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SAR members hear talk on Grenville, Roanoke

Doug Arters gives a talk about Sir Richard Grenville and Roanoke Island, North Carolina at a meeting of the Chautauqua County Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Submitted Photo.

STOCKTON – Recently, members of the Chautauqua County Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution heard a talk by Doug Arters about Sir Richard Grenville and Roanoke Island, North Carolina.

Grenville, an aristocrat and Naval commander under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, was known to travel on two of the expeditions to Roanoke Island, off the coast of North Carolina, but then part of Virginia. He was born in 1542, and both his father and grandfather had been naval officers. His grandfather had served under King Henry VIII, father of the future Queen Elizabeth. Richard took up law studies at the Inner Temple of London, was a member of parliament, killed Robert Bannister in a duel, worked on developing his native English town of Bideford and its harbor, was high sheriff for a time, as well as serving as a vice-admiral in the British Navy. Some of his activities were those of a pirate, a common practice during the era. Grenville, gravely wounded by Spanish marksmen, died in the Azores on Sept. 10, 1591 after his ship was attacked by an overwhelming number of Spanish ships.

He was known to have traveled twice to Roanoke Island. The first time was in 1585. Upon returning to England, he had left 15 soldiers on Roanoke Island: they were never seen again. One settler, George Howe, in 1587, who had been out crabbing, was found with 16 arrows in his body and his skull smashed, undoubtedly by a local Indian tribe. Grenville’s second trip to Roanoke, in 1586, involved the settlement of more than 100 people, who were never seen again upon the return of their governor, John White, to the island in 1590.

Governor John White was unable to return to Roanoke until 1590, after the Anglo-Spanish War, which had involved the attack against England by the Spanish Armada. Upon arrival, seven sailors drowned when their boat capsized in the massive waves up against the island. White found the word “Croatan” carved on the fort palisade and the letters “Cro” carved on a nearby tree. The make-shift dwellings appeared to have been carefully dismantled and removed. They never found any of the 100+ settlers.

Researchers have speculated for years as to what became of the settlers. In 1937, about 60 miles west of Roanoke Island along the Chowan River, North Carolina, the so called “Eleanor Dare Stone” was found, with a message etched into the stone, indicating that many of the settlers died from disease, while others were killed by local Indians. The message on the stone was supposedly etched by Eleanor (White) Dare, daughter of Roanoke Governor John White. According to the message thereon, only seven of the settlers survived. The survivors may have been assimilated into one of the Indian villages nearby. The stone message indicated that Eleanor’s husband, Ananias, and daughter, Virginia, lost their lives in the Indian attack. The stone message noted where many of the settlers had been buried, but this site has never been found.

After the discovery of the Eleanor Dare Stone, a college professor offered a reward of $500 for any other relevant stones. Many, if not most, of the submitted stones were fraudulent, obviously created with modern-day tools.

In other business, chapter president Steve Boothe noted that the SAR Chapter will be participating in the annual JROTC award ceremony and dinner in Dunkirk. The precise date is not yet known.

The SAR is a fraternal organization comprised of members who trace their ancestry back to a Revolutionary War soldier, militiaman, congressman, or other ancestor who contributed to the cause of American independence and liberty.

The chapter recently met for a fellowship gathering at noon, March 14, at the Stockton Hotel. The group anticipates holding a regular meeting, with a program, for the April 11 meeting, depending upon the coronavirus issue. For more information, call Boothe at 574-7995.

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