[MR] Wikipedia: Roanoke, "The Lost Colony"

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this date two important events happened in relation to English
exploration and settlement in North America.

After an earlier 1585 attempt to plant a colony in what is now North
Carolina, the English returned in July 1587. This expedition brought some
115 permanent civilian colonists to the site on Roanoke Island. The tiny
colony was under the Governorship of John White. Among the settlers were
his pregnant daughter, Eleanor Dare and her husband Ananias Dare. On 18
August 1587, Virginia Dare was born to the couple. She is generally thought
to be the first child of English parents to be born in North America.

John White returned to England to gather fresh supplies and additional
settlers for the colony. Unfortunately, because of war with Spain, the
Armada and all that stuff, White was not allowed to return to Roanoke until
1590. He arrived coincidentally on 18 August, his granddaughter's birthday,
to find Roanoke deserted. Despite searching and contacts with Native
American tribes in the area, none of the colonists were ever found. White
packed up and returned to England, a bitter and broken man.

The "Lost Colony" remains a mystery, and is among the more important
foundation stories of the United States. Part of the mystique was fanned by
the famed 1930s play "The Lost Colony". This drama is still presented in an
amphitheater located on the original colony's site every summer. Actor Andy
Griffith got his professional start in this play.

The story of the Roanoke colony, and English relations with the Native
Americans is a complex one. Wikipedia provides a good summary at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Colony .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a quest to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.