Final answer:
The man who returned to find the Roanoke colony deserted was John White.
Step-by-step explanation:
The man who left Roanoke and then returned to find the colony deserted and everyone gone was John White. John White was the governor of the Roanoke colony in the late 16th century. In 1587, he left the colony to go back to England for supplies, but due to conflicts with Spain, he wasn't able to return until 1590. When he returned, he discovered that the colony had been abandoned, with no trace of the settlers.
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