John Ratcliffe (governor)
In 1609, Ratcliffe was Captain of a group of Englishmen who wanted to trade with the Powhatan giving them copper to get corn. Ratcliffe came with 25 men to the meeting he had arranged with the Powhatan but found it was a trap. They killed 23 of Ratcliffe’s men and also tortured Ratcliffe to death but the other two got away and told everyone what had happened. Powhatan women tied mussel shells to Ratcliffe so that they could tear his skin from his body set it on fire and then killed him by burning what was left of his body.