Theories
There are many theories surrounding what happened to the lost colonists.
There is no definite proof of what happened and no evidence has been found to
clearly describe the disappearance.
James Horn
James Horn Image obtained from: http://www.pbgtoolkit.com/docs_pbg/1267814375Horn.James.JPG
One theory is from the historian James Horn. In his book, A Kingdom Strange: The Brief and Tragic History of the Lost Colony of Roanoke, he believes that as soon as John
White left the colonists felt a need to move away from Roanoke (Horn, 2010). The
colonists thought it would be best to move to the location White suggested, that
was more inland and with the Chowanacs. When White left, there were still some
boats there that would help them make it safely over to the island. The
colonists did not know whether there would be an attack from the Indians or from
the Spanish. Instead of leaving a group of people on the island to wait for
White, they would send them to Croatoan to wait for his return. This strategy
would be much safer. Horn believes that as soon as White left, some of the
colonists and Manteo went to seek out the Chowanocs to let them know of their
plans (Horn, 2010). If the Chowanocs received them peacefully, the majority of
the settlers would have moved inland. Two dozen of the colonists went over to
the Croatoan Island. When John White did not return after about a year the
settlers that had moved inland came back to check on the people at Croatoan. The
two groups would rejoin and discuss what they should do next. Some of the
settlers probably stayed with the Croatoan in case John White returned and the
rest went back to the Chowanocs. After a few years with no sign of White, the
colonists more than likely lost hope, broke up and assimilated with the
surrounding Indians. The four locations they most likely ended up were, “those
who went to live on Croatoan Island, those on the west bank of the Chowan River,
those near Cashie Creek, and a final group at Ocanohonan” (Horn, 2010, p.
226-229).
David Beers Quinn (1909-2002)
![Picture](/uploads/9/7/1/7/9717579/8084336.jpg)
Image obtained from: http://www.sochistdisc.org/fellows/quinn.htm
David Beers Quinn explains another theory in his book, The
Colonists: Their Fortune and Probable Fate. Quinn suggests that the
colonists did make it to their planned settlement in The Chesapeake Bay and
assimilated with the Chesapeake Bay Indians. The colonists lived there happily
and intermarried with the Indians until sometime in the year 1607 (Quinn, 1984).
Quinn suggests that the Powhatan Indians attacked the Chesapeake Bay Indians
“slaughtering”the Indians and the colonists. William Strachey, a writer and
secretary from the Jamestown Colony in 1609, gives a summary of what happened to
the colonists based on Captain John Smith’s searches for the lost settlers. He
reports that John Smith made contact with a Powhatan leader and the leader said
that they had killed the colonists. “Powhatan confessed that that he had been at
the murder of that colony and showed Captain Smith a musket barrel and a bronze
mortar and certain pieces of iron which had been theirs,” (Quinn, 1984, p. 40).
The Powhatan leader explains to John Smith that he had been told prophesies by
his priests that The Chesapeake’s would rise and be the end to his rule.
Therefore, the Powhatan killed all that were a part of the Chesapeake tribe. It
is said that the Powhatan saw the arrival of the ships that were coming to
settle around 1607 in the Chesapeake Bay and saw this as a threat, killing all
the people in that area (Quinn, 1984).
Research
In Hatteras Island, NC, areas that have said to be the location
of Croatoan Island have been investigated by archaeologists since 1938. The
archaeologists who participate in research on the island are searching for
remains of the Croatoan people and perhaps some sort of evidence as to what
happened to the people of The Lost Colony. Charles Heath and Susan Twiddy are
among the people currently digging on the island. Heath and Twiddy, along with
Clay Swindell, have been sponsored by The Lost Colony Center for Science and
Research in Williamston, NC (Morrison, Winter 2006-7). Heath and Swindell are
the founders of a nonprofit organization Olde Albemarle Research. A couple of
the things that have been discovered by this archeological site are a gold
signet ring and a gunlock. The ring was thought to be a connection to the Lost
Colony, but was later discovered to be a speculation. The ring was most likely
lost by a Croatoan Indian in the years 1660-1690. How it got there they are not
sure. The musket that was found was determined to be created between the years
1610-1620 and therefore would not have any link to the Lost Colony. No evidence
of the Lost Colonists being there has been discovered by the archaeologists to
date. “The Lost Colony is sort of a talisman. It engages people’s imagination.
We would like to find the Lost Colony, sure. That would be a great
archaeological and historical coup,”says Heath (Heath in Morrison, Winter,
2006-7, para. 27). Heath likes the idea of finding the Lost Colony, but is
discovering a lot about the Croatoan way of life. So, the search
continues.
of Croatoan Island have been investigated by archaeologists since 1938. The
archaeologists who participate in research on the island are searching for
remains of the Croatoan people and perhaps some sort of evidence as to what
happened to the people of The Lost Colony. Charles Heath and Susan Twiddy are
among the people currently digging on the island. Heath and Twiddy, along with
Clay Swindell, have been sponsored by The Lost Colony Center for Science and
Research in Williamston, NC (Morrison, Winter 2006-7). Heath and Swindell are
the founders of a nonprofit organization Olde Albemarle Research. A couple of
the things that have been discovered by this archeological site are a gold
signet ring and a gunlock. The ring was thought to be a connection to the Lost
Colony, but was later discovered to be a speculation. The ring was most likely
lost by a Croatoan Indian in the years 1660-1690. How it got there they are not
sure. The musket that was found was determined to be created between the years
1610-1620 and therefore would not have any link to the Lost Colony. No evidence
of the Lost Colonists being there has been discovered by the archaeologists to
date. “The Lost Colony is sort of a talisman. It engages people’s imagination.
We would like to find the Lost Colony, sure. That would be a great
archaeological and historical coup,”says Heath (Heath in Morrison, Winter,
2006-7, para. 27). Heath likes the idea of finding the Lost Colony, but is
discovering a lot about the Croatoan way of life. So, the search
continues.
Research has been done of the rings of the bald cypress trees
which suggest that during the time of the Lost Colony, North Carolina was going
through one of its biggest droughts to date. David Stahle of The University of
Arkansas has studied the droughts in Virginia and North Carolina over the past
800 years (Grossman, 1998). He suggests that the drought would have had a very
large effect on the survival of the settlers of the Lost Colony. The drought
would have made it almost impossible for the settlers to grow enough food to
survive. It also would have made trading with the natives difficult because
their food supply would be low as well. The drought was said to be at its height
in the late 1580’s and the lack of water and supplies would have led to
malnutrition among the settlers (Grossman, 1998).
which suggest that during the time of the Lost Colony, North Carolina was going
through one of its biggest droughts to date. David Stahle of The University of
Arkansas has studied the droughts in Virginia and North Carolina over the past
800 years (Grossman, 1998). He suggests that the drought would have had a very
large effect on the survival of the settlers of the Lost Colony. The drought
would have made it almost impossible for the settlers to grow enough food to
survive. It also would have made trading with the natives difficult because
their food supply would be low as well. The drought was said to be at its height
in the late 1580’s and the lack of water and supplies would have led to
malnutrition among the settlers (Grossman, 1998).