Roanoke colony was founded by governor Ralph Lane in 1585 on Roanoke Island in what is now Dare County, North Carolina, United States. Lane’s colony was troubled by a lack of supplies and poor relations with the local Native Americans. While awaiting a delayed resupply mission by Sir Richard Grenville, Lane abandoned the colony and returned to England with Sir Francis Drake in 1586. Grenville arrived two weeks later and also returned home, leaving behind a small detachment to protect Raleigh’s claim. A second expedition, led by John White, landed on the same island in 1587, and set up another settlement. Sir Walter Raleigh had sent him to establish the “Cittie of Raleigh” in Chesapeake Bay. That attempt became known as the Lost Colony due to the subsequent unexplained disappearance of its population. During a stop to check on Grenville’s men, flagship pilot Simon Fernandes forced White and his colonists to remain on Roanoke. White returned to England with Fernandes, intending to bring more supplies back for his colony in 1588. The Anglo-Spanish War delayed White’s return to Roanoke until 1590, and upon his arrival he found the settlement fortified but abandoned. The cryptic word “CROATOAN” was found carved into the palisade, which White interpreted to mean the colonists had relocated to Croatoan Island. Before White could follow this lead, rough seas and a lost anchor forced the mission to return to England. The fate of the approximately 112–121 colonists remains unknown. Speculation that they had assimilated with nearby Native American communities appears in writings as early as 1605. Investigations by the Jamestown colonists produced reports that the Roanoke settlers had been massacred and stories of people with European features in Native American villages, but no hard evidence was produced. Following the establishment of the Jamestown settlement in 1607, John Smith was captured by the Powhatan and met with both their leader Wahunsenacawh (often referred to as “Chief Powhatan”) and his brother Opechanacanough. They described to him a place called “Ocanahonan”, where men wore European-style clothing; and “Anone”, which featured walled houses. Later, after Smith returned to the colony, he made arrangements with Wowinchopunk, the king of the Paspahegh, to investigate “Panawicke”, another place reportedly inhabited by men in European dress. Smith planned to explore Pakrakanick, but a dispute with the Paspahegh ended the mission before it could begin. He also dispatched two search parties, possibly to look for the other villages reported to him, with instructions to find “the lost company of Sir Walter Rawley”. Neither group could find any sign of the Roanoke colonists living in the area.
Appearance List Literature: “Virginia Dare; or the Lost Colony. A Tale of the Early Settlers” in The Ladies’ Companion (December 1837), Sir Walter Raleigh’s Lost Colony by Hamilton McMillan (1888), The White Doe: The Fate of Virginia Dare – An Indian Legend (1901), “The Lost Colony” in The Cornhill Magazine (July 1938), The Roanoke Voyages, 1584–1590: Documents to illustrate the English Voyages to North America under the Patent granted to Walter Raleigh in 1584 (1955). Film: The Lost Colony (1921 silent film). Podcast: Astonishing Legends: Episode 171-172 The Lost Colony of Roanoke.
Sample Read Astonishing Legends: Episode 171 The Lost Colony of Roanoke Part 1 [YT]
Description Roanoke colony was founded by governor Ralph Lane in 1585 on Roanoke Island in what is now Dare County, North Carolina, United States. Lane’s colony was troubled by a lack of supplies and poor relations with the local Native Americans. While awaiting a delayed resupply mission by Sir Richard Grenville, Lane abandoned the colony and returned to England with Sir Francis Drake in 1586. Grenville arrived two weeks later and also returned home, leaving behind a small detachment to protect Raleigh’s claim. A second expedition, led by John White, landed on the same island in 1587, and set up another settlement. Sir Walter Raleigh had sent him to establish the “Cittie of Raleigh” in Chesapeake Bay. That attempt became known as the Lost Colony due to the subsequent unexplained disappearance of its population. During a stop to check on Grenville’s men, flagship pilot Simon Fernandes forced White and his colonists to remain on Roanoke. White returned to England with Fernandes, intending to bring more supplies back for his colony in 1588. The Anglo-Spanish War delayed White’s return to Roanoke until 1590, and upon his arrival he found the settlement fortified but abandoned. The cryptic word “CROATOAN” was found carved into the palisade, which White interpreted to mean the colonists had relocated to Croatoan Island. Before White could follow this lead, rough seas and a lost anchor forced the mission to return to England. The fate of the approximately 112–121 colonists remains unknown. Speculation that they had assimilated with nearby Native American communities appears in writings as early as 1605. Investigations by the Jamestown colonists produced reports that the Roanoke settlers had been massacred and stories of people with European features in Native American villages, but no hard evidence was produced. Following the establishment of the Jamestown settlement in 1607, John Smith was captured by the Powhatan and met with both their leader Wahunsenacawh (often referred to as “Chief Powhatan”) and his brother Opechanacanough. They described to him a place called “Ocanahonan”, where men wore European-style clothing; and “Anone”, which featured walled houses. Later, after Smith returned to the colony, he made arrangements with Wowinchopunk, the king of the Paspahegh, to investigate “Panawicke”, another place reportedly inhabited by men in European dress. Smith planned to explore Pakrakanick, but a dispute with the Paspahegh ended the mission before it could begin. He also dispatched two search parties, possibly to look for the other villages reported to him, with instructions to find “the lost company of Sir Walter Rawley”. Neither group could find any sign of the Roanoke colonists living in the area.
