School History of North Carolina : from 1584 to the present time

by John W. Moore

2. Sir Richard Grenville left fifteen men in the fort built at Roanoke by Lane, lest the English claim to the country should be lost through want of its being occupied. They soon fell victims to Indian vengeance after Grenville had hoisted his sails and gone in search of Spanish treasure ships.

1587.

3. Once again, in 1587, Raleigh collected a fleet of transports, and, with John White as Governor, sent about one hundred and fifty men, women and children to Roanoke for permanent settlement. They brought over farming implements, wisely determining to give up the useless search for gold, and to look to husbandry as a means of livelihood in their new home. On arriving at Roanoke, on the 22d of July, Governor White, with forty of his best men, went ashore for the purpose of finding the men who had been left there by Grenville. The fort was destroyed, the houses were in a dilapidated condition and no trace of the colonists was found except a single skeleton which lay bleaching in the sun in front of one of the cabins, indicating that some fearful tragedy had been enacted.

4. Sir Walter Raleigh had ordered White to go to Hampton Roads, in the region of Chesapeake Bay, instead of Roanoke, but this command was disregarded under the plea that, their pilot, a Spaniard, would not show the way. But as Governor Lane had sent a party there the year before, the location must have been known to others of the expedition besides Fernando, the pilot. It was like everything else done by John White while connected with the effort of colonization—very foolish and culpable.

5. Manteo was still the warm friend of the English, and, with his mother, welcomed them. to his home on Croatan. He was, on the 13th of August, as a reward for his faithful services, baptized by order of Sir Walter Raleigh, and created a nobleman, with the title of "Lord of Roanoke," which was the first title of nobility ever conferred by the English in America.

6. Governor White had, among the colonists, a daughter named Eleanor, wife of Ananias Dare, one of his assistants. On August 18th, a few days after their arrival, she gave birth to a little girl, who, in honor of the land of her birth, was named "Virginia Dare." This is about all we know of the little girl who will ever be famous as the first of all the children born to English speaking people within the borders of the United States. One of the counties of this State bears the name of "Dare" in honor of this little girl, and includes in its area the scene of her birth.

7. Governor White had been at Roanoke only a few weeks, when he became convinced that he should at once return to England in the interest of the people he had been sent over here to govern. He said they would need provisions and additions to their numbers, and a larger supply of implements of civilized life; therefore, after a stay of but thirty-six days with the colony, he set sail for England.

8. He should have manifested even more haste to return to America, as members of his own family were included among the settlers who were at Roanoke looking to him for guidance and safety amid so many dangers. But when he reached England, and Raleigh had furnished him with two ships and men and stores for his speedy return, John White found excuse for long stay before revisiting the stormy neighborhood of Cape Hatteras.

9. When he was ready to sail for America a great Spanish fleet, called the "Invincible Armada," was drawing near the English coast, with the avowed purpose of dethroning the queen and subjugating the people. John White preferred to take the chances of plunder in the coming engagement to fulfilling his duty to the poor people at Roanoke who were waiting so anxiously for his return.

10. British heroism, aided by a severe storm, drove off and destroyed the great Spanish fleet, and Governor White, with his two ships which Raleigh had with great difficulty fitted out for him with stores for the colony, joined in pursuit of the fugitives. He gained neither gold nor glory, and his ships were so battered that they had to be carried into port and repaired before they were fit to venture on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Sir Walter Raleigh expressed very great displeasure at the conduct of Governor White.