The colony of Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in America. Everyone learned in elementary school about Captain John Smith and the famous Indian Princess, Pocahontas. Yet, there was an earlier, important English colony in America that many people do not know about. Historians call it the lost colony. It was the colony of Roanoke and its final fate remains a mystery even today. The only clue to the mysterious disappearance of the colony was the single word, “Crotoan”.
In the late 16th century, Sir Humphrey Gilbert received special permission from the Monarch of England to set up a colony. He spent more than five years working on the fundamentals he would need to set in place to establish a successful colony. Sadly, he was lost at sea and never would be able to put his plan into action. However, his half-brother would follow through. That half-brother was the chivalrous and well respected, Sir Walter Raleigh. In the year, 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh would send men to America to establish this colony. They would create a colony at Roanoke Island in what is present day Virginia., but the colony would not be successful. In 1587, Raleigh sent John White to assume leadership of the colony and try again. White would be accompanied by both women and children. This family style would, at first, prove to be successful in the new colony but times would be hard. Not all needs of the colonists could be met locally. John White would decide to return to England for much needed supplies. Unfortunately, he would be delayed in his return to America. After about three years, John White finally came back to the colony at Roanoke. Instead of being welcomed back he was met with surprise and disappointment. John White returned to a colony that was completely deserted.
This posed a complete mystery. There was no trace of the former colonists that had occupied Roanoke. No one from the colony was ever found, yet both English and Spanish sailors to the region reported seeing white people along the coast of the Chesapeake Bay. Again, it is not know what brought about the destruction of the Roanoke colony. It may have been bad weather and it could have been an attack by hostile Indians. Only one clue was discovered. The word “Crotoan”. This single word was carved on a post. It could indicate that the Crotoan Indians were involved or perhaps the colonists left for nearby Crotoan Island. The actual fate of this lost colony of Roanoke will probably never be known.
While the lost colony of Roanoke did not survive, it paved the way for future colonies. It would be followed by Jamestown and Plymouth colonies which are the foundation of our current United States. More Englishmen would arrive in America and new colonies would be established in Maryland the Carolinas, and other regions as well. This would be the beginning of the rapid growth in North America which today boasts of a population of more than 300,000,000.
