SAGA OF ROLF / ROLFE by William Whitehouse 24 May 1990 ------------------------------------------------ The following SAGA OF ROLF is partly legend and partly fact. My g-grandfather was George Rolfe (b:1833 Ebony England), son of Alfred (b:1803 Ebony England). My brother visited Herbert E Rolfe in Schenectady in 1986. Herbert was living in a nursing home to be close to his wife. My brother gave George Rolfe's Civil War Diaries (1864-1865) to the New York State Library in Albany. I have a copy of the text material on disk. George served in "B" Co, 134th NY Volunteers. .... William A Whitehouse THE SAGA OF ROLF --Herbert E. Rolfe-- Our story opens by looking back to about the year 1000 A.D., in Iceland, the land of the midnight sun. In the days of the Vikings and Norsemen, when those tall, stalwart, blond giants roamed the icy seas in their sturdy, open boats there lived "Eric the Red" (because of reddish hair and beard) and his son, "Lief the Lucky". These characters have long been heralded in the sagas of the North, but tradition has it that there was still another grizzled warrior whose reddish beard and locks earned for him the name, "Rolf the Red". It is he whom we would trace down through the years. In the many sea raids of the Vikings, "Rolf the Red" took an active part in plundering and pillaging the coasts of France, Great Britain -- yes, and even the coast of North America. These exploits continued through the years, until one day at early dawn this fierce warrior, with dagger and firebrand in hand, was stopped in his tracks on the stern, rocky coast of northern Britain. He stood transfixed like one in an hypnotic stupor as his eyes came to the level of a pair so piercing, yet so affectionate that he was helpless. He was looking into the shining eyes of a pert little Celtic maid who, here, had conquered him. "Rolf the Red" did not return to the small, sturdy ship that night, for instead of making conquests and carrying off the plunder, he, himself had been conquered. He had been conquered. He had been made a willing prisoner in Britain. He married the winsome little lady and the family of Rolf had its beginning in Great Britain, that part of which later became known as "merrie, merrie England". The Rolf family increased in numbers, and as they multiplied, different family groups migrated to various parts of the country, re- taining as a family trait the ruddy complexion of the out-door man and the reddish hair and beard. About the year 1600, John Rolfe, described as "an honest gentleman, and of good behaviour", sailed from England to the colony of Virginia in America. It will be noted here that following the Elizabethan custom, the letter "e" or "ie" had been added the the ending of many words, and, likewise the name Rolf was also spelled with the "e". John Rolfe was one of the many Englishmen spelling his name in this manner. History tells us that because of the supposed death of Captain John Smith, suitor of the Powhantan Indian Princess, Pocahontas married John Rolfe. She and her husband became the proud parents of a little son, Thomas. Their happiness, however, was short lived. Rolfe and his family moved from Virginia to England. It was here that Pocahontas learned that her former suitor, Captain John Smith was not dead as she had been told, and with an intense longing for her native home, the Indian Princess, like a frail, wild flower of the forest, wilted and died in the land of her adopted home -- England. Rolfe is said to have returned once more to the Virginia colony with his son, but they are believed to have again gone back to England and there made their home. Thus it may be seen, that the succeeding generations of Pocahontas' son were the ancestor of this Rolfe family -- comprising three brothers -- of whom Alfred appears to have been the most important. Many of the Rolfes served actively in the American Revolution, but they were not of our family line, for those of our lineage who migrated to America had not as yet been born. Alfred Rolfe was born in Ebony, England in 1803. His boyhood days were spent in England. As a young man he came to America and became a worker in brass and metals, pausing on the Sabbath to assume the role of itinerant preacher. Alfred Rolfe was the father of Josiah, George, Stephen, Samuel and Charles Rolfe. It may be interesting to note here that George Rolfe married the great granddaughter of Deborah Glen, daughter of Robert Glen, famed in early Schenectady history. George served in the Union Army during the Civil war, was wounded, and at its close was honorably discharged. Charles Rolfe was born in Kent, England in 1835 and came to the United States with his mother after his father, Alfred, had establish- ed a home in Schenectady County, New York. Being a man of the soil, his choice of livelihood here, as in Kent, England, was that of farming. The features of Charles Rolfe were typical -- tall, erect, sinewy. He had sharp, deep-set eyes and high cheek bones. As a young man his hair and beard were of a reddish hue. In manner he was stoical with an appreciative sense of humor. Here in Schenectady, Charles Rolfe married Sara Tree, and they moved to the fertile farmlands of Guilderland, Albany County. They raised a large family -- Ida, Wilson, Sherman, Fred, Charles, Grace and George. The majority of these children resembled their father in many respects, being distinguished by high cheekbones and deep-set eyes. They were of good muscular development, dark or reddish hair and ruddy complexion. In manner they were stoical, even unto being fatalistic, with a pronounced love of the out-of-doors. Of these, Charles bore the most unmistakable Indian features. As a young man he was tall and sinewy, with large frame, high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, swarthy complexion and jet black hair. His voice was somewhat high pitches, with an occasional falsetto note. The descendants of the eldest son, Wilson, are his two sons, Charles Alfred and Herbert Earl, who also bears some of the features of their ancestors -- high cheek bones, deep-set eyes and an inherent love of nature, being especially fond of camping, hunting and fishing. The elder brother, Charles Alfred, was taller and perhaps the more frail of the two boys, interested in competition and athletics at school. He had more liking for poetry, history, Shakespeare and the written word than in mathematics. It is said that one is receptive as either eye-minded, ear-minded, or motor-minded. Charles was definitely of the latter classification, one who had to do it himself to see how it worked. His interest also led him toward amateur theatrics, eventually gaining the male lead in his high school theatre class play. At eligible age he was inducted into the army and saw active service in Europe during World War I. After the signing of the Armistice, he returned home and spent some years in office clerical work, but not caring particularly for a desk job, assumed one in the sales area. In 1920 Charles married Ethel Luella Buell of Schenectady, whose younger sister, Edith, later married his brother Herbert. Charles and Ethel later became the parents of one daughter, Doris Eleanor, and the young Rolfe family grew to be a loving, understanding, and closely knit household. Doris Eleanor married Lewis E. Denton, whom she had known for some years and they had one daughter, Janet Marie. Janet early was graduated from Cobleskill State College as a specialist in Data Processing and Computer Programming. She was em- ployed in this capacity by the General Electric Company, where she met and later married David E. Kautzmann, a young electrical engineer. They now have a little son, Steven and a baby daughter, Rebekah (Becky); and how comforting and reassuring it is to observe them as a deeply religious and dedicated family. Charles and Ethel now are the "old folks", loved by their children and who can reminisce and look back upon a lifetime of trials and successes past, but indeed happy and content withal. Of these two brothers, Herbert is, perhaps, more the student of nature, reveling in the gorgeous sunsets and the laughing waters. It is he who has attempted to reproduce with oils on canvas the glories of God's outdoors, and as a taxidermist, to recreate the creatures of field and stream until they appear to live again. Herbert married Edith Eleanor Buell and they have a son and daughter -- Herbert Earl Jr. and Virginia Ellen -- who are also interested in hunting and fishing and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air under the great blue canopy of heaven. Here our story is temporarily interrupted as Herbert thinks of his children -- now parents in their own right. Herbert Jr. married Katherine Jacobs and Virginia became the wife of LeRoy Perran, a young Presbyterian pastor who died March 26, 1968. On January 11, 1969 Virginia married Gino Zampa. Now, in reverie, Herbert sits looking forward to the years when his grandchildren, Denise, Pamela, Daniel, Brian and Barbara Rolfe and Patricia and Laura Perran may, by their prowess and skill, emulate the deeds of those blonde rovers of the sea and those bronzed maids and warriors -- deerslayers of the past; and as twilight closes in, he sees a vision, strong and true, of the Rolfe family yet to be. Material by Herbert E. Rolfe Schenectady, New York September 20,1963 Amended April 4th, 1979 * Origin: Middle Georgia Medical Forum, Macon GA (912)477-8741 ROLFE by Jerry Smith Wed Jan 2 1991 ------------------------------- There was a MARTHA ROLFE (born 23 MAR 1687/8 at Haverhill, dau of EZRA ROLFE Jr. and grand-daughter of EZRA ROLFE Sr. of Ipswitch who died ca 1652) who married into my CHASE line. In the April, 1849 'Register' there was an article about the ROLFEs. I haven't been able to find much done on the name--just bits and pieces, except for a ROLFE family history done in Norfolk, ENG. Torrey shows HENRY marrying in Whiteparish, Wiltshire in 1621. ave I'd be intererested in hearing of any significant sources about this name. Jerry Smith 4341 U St.,Sacramento,CA 95817 (916)455-3275 --------------------------------- Date: Sat Jan 05 1991 23:55:02 From: Barry Hughes To: Cyndi Pote Subj: ROLFE ------------------------------- HUSBAND: Johannes ROLFE Born: 1562 Bap: 13 Oct 1562 Heacham Marr: 24 Sep 1582 Heacham Died: 29 Nov 1594 Buried: 1 Dec 1594 N. Transept, Heacham Church Father: Eustace ROLFE Mother: Joanna JENER WIFE: Dorothea MASON Born: 1565 Died: 26 Oct 1645 Heacham Buried: Heacham Other Husband: 1594: Robert REDMAYNE CHILDREN:> 1 Name: John ROLFE M Born: 1585 Heacham, Virginia Bap: 6 May 1585 Heacham, Virginia Marr: 5 Apr 1614 To: Pocahontas (Rebecca) (Matoaka) Died: 1623 James City, Williamsburg Co., Virginia Will: 10 Mar 1620/1 (?)[5] Occ: Tobacco Grower 2 Name: Eustace ROLFE M Born: 1585 Heacham, Virginia Bap: 6 May 1585 Heacham, Virginia Died: 2 Jun 1588 3 Name: Edward ROLFE M Bap: 22 Feb 1590/1 4 Name: Henry ROLFE M Barry Hughes, 50 West Moler St. Columbus, Ohio 43207, 614-444-6608 12 Great-Grandson of John Rolfe - Pocahontas ------------------------------- Date: Sat Jan 05 1991 23:57:25 From: Barry Hughes To: Cyndi Pote Subj: ROLFE ------------------------------- Cyndi, I noticed a message from you about the ROLFE line and believe this is the same as mine. I'm posting a bit of information I have. Johannes (John) Rolfe John Rolfe, bapt., Heacham, 13 Oct. 1562 (Par. Reg.), d. 29 Nov. 1594, bur. 1 Dec. (Par. Reg.) N. Transept, Heacham Church. M.I. on a brass which has been removed from the gravestone and affixed to the wall above: Translation: John Rolfe, gentleman, late of Hitcham died on the 29th Nov. in the year of our lord 1594 in the 32nd year of his age. While he lived he was of much service to his fellows, his wish was to enrich all his neighbors and kinsfolk, by assisting the poor with his wealth nothing could be kinder than he was; he bore the insults of many men quietly without offence. He increased his property by merchandise. By exporting and importing such things as England abounded in or needed, he was of the greatest service inasmuch as he had spent both pains and labour upon it. Thus he seemed to die as the force of fire is quenched, by excess of water. For his strength was unimpaired, nor had he completed many years when he died. His death brought grief to many, but he had done nobly, whom the consciousness of a well-spent life and the record of many benefits allowed not to die utterly. ------------------------------- Date: Fri Jan 04 1991 06:57:53 From: Sandy Clunies To: Jerry Smith Subj: ROLFE ------------------------------- Jerry, I'd be glad to correspond with you but a letter I sent to the address you post at the bottom of your messages was returned to me as "Undeliverable - No such address". Please send me your complete address to: 6 Briardale Ct., Derwood, MD 20855. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴커 � This file appears on The Source of Magic BBS, Ridgefield CT � � 203-431-4687, specializing in genealogy, radio, and writing. � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴켸