On August 18, 1587, in Roanoke Colony, Virginia, Eleanor and Ananias Dare became parents to a daughter, Virginia. This child was the first born to European parents on the North American continent. The 350th anniversary of the birth of Virginia Dare was commemorated by a 5-cent gray-blue stamp issued on August 18, 1937. The stamp design shows the infant in the arms of her mother, who is seated, with the father standing behind. The background is rather idyllic, showing a substantial log cabin, a spinning wheel, and various crops. In reality, the Roanoke colonists led a miserable existence. The colony was lost in rather short order, with all colonists presumed slain by the native Indians.
Gordon T. Trotter
