About 150 people went to go live on Roanoke Island. Arriving in July 1587, John White was named governor. After a month, White left for supplies. When he arrived in England, he learned they were at war with Spain. Since all ships were needed for war, supplies couldn't get to Roanoke.
The colonists lacked supplies, since John White never returned to bring any. Out of needed items, they decided to sail to England as their best bet, but ended up shipwrecked.
John White and his crew returned to find nobody around; the Roanoke colony was completely empty. The only sign for where they went was 'Croatoan' written on a tree, and 'CRO' on a fencepost. John White tried to sail out to find them, but his expedition failed due to a hurricane, and he was never able to return to searching for the missing colonists. They were never found.