Justice
What a Discovery at Jamestown Says About America's First Town
Traces of lead and tooth decay in newly uncovered remains reveal the founders were of noble status—and had a new American diet.
Most know John Smith as the founder of the first English colony in America. But a new discovery at Jamestown, Virginia, by researchers from the Smithsonian and the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation has reintroduced four key leaders—and a mystery—into the history of America’s first town.
Back in 2013, the researchers uncovered four sets of skeletons buried at the earliest English church in America—the same one where Pocahontas, from the Powhatan tribe, married Englishman John Rolfe. After reviewing forensic analysis, data from 3-D technology, and extensive records kept by Ancestry.com, the researchers announced Tuesday that the remains belong to four of the first founders of English America.