CHAPTER II.

SEEKING BETTER FORTUNE.

On peace and rest my mind was bent,
And fool I was I married;
But never honest man's intent
As cursedly miscarried.
--BURNS.

In Virginia's colonial days, no man was better known than John Smith
Stevens. His father was one of the original founders of Jamestown and,
it was said, had felled the first tree to build the city. John Smith was
his first born, and was named in honor of Captain John Smith, a
personal friend.

John Smith Stevens was born about the year 1625, the same year that
Governor Wyat defeated the Indians. He was four years of age when John
Harvey became colonial governor in 1629, and a year later, 1630, Sir
George Calvert came to Jamestown on his way to colonize Maryland under
the charter of Lord Baltimore. He was old enough to remember the stormy
days in the assembly, when, on the "28th of April, 1635, Sir John Harvey
thrust out of his government, and Captain John West acts as Governer
till the king's pleasure is known." He never knew exactly why Sir John
Harvey was thrust out; but he heard some one say he was interfering with
the liberties of the people.