Apparently European fishermen were active on the Grand Banks off Canada/USA from about 1480ish, and that some took their catch ashore to dry and salt. Also, before tobacco the most lucrative trade item from Nth america was furs.
So WI a settlement was set up by some enterprising adventurer at about this time in the general area where the fishermen dried their catch? The settlement could provide facilities and supplies for fishermen drying their catch ashore and be a middleman for a fur trade with the locals. As a private enterprise, much like the fishing it grew out of, it needn't attract government attention for a long time after it's established.