Background
Was born at Roanoke Island, Virginia Colony (now North Carolina), on Aug. 18, 1587. She was the granddaughter of John White, Governor of the colony which had been sent out by Sir Walter Raleigh to found an agricultural state. This expedition left Plymouth, England, on April 26, 1587, reaching Roanoke in July. White's daughter, Ellinor or Elyoner, was married to Ananias Dare, assistant to the Governor, and when the child was born she was named in honor of the new colony. On August 27, White sailed for England to collect supplies and help for the colonists, but the intervention of the Spanish war prevented the arrival of any further ships until 1591, when it was discovered that all traces of the colony had vanished. Thus the whole known history of Virginia Dare is contained in nine days.