Card #1: CROATOAN

“We passed toward the place where they

were left in sundry houses, but we found
the houses taken down, and the place
very strongly enclosed with high trees. It
was very fort-like, and one of the posts at
the right side of the entrance had the
bark taken off, and 5 feet from the
ground in capital letters CROATOAN was
carved without any cross or sign of
distress” - John White
Card #2: A White Settlement?
Several search parties were sent to look
for the missing colonists. Some natives
who were questioned told stories of white
settlements down the coast. They said
these settlements contained two-story
houses with thatched-roofs. Years later, a
Jamestown colonist claimed to have seen
a white boy dressed as a native. It was
said that the boy had blue eyes and blond
hair. None of this evidence was ever
proven to be true.
 Card #3: The Lumbee Tribe
The Lumbee Tribe is native to North
Carolina. Oral history links them to the
Roanoke settlement and the Croatoan
tribe. The Lumbee people of today can
trace their ancestors back to a variety of
different tribes. Some intermarried with
whites, blacks, and Croatoans. Surnames
can be traced back to England and
Lumbee tribe members were said to speak
fluent english and practice Christianity.
 Card #4: The Spanish
At the same time colonists were living in
Roanoke, the Spanish had also founded a
settlement in Florida. The Spanish and the
English were fighting a bitter war (which
kept John White from returning to Roanoke
right away.) The Spanish colonists in
Florida were aware that there were English
Colonists living on Roanoke Island in
Virginia. A Roanoke settler, Darby Glande,
had left the colony in an expedition and
reportedly told Spanish officials the location
of the Roanoke colony.
Card #5: Searching for supplies
John White and his crew left to retrieve
supplies from England for the colonists.
However, White did not return right away.
Colonists may have left the settlement to
search for supplies (or to trade with tribes)
and moved inland. Tribes that were hostile
to new settlers lived in these lands and it is
possible that the Roanoke colonists
encountered them.
 Card #6: The Chesapeake
Twenty years after the disappearance of the
Roanoke colonists, Jamestown settlers heard from
natives that the Roanoke colonists were living in
the Chesapeake region. Jamestown colonist William
Strachey wrote about the fate of Roanoke
colonists. In his story Strachey wrote that some
colonists moved north and lived with the
Chesapeake Indians, while the colonists who had
stayed were killed by Chief Powhatan (the ruler of
the tribes in that region.) Strachey wrote that
several colonists had escaped including a women in
her early twenties. Around this time, Virginia Dare
(the first “American Born” English colonist and
granddaughter of John White) would have been
Chesapeake Region
around this age.
Card #7: The White Doe Theory
Some say that Virginia Dare became a white doe.
According to this belief a young Croatoan Chief wished to
marry Virginia, but a jealous witch turned her into a white
doe. Some report that a mysterious and ghostly white doe
still lives on Roanoke Island.

“In the Land-of-Wind-and-Water

Roamed the Red Man unmolested.
While the babe of Ro-a-no-ak
Grew in strength and wondrous beauty;
Like a flower of the wildwood,
Bloomed beside the Indian maidens.
And Wi-no-na Skâ
they called her,
She of all the maidens fairest…”
 Card #8: A Secret message
In 1937 a 21 pound stone was found in a body of water 60 miles
west of Roanoke. On one side of the stone a cross was carved, along
with “Ananias Dare & Virginia went hence unto Heaven 1591.” On the
other side were carvings that are allegedly a message from Eleanor
dare to her father, John White.

Father soone After yov

goe for Englande wee cam
hither / only misery & War—
two years / Above half Dead
yeere more from dickenes beine fovre & twentie /
salvage with message of ship unto us / smal
space of time they affrite of revenge rann
al awaye / wee bleeve yt nott yov / soone after
ye salvages faine spirts angrie / suddiane
murther al save seaven / mine childe—
ananias to slaine wth mvch misarie— /
bvrie al neere fovre myles easte this river
vppon smal hil / names writ al ther
on rocke / putt this ther also / salvage
shew this vnto yov & hither wee
promise yov to give greate
plentie presents
 Card #9: Disease Outbreak?
People were not the only thing that traveled across
the Atlantic Ocean to the new world. Explorers and
colonists brought food, livestock, and diseases as
well. Things that had once been unique to Europe,
Asia, North America, and South America were
crossing borders. This changed the world forever.
This exchange of people, animals, food, goods, and
disease, became known as the Columbian
Exchange. Diseases that settlers from Europe
brought to the Americas killed a large population of
natives. It is also possible that disease spread
among colonists— they lived in close quarters and
medical expertise was very limited during this time
period.