John White set out with Richard Grenville in 1585 in a quest to conquer Roanoke Island and ultimately colonize it. The settlement did not fare well due to constant attacks from Indians and dwindling food supplies.

The roots of one of the oldest unsolved mysteries in the United States can be tracked back to August 17th in 1587 when a group of English colonists arrived on Roanoke Island. The island is situated off the coast of present-day North Carolina.

The colonists suffered from dwindling supplies and constant attacks from Indians. These challenges made it problematic for the settlers to progress with their quest of conquering the island.

In light of these challenges, Raleigh sent John White back to Roanoke Island with supplies, only for him to find that the settlers had vanished alongside two of his loved ones. England's war with Spain delayed his journey.

On August 17, 1590, Roanoke Colony Governor John White returned to the former settlement only to find that all the colonists had vanished. Eleanor Dare was White's daughter. Other people who were reported missing include White's granddaughter and first English child, Virginia Dare. He organized a search team and proceeded to Croatoan Island with the hope of finding his loved ones. This effort proved to be futile.