Virginia Dare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Virginia Dare
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US postage stamp issued in 1937, the 350th anniversary of Virginia Dare's birth
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Virginia Dare
August 18, 1587 Roanoke Colony (present-day North Carolina)
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| Known for | first English child born in the New World |
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Virginia Dare was the first English child born in an English colony in the New World. She was born on August 18, 1587, in the Roanoke Colony, which is now part of North Carolina. What happened to Virginia and the other people in the colony remains a big mystery.
We know about her birth because her grandfather, John White, was the governor of the colony. He went back to England in 1587 to get more supplies. When he finally returned three years later, all the colonists, including Virginia, were gone.
Over the last 400 years, Virginia Dare has become a famous figure in American stories and legends. She represents different ideas to different groups of people. She has appeared in books, poems, songs, and even on TV and in movies. Her name has also been used to sell many products, from vanilla to soft drinks and wine. Many places in North Carolina and the southern United States are named after her.
Contents
Virginia Dare's Early Life
Virginia Dare was born in August 1587 in the Roanoke Colony. This was the first time English parents had a child in the New World. Her mother, Eleanor, was the daughter of John White, the colony's governor. Eleanor was born in London around 1563.
Virginia's father was Ananias Dare, a builder from London. He and Eleanor got married at St Bride's Church in London. Ananias was also part of the Roanoke expedition. Virginia Dare was one of only two babies born to the colonists in 1587. She was the only girl.
The Mystery of the Lost Colony
Nothing else is known about Virginia Dare's life because the Roanoke Colony did not last. Virginia's grandfather, John White, sailed back to England for supplies in late 1587. He had just set up the colony. However, England was at war with Spain, and ships were needed to fight the Spanish Armada. This meant he could not return to Roanoke until August 18, 1590.
When John White finally arrived back, the settlement had been empty for a long time. The buildings had fallen apart. White could not find any sign of his daughter, granddaughter, or any of the 80 men, 17 women, and 11 children who made up the "Lost Colony."
What Happened to the Colonists?
No one knows for sure what happened to Virginia Dare or the other colonists. Governor White found no signs of a fight. The only clue was the word "Croatoan" carved into a fort post. The letters "Cro" were carved into a nearby tree. All the houses and defenses had been taken down. This suggests that the colonists left without being rushed.
Before he left, White had told them that if something bad happened, they should carve a Maltese cross on a nearby tree. This would mean they were forced to leave. There was no cross. White thought this meant they had moved to Croatoan Island, which is now called Hatteras Island. But he could not search for them.
Theories About Their Disappearance
There are several ideas about what happened to the colonists. The most common idea is that they went to live with local Native American tribes. They might have married into the tribes or been killed.
In 1607, John Smith and other members of the Jamestown Colony tried to find out what happened. One report said that the survivors went to live with friendly Chesapeake Native Americans. However, Chief Powhatan claimed his tribe attacked the group and killed most of them. Powhatan showed Smith some items he said belonged to the colonists, like a gun barrel. But there is no proof from archaeology to support this. The Jamestown Colony heard reports of some survivors and sent search parties, but they found nothing. Eventually, they believed everyone was gone.
William Strachey, a secretary for the Jamestown Colony, wrote in 1612 that there were reports of two-story houses with stone walls in some Native American villages. The Native Americans supposedly learned how to build them from the Roanoke settlers. There were also reports of Europeans being held captive in Native American villages around that time. Strachey also wrote that four English men, two boys, and one maid were seen at an Eno village. They were protected by a chief and forced to work with copper. He reported that these captives had escaped the attack on the other colonists and fled up the Chowan River.
Virginia Dare's Legacy Today
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Virginia Dare has become a very important figure in American stories and legends. She means different things to different people. A newspaper article in 2000 said that she stands for innocence and purity for many Americans, especially in the South. She also represents new beginnings, hope, adventure, and bravery in a new land. Because her fate is unknown, she also symbolizes mystery.
For some people in North Carolina, she has been a symbol of the state. In the 1920s, a group in Raleigh, North Carolina, used her name to argue against women getting the right to vote. They wanted North Carolina to stay mostly white. Today, Virginia Dare's name is used by a website that is linked to ideas of white supremacy.
Some people also see Virginia Dare as a symbol for women's rights. In the 1980s, feminists in North Carolina used her name to encourage people to support the Equal Rights Amendment.
There is a memorial to Virginia Dare in St Bride's Church in London, where her parents were married. It is a bronze sculpture made in 1999.
Commemorative Coin
In 1937, the United States Mint made a special half-dollar coin. It showed Virginia Dare as the first English child born in the New World. This was also the first time a child was shown on US money.
Tourism and Products
Virginia Dare's name helps attract tourists to North Carolina. Many places are named after her, like Dare County, North Carolina. There is also the Virginia Dare Trail and the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge. This bridge connects Roanoke Island to the mainland. People on Roanoke Island celebrate Virginia Dare's birthday every year with an Elizabethan fair. There is also a tour boat named Virginia Dare on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia.
Virginia Dare's name has also been used to sell many products. Virginia Dare was the name of the first wine sold after Prohibition ended in 1933. The Virginia Dare Extract Company sells vanilla products. Their symbol is a blonde girl wearing a white cap. The company says Virginia Dare symbolizes "wholesomeness and purity."
Ships Named After Virginia Dare
- SS Virginia Dare was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II.
- The Schooner Virginia Dare, built in 1883, was owned by a company in Gloucester.
- The Steamship Virginia Dare got stuck on a sandbar near Galveston Island during a hurricane in 1871.
See also
- First white child
- List of people who disappeared
- Martín de Argüelles, first white child born in modern U.S. (born 1566 in St. Augustine, Florida)
- Snorri Thorfinnsson, said to have been born between 1005 and 1013 in Vinland
- Peregrine White, first child born to the Pilgrims
Images for kids
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US postage stamp issued in 1937, the 350th anniversary of Virginia Dare's birth
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St Bride's Church, Fleet Street, where Virginia Dare's parents were wed
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Baptism of Virginia Dare, wood-engraving, 1880
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The return of Governor White to the "Lost Colony"
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Monument to Virginia Dare, Manteo, Roanoke Island, North Carolina
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Memorial to Virginia Dare at St Bride's Church, Fleet St, London
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Reverse of a commemorative 1937 US half-dollar coin, depicting Eleanor and Virginia Dare
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Virginia Dare Flavoring Extracts
