Interesting story this is... Back in 1998 Science magazine had a great story on the 'lost colony' and back in early 2000 NatGeo had a great program on it that basically followed up the Science story. That is about when I also became interested in it. I don't have my copy of Science and when I tried to link to that I found that you have to have a subscription to read it so that won't work here. I did find some info that would be great though.
While everybody thinks that the 'Lost Colony' is the first and last it was actually the third colony that was established on Roanoke Island.
The second link I provide makes a good theory why they would not have moved north, but instead would have moved inland or to the south. The area was in a sever drought and they would have moved to where there was fresh water and food and there was no fresh water going north.
One other bit, Virginia Dare was the first but not the only one born to the settlers of the 'Lost Colony'. There was another woman who also was pregnant, a Margery Harvie, but who talks about second place?
Here is the link to records that were kept from those first colonies:
docsouth.unc.edu/nc/lane/menu.html------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sir Ralph Lane, 1530?-1603
Raleigh's First Roanoke Colony. An Account of the Particularities of the Imployments of the English Men Left in Virginia by Richard Greenevill under the Charge of Master Ralph Lane Generall of the Same, from the 17. of August 1585. until the 18. of June 1586. at Which Time They Departed the Countrey; Sent and Directed to Sir Walter Raleigh.
Boston: Directors of the Old South Work, [1902].
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Summary of this title
About Ralph Lane, 1530?-1603
Subjects
Indians of North America -- North Carolina.
Lane, Ralph, Sir, 1530?-1603 -- Journeys.
North Carolina -- Discovery and exploration.
North Carolina -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775.
Roanoke Colony.
Roanoke Island (N.C.) -- Discovery and exploration.
Virginia -- Discovery and exploration.
Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775.
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There are links that are the records kept but for a short story...
Greenvill left 108 men to build a fort and setup a colony in 1585 but in 1586 they were rescued by Francis Drake and when Greenvill returned he found the colony abandoned. Greenvill left 15 men and returned to England to get the rest of the people who were to settle the fort and when he returned those 15 men were nowhere to be found.
One more important link:
www.serc.si.edu/education/resources/watershed/stories/roanoke.aspxThis one gives some great information about the time that the colony was established. It was a time of great drought, a drought that lasted well into the time Jamestown was established and why Jamestown almost went away in 1609-1611. A time when clean water and food would have been scarce.