I grew up in an area of SC close to the NC border where Native Americans, mostly Lumbee, also lived. When I was growing up, it was very common to hear people referred to as a “Croatan” meaning they had mixed Indian/European ancestry. You would often see someone who’s family was Native American but they would stand out because they had blue eyes. It was common lore in that area the lost colonists weren’t lost- they just went to live with the local tribe and had hoped the letters they wrote would tell anyone else where they had gone.
OT: Oklahoma is full of blue eyed “Cherokee”. ( they have no standard blood quantum. If you can prove you have ANY degree of Cherokee blood, no matter how small, you will be admitted to the tribe. I’m talking as small as tiny fractions of 2,000ths!)