August 26, 2025 • 8 mins
Was Virginia Dare truly “lost,” or has an entire tribe been protecting her story for 400+ years? In this two-part deep dive, Charles Bosworth blends historical detective work, genetic data, and personal obsession to argue that the Roanoke colonists survived by joining the Croatoan/Lumbee community. Part 1 lays the groundwork; Part 2 reveals the science, sacred burial ground, and Boz’s next steps. Subscribe to unlock the full investigation.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
You're listening right now because everybody seeks truth and that's
what makes this the best show. From veteran broadcaster Charles Bosworth.
Welcome to the Bosscast, where we keep it nice news, information,
conversations and entertainment. Let's get to it. Hey, everyone, welcome
(00:25):
to the Bosscast. I'm Charles Bosworth. My family calls me Charles,
my kids call me Dad, and friends call me Boz
or Charlie. So quick housekeeping here. Hit the follow button
right now for auto downloads and for everything else. Show notes, back, catalog,
premium tiers. They all live at boz dot link. That's
boz dot l NK. All right, let's get going. So
(00:46):
August eighteenth is my birthday. I share it with someone
that was born four hundred and thirty seven years ago
or the year fifteen eighty seven, depending on when you
might be listening to this in what would become North Carolina.
Her name was Virginia Dare. She holds the distinction of
being the first English child born in what would become
the United States, and she vanished from history when she
was just three years old. I spent decades being mysteriously
(01:09):
drawn back to the exact region where she disappeared, and
today I want to tell you why her story matters
and why it might not be finished. Welcome to the
White Indian Goddess, My Search for Virginia Dare. This is
part one of two where I lay out why I
believe we've been telling the story of America's first English
child all wrong. So let me start with the basics,
because most people think they know the story, but the
(01:31):
details matter more than you might think. Virginia Dare was
born to Eleanor and Anonius Dare on August eighteenth, fifteen
eighty seven, in the Roanoke Colony. Her grandfather, John White,
was the colony's governor. Now you might be more familiar
with Sir Walter Raleigh. He was the one who founded
the first colony at Roanoke Island back in fifteen eighty five,
though he funded it rather than let it personally. And
(01:54):
here's where it gets interesting. Nine days after little Virginia
was born, nine days after America's first in Dh birth,
White departed for England to gather some desperately needed supplies.
Now think about that. This man left his nine day
old granddaughter, his daughter, and one hundred and fifteen other
colonists defend for themselves and what was essentially hostile wilderness.
(02:16):
But White didn't have much choice, and the Spanish Armada
conflict prevented his return for three critical years, three years
those colonists had to survive, adapt or perish on their own.
When White finally made it back in fifteen ninety, he
found the settlement abandoned except for two cryptic messages, Croatoin
carved into a post and crow cro carved into a tree.
(02:40):
But here's a key detail that most people miss. There
was no distress cross and that was there agreed upon
signal for trouble. Crootoin referred to both nearby island what
we now call Hatter Silent, and a friendly Native American
tribe that was living there. White wasn't panicked about finding
this message. He actually expected it might lead him to
(03:01):
the colonists, But then severe weather hit. Storm damage forced
his ship to return to England without ever searching Crowotonin Island.
And then that's where the mystery supposedly begins, Except what
if it's not really a mystery at all. In the
years that followed, several attempts were made to learn what
happened to those colonists, but miscommunication and harsh weather consistently
(03:24):
thwarted discovery efforts, and over the centuries, all kinds of
speculations swirled around their faith. Some believe they simply perished
in the unfamiliar environment, maybe disease ravaged the population. Others
think hostile indigenous tribes killed them all. But many have
long believed something different, that they assimilated with and lived
alongside the Crootoone tribe. And here's where the story gets
(03:47):
personal for me, because the theory gaining serious traction among
the Lumby people of North Carolina suggests this last option
is perhaps closer to the truth than any tragic alternative.
The popular narrative of mysterious disappear starts to crumble when
you actually examine the evidence, and I mean really examine it,
not just repeat the romantic folklore. For nearly three hundred
(04:07):
years after White's departure, no trace of the colony had
been discovered. With one significant exception, North Carolina's Surveyor General
John Lawson documented something remarkable in seventeen fourteen. Let me
read you his exact words. Quote the Hatteras Indians who
lived on Roanoke Island or much frequented it tell us
that several of their ancestors were white people and could
(04:29):
talk in a book as we do, the truth of
which is confirmed by gray eyes being frequently found amongst
these Indians and no others. They valued themselves extremely for
their affinity to the English and are ready to do
them all friendly offices. End quote. Now listen to that again.
These Indians weren't hiding some shameful secret about conquest or tragedy.
(04:49):
They actively claimed English ancestry. They took pride in their connection.
They maintained oral traditions about literacy, talked in a book
being their description of reading and writing. And we're not
talking about just any English settlers here. These Indians were
claiming ancestral ties to America's first English born child and
her fellow colonists. That is not the testimony of conquered people.
(05:13):
That's the testimony of people whose ancestors chose integration over isolation.
What you've heard so far gives you the foundation of
why I believe Virginia Dare's story has been told wrong
for centuries. But if you want to hear about the
genetic evidence that supports lumby oral traditions, the sacred burial
site protected in Robeson County that sits less than an
hour away from my home, and why the Lumbee community
(05:33):
has been protecting what they believe are the remains of
Virginia Dare for nearly a century. And my plans for
approaching tribal leaders with the respect this story deserves. You'll
need to upgrade your subscription. When I return, I'll walk
you through the four types of evidence that academic historians
have often overlooked, genetic testing that supports centuries old oral traditions,
and why I believe America's first English child became something
(05:55):
far more significant than a lost colonist. I'm not holding
back information to be difficult, though. I'm doing this because
the deeper parts of this story involve living people, sacred places,
and traditions that deserve respect. This isn't just about solving
a historical mystery. It's about honoring the people who preserve
these stories for over four centuries while academic historians fumbled
around with romantic theories. The subscribers who support this research
(06:18):
are the ones who get access to the ongoing investigation. Plus, frankly,
this kind of research takes time and travel, so your
subscription helps make that possible. Hit upgrade and you'll get
immediate access to the rest of this episode, plus future
episodes as I hopefully gain the trust of Lumbe historians
and leaders. This is just the beginning of what I
hope becomes a much larger conversation for everyone else. Share
(06:38):
this with someone who loves historical mysteries and maybe they'll
be curious enough to join us for the full journey.
Thank you for listening. I'm Charles Bosworth, but you can
call me Charlie or Boz. The success of this show,
The Boz Cast, depends on the six essays of your support.
Subscribe to the podcast and substack. Share with your network
of family, friends and folk. Be social and follow on
(07:01):
all the platforms. Speak your mind by commenting wherever you
are following, suggest topics that interest you, and stay tuned
for more. Those are the successes of success for this show.
I hope you'll support me. Now, treat your mind like
a garden, pull up the weeds of doubt and plant
your own seeds of success. Start by choosing your emotions wisely. Love,
(07:25):
don't hate, Be kind, not rude, Be patient with people
because you want others to be patient with you and
practice a golden rule in every instance, in every aspect
and every situation, and watch your world change. You've been
listening to The Boscast with host Charles Bosworth, a general
entertainment talk talk, openly informational talk podcast. Until next time,
(07:49):
keep seeking truth and get to it at boz dot link.
My name is Kim and I love us. Knight
You're listening right now because everybody seeks truth and that's
what makes this the best show. From veteran broadcaster Charles Bosworth.
Welcome to the Bosscast, where we keep it nice news, information,
conversations and entertainment. Let's get to it. Hey, everyone, welcome
(00:25):
to the Bosscast. I'm Charles Bosworth. My family calls me Charles,
my kids call me Dad, and friends call me Boz
or Charlie. So quick housekeeping here. Hit the follow button
right now for auto downloads and for everything else. Show notes, back, catalog,
premium tiers. They all live at boz dot link. That's
boz dot l NK. All right, let's get going. So
(00:46):
August eighteenth is my birthday. I share it with someone
that was born four hundred and thirty seven years ago
or the year fifteen eighty seven, depending on when you
might be listening to this in what would become North Carolina.
Her name was Virginia Dare. She holds the distinction of
being the first English child born in what would become
the United States, and she vanished from history when she
was just three years old. I spent decades being mysteriously
(01:09):
drawn back to the exact region where she disappeared, and
today I want to tell you why her story matters
and why it might not be finished. Welcome to the
White Indian Goddess, My Search for Virginia Dare. This is
part one of two where I lay out why I
believe we've been telling the story of America's first English
child all wrong. So let me start with the basics,
because most people think they know the story, but the
(01:31):
details matter more than you might think. Virginia Dare was
born to Eleanor and Anonius Dare on August eighteenth, fifteen
eighty seven, in the Roanoke Colony. Her grandfather, John White,
was the colony's governor. Now you might be more familiar
with Sir Walter Raleigh. He was the one who founded
the first colony at Roanoke Island back in fifteen eighty five,
though he funded it rather than let it personally. And
(01:54):
here's where it gets interesting. Nine days after little Virginia
was born, nine days after America's first in Dh birth,
White departed for England to gather some desperately needed supplies.
Now think about that. This man left his nine day
old granddaughter, his daughter, and one hundred and fifteen other
colonists defend for themselves and what was essentially hostile wilderness.
(02:16):
But White didn't have much choice, and the Spanish Armada
conflict prevented his return for three critical years, three years
those colonists had to survive, adapt or perish on their own.
When White finally made it back in fifteen ninety, he
found the settlement abandoned except for two cryptic messages, Croatoin
carved into a post and crow cro carved into a tree.
(02:40):
But here's a key detail that most people miss. There
was no distress cross and that was there agreed upon
signal for trouble. Crootoin referred to both nearby island what
we now call Hatter Silent, and a friendly Native American
tribe that was living there. White wasn't panicked about finding
this message. He actually expected it might lead him to
(03:01):
the colonists, But then severe weather hit. Storm damage forced
his ship to return to England without ever searching Crowotonin Island.
And then that's where the mystery supposedly begins, Except what
if it's not really a mystery at all. In the
years that followed, several attempts were made to learn what
happened to those colonists, but miscommunication and harsh weather consistently
(03:24):
thwarted discovery efforts, and over the centuries, all kinds of
speculations swirled around their faith. Some believe they simply perished
in the unfamiliar environment, maybe disease ravaged the population. Others
think hostile indigenous tribes killed them all. But many have
long believed something different, that they assimilated with and lived
alongside the Crootoone tribe. And here's where the story gets
(03:47):
personal for me, because the theory gaining serious traction among
the Lumby people of North Carolina suggests this last option
is perhaps closer to the truth than any tragic alternative.
The popular narrative of mysterious disappear starts to crumble when
you actually examine the evidence, and I mean really examine it,
not just repeat the romantic folklore. For nearly three hundred
(04:07):
years after White's departure, no trace of the colony had
been discovered. With one significant exception, North Carolina's Surveyor General
John Lawson documented something remarkable in seventeen fourteen. Let me
read you his exact words. Quote the Hatteras Indians who
lived on Roanoke Island or much frequented it tell us
that several of their ancestors were white people and could
(04:29):
talk in a book as we do, the truth of
which is confirmed by gray eyes being frequently found amongst
these Indians and no others. They valued themselves extremely for
their affinity to the English and are ready to do
them all friendly offices. End quote. Now listen to that again.
These Indians weren't hiding some shameful secret about conquest or tragedy.
(04:49):
They actively claimed English ancestry. They took pride in their connection.
They maintained oral traditions about literacy, talked in a book
being their description of reading and writing. And we're not
talking about just any English settlers here. These Indians were
claiming ancestral ties to America's first English born child and
her fellow colonists. That is not the testimony of conquered people.
(05:13):
That's the testimony of people whose ancestors chose integration over isolation.
What you've heard so far gives you the foundation of
why I believe Virginia Dare's story has been told wrong
for centuries. But if you want to hear about the
genetic evidence that supports lumby oral traditions, the sacred burial
site protected in Robeson County that sits less than an
hour away from my home, and why the Lumbee community
(05:33):
has been protecting what they believe are the remains of
Virginia Dare for nearly a century. And my plans for
approaching tribal leaders with the respect this story deserves. You'll
need to upgrade your subscription. When I return, I'll walk
you through the four types of evidence that academic historians
have often overlooked, genetic testing that supports centuries old oral traditions,
and why I believe America's first English child became something
(05:55):
far more significant than a lost colonist. I'm not holding
back information to be difficult, though. I'm doing this because
the deeper parts of this story involve living people, sacred places,
and traditions that deserve respect. This isn't just about solving
a historical mystery. It's about honoring the people who preserve
these stories for over four centuries while academic historians fumbled
around with romantic theories. The subscribers who support this research
(06:18):
are the ones who get access to the ongoing investigation. Plus, frankly,
this kind of research takes time and travel, so your
subscription helps make that possible. Hit upgrade and you'll get
immediate access to the rest of this episode, plus future
episodes as I hopefully gain the trust of Lumbe historians
and leaders. This is just the beginning of what I
hope becomes a much larger conversation for everyone else. Share
(06:38):
this with someone who loves historical mysteries and maybe they'll
be curious enough to join us for the full journey.
Thank you for listening. I'm Charles Bosworth, but you can
call me Charlie or Boz. The success of this show,
The Boz Cast, depends on the six essays of your support.
Subscribe to the podcast and substack. Share with your network
of family, friends and folk. Be social and follow on
(07:01):
all the platforms. Speak your mind by commenting wherever you
are following, suggest topics that interest you, and stay tuned
for more. Those are the successes of success for this show.
I hope you'll support me. Now, treat your mind like
a garden, pull up the weeds of doubt and plant
your own seeds of success. Start by choosing your emotions wisely. Love,
(07:25):
don't hate, Be kind, not rude, Be patient with people
because you want others to be patient with you and
practice a golden rule in every instance, in every aspect
and every situation, and watch your world change. You've been
listening to The Boscast with host Charles Bosworth, a general
entertainment talk talk, openly informational talk podcast. Until next time,
(07:49):
keep seeking truth and get to it at boz dot link.
My name is Kim and I love us. Knight
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