present Estate of Virginia, and the successe of the affaires there till the 18 of June. 1614. A 1615.  This engraving was one of a series of images created by artist Georg Keller (1568-1634) to illustrate a 1617 German edition of Hamor's A True Discourse. The original 1615 English edition had no illustrations, so German printer Johann Abelius hired the artist Keller to illustrate his translation of Hamor's A True Discourse. Because Hamor's original 1615 London edition had no pictures, the artist drew upon earlier 1590 engravings of Virginia Indians by Theodore de Bry (1528-98) copied from John White's illustrations, as well as descriptions in Hamor's text. Only some details in the engravings are copied from the 1590 de Bry prints, but not all. Johann Theodore de Bry (1561-1623) the son & successor of Theodore, issued his translation of Hamor's Present State of Virginia in 1618. For illustrations, the younger de Bry simply copied Keller's invented pictures.

By Johann Theodore de Bry after Georg Keller
Engraving from book page, 1619
Plate 7 from America, Part 10

The artist has merged events of 1613 along the Potomac River, shown in the foreground, with events of 1614 on the York River, shown in the background. At lower left, Pocahontas (center) is deceived by Iopassus, holding his reward of a "small Copper kettle," & Iopassus's wife, who feigns "counterfeit tears." After Pocahontas consents to accompany them onto the English ship, they prepare to enter the boat, & then they sit at supper aboard ship, "merry on all hands." The events in the background take place following the capture of Pocahontas, & after an English offer to exchange her for captives & weapons. In March 1614, having received only a partial response from Powhatan, English ships move up the York River. Met with "great bravado" & then flights of arrows, the English attack & burn an Indian village.

Hamor's account offered the first published account of the marriage of Pocohontas & John Rolfe.  Ralph Hamor does continue to have interaction with Virginia's Natives as this Time Line published by The Encyclopedia of Virginia records: 

February 16, 1589 - Ralph Hamor is christened, probably in the Parish of Saint Nicholas Acons, London.

March 1606 - Ralph Hamor matriculates at Brasenose College, Oxford.

May 23, 1609 - Ralph Hamor's name is included on the second charter of Virginia.

June 1610 - Ralph Hamor is appointed a clerk in Jamestown. He later becomes secretary of the colony.

June 18, 1614 - Ralph Hamor likely departs Virginia for England.

1615 - A True Discourse of the Present Estate of Virginia by Ralph Hamor is published in England.

August 1615 - Ralph Hamor's father dies, leaving him a substantial inheritance.

Late 1616 - The Virginia Company of London names Ralph Hamor vice admiral of Virginia.

January 1617 - Ralph Hamor acquires 8 shares in the Virginia Company of London.

May 15, 1617 - On about this day, Ralph Hamor and probably his brother Thomas Hamor arrive in Virginia with the colony's new deputy governor, Samuel Argall.

1620 - Ralph Hamor arranges for the shipping of large numbers of immigrants and livestock to Virginia.

Early 1621 - Ralph Hamor sails for London with a cargo of tobacco and sassafras root worth more than £4,500.

July 24, 1621 - Ralph Hamor is elected to the governor's Council.

1622 - Ralph Hamor returns to Virginia aboard the Sea Flower along with about 120 immigrants, some of whom he may have sponsored.

March 22, 1622 - Despite being personally targeted, Ralph Hamor escapes death in a series of Indian attacks that kill more than 300 English colonists.

April 15, 1622 - Ralph Hamor is appointed commander of the settlement at Martin's Hundred.

April 19, 1622 - The governor commands Ralph Hamor to transport the whole population of Warrosquyoake to Jamestown.

May 1622 - The governor dispatches Ralph Hamor to the Chesapeake Bay to obtain provisions from Indians who live along its tributaries.

Autumn 1622 - Ralph Hamor commands a ship sent to the Potomac River to obtain provisions, killing Indians who refuse to sell food and then seizing their supplies.

April 1623 - The treasurer of the colony reports Ralph Hamor to be "miserablie poore."

1624 - By this time Ralph Hamor has erected a new house in Jamestown and been granted 500 acres of land.

February 16, 1624 - Sometime before this date Ralph Hamor and Elizabeth Fuller Clements marry. They are not known to have any children.

1625 - A man who accused Ralph Hamor of stealing papers is forced to apologize and is fined £20 sterling.

1626 - A man who accused Ralph Hamor of selling shoddy goods at "unreasonable rates" is sentenced to a month in jail and then to have his ears nailed to the pillory.

April 6, 1626 - Ralph Hamor attends a session of the governor's Council for the last recorded time.

October 11, 1626 - The governor and Council grant the widow of the recently deceased Ralph Hamor authority to administer his estate.

February 1628 - Elizabeth Fuller Clements Hamor relinquishes administration of the estate of her dead husband, Ralph Hamor, to George Menifee.

Eckhardt, J., & the Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Ralph Hamor (bap. 1589–by October 11, 1626). (2016, January 28). In Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Hamor_Ralph_bap_1589-by_October_11_1626.