Smith, Capt. Roger, who "served for twelve or thirteen years in the wars in the Low Countries," is first known to us as commanding a company of infantry under Sir Francis Vere, in 1592. His earliest voyage to Virginia was in the year 1616. In November, 1619, when he had been in the colony "about some three years" he sailed thence for England again, and while there made complaint to the Virginia Company of Sir George Yeardley's treatment of him. At a meeting of the company Dec. 16, 1620, an entry was made that Capt. Roger Smith being desirous to go this present voyage to Virginia, moved that he might have the charge of some of those people now sent to the company's tenants, and further, that the company would be pleased to bestow upon him some means to make him the better fit for the said voyage; for as much therefore as the said Captain Smith is recommended to be a gentleman very fitting for that employment, and in regard to his good experience already (having been heretofore in Virginia about three years) might thereby do the company great service, the court was pleased for his better encouragement to give him £30 freely, to furnish him with necessarys, and ordered that he should have the command of fifty persons now transported to Virginia to be tenants upon the Company's land." Captain Smith sailed for the colony in Feb., 1621, and on July 24, of the same year, he was appointed a member of the council there. On March 22, 1623 the Indians killed five men near his plantation in Charles city county, and in April he was engaged in building a block house.
Smith married Jane Pierce the widow of John Rolfe and, with his wife, was living in James City in 1625. The last mention of him is on Nov. 30, 1629, where he was still a member of the council.
