The Roanoke Colonists

In 1587, a large group of 115 British colonists landed at Roanoke Colony off the Island of Roanoke which is in modern day North Carolina. Commissioned by Sir Walter Raleigh, John White was the governor of the colony. Later that year, John White sailed back to England to get new supplies, leaving behind his wife, daughter, and granddaughter. When he reached England, his ship was commandeered by Queen Elizabeth I because a major naval war broke out between England and Spain. He couldn’t return until 1590, three years after he left. When he arrived, the colony was gone. The only thing left behind was the word “Croatoan” on a wood post. Theories abound of what might have happened, including disease, migration, and being abducted or killed by nearby native tribes.