Five Popular Theories:
1. The people of Roanoke simply left the settlement.
This is one of the more probable theories. It is said that they have supposedly left Roanoke island and started settling in the Chesapeake Bay. And that they built rafts or a boat of some sort using materials torn apart from their houses. Close to twenty years had passed before John Smith and his group started the well-known settlement of Jamestown (where the popular story of Pocahontas takes place). This settlement was near the Chesapeake Bay. The evidence in this tale is that the ruler of the natives did indeed admit to killing the colonists. They said that they had been in their land (Chesapeake Bay area) and were then annihilated to prevent more English settlers form stealing their land.
2.The whole population of Roanoke Island was killed by a disease.
This is an absurd theory. It is true that the English had brought over some diseases. However, note, there were no bodies found and the houses had disappeared. Quite a ridiculous theory.
3. The village was destroyed by a severe storm such as a hurricane.
Another one of the incredulous theories. A hurricane could have washed away the colonists and destroyed the houses, true. But the huge problem with this theory is the fence was still standing. It is not possible for a storm to do as much damage as clearing away the whole settlement when the fence remained untouched.
4. The people of Roanoke decided to leave Roanoke Island to live with the Natives.
This theory is definitely probable. Crotoan, which was carved on the post, was the name of an island in the area. It was also the name of the group of the kind natives that inhabited it. It is possible that they colonists decided to live with the natives of Croatoan. Though there has not been a descent amount of evidence to prove this theory, there also has been no evidence against it.
5. The colonists were killed by the Native Americans
This is the most probable of all five theories. One important fact supports this theory. As one may not know, the English men had before tried to start the colony of Roanoke before. Twas a group of fifteen men. A little over a year had passed since they first started the colony, before explorers decided to check up on their hopeful progress. What these explorers found was one dead body. It was verified that it was the work of the Natives. From this past event we know that the Natives were capable of such atrocities and also capable of hiding the bodies. What’s interesting is that the Natives pulled all of that off in between less than a two year period. While the lost colony had been deprived of its leader for a number of three years. The Indians had a sufficient amount of time to tear down the buildings too. However there has still not been enough evidence to verify this theory.
Powhatan & His Warriors Kill The Chesapian Tribe
The Roanoke English settlers married into the Chesapian Tribe. Years later new English settlers arrive in Chesapeake Bay area to establish a colony. They landed on April 20,1607, and named the area the Jamestown Colony.
There was a powerful group of natives made up of Algonquian speaking tribes that let the Roanoke settlers live with the Chesapian Tribe safely for twenty years. Now more white men had moved into the area and founded a new colony. Powhatan didn't trust the white man because some of Powhatan's warriors were captured by the English. The great leader Powhatan had his warriors kill everyone in the Chesapian Tribe including the Roanoke colonist who were now part of the Cheaspian Tribe. Powhatan knew the white men lived with the Chesapians.
Killed By The Roanoacs Indians
The colonists built a wall around their homes for protection from the Indians. This was the wall that John White found on his return to Roanoke Island in 1590. The men would leave the fort to hunt and fish as the colonist's food supply eventually ran out. The Indians ambushed and killed each man as they left the fort. In time all the men were killed and the Indians captured the women and children. The Indians took the hostages to their villages to live and work as slaves.
Lived With The Croatoans
John White found clues when he returned to Roanoke Island. He thought the colonists were trying to tell him that they were going to CroatoanIsland but he may have misunderstood the clues. The clues really meant that the colonists were moving inland with the Croatoans because their food supply had ran out. The Croatoans and the colonists became one group as they married one another. A United States government census in the 1800's supports the theory that the colonists married the Croatoans because they used a comparison of names from White's list of colonists to support this fact. Also other historical records from this time say that the Croatoan Indians were called Lumbee Indians. The Lumbees looked like Indians but lived like white settlers.
Moved to the Chesapeake Bay Area
The English colonists decided to move from Roanoke Island when the natives refused to share food with them. Some of the settlers had died of starvation after the winter season in 1588. The colonists moved to the Chesapeake Bay area and met friendly Chesapian Indians. The settlers taught the natives skills and the natives taught them how to survive. The colonists slowly joined their tribe as they married the natives and became one group.
Taken Hostage By The Spanish
San Augustin was a colony Spain had in the New World. This colony is located on the eastern coast of what is now known as the state of Florida, USA. Spanish soldiers who were living there in 1588 heard reports that England had established a new colony in the New World. This new English colony was located north somewhere near Chesapeake Bay. The Spanish sent their ships up the coast to destroy the English colonists. The English colonists were seen by the Spanish ships as they sailed their small boats south from Roanoke Island to live with the Croatoan Indians on CroatoanIsland. The Spanish ships attacked the English colonists and took them hostage. They may have killed them. This is the reason why English settler's boats were missing when John White returned in 1590 to Roanoke.