Is Onslow Company a militia?

[Armchair detective]

Because the Onslow Company can't be verified AS A BUSINESS (so it is said), perhaps it was really a military operation to try and recover whatever was in the MP.
It would explain why S Ball got that last lot in 1809 "for services to the king".

 

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[Armchair detective]

For fun I examined Onslow county North Carolina to see if this was the origin story for the Onslow company. Didn't find it or any Archibalds, but did find land grants for a number of Wards (commander of S Ball's company?) Still looking.

 

[freeman]

Make sure you check the archives of their laundry lists and the bills for those living on Oak Island at the time.

It'll complement the research you do and the 'findings' you are posting here.

 

[Armchair detective]

Think I'm running down the wrong track.
My thinking is militias were evolved for local defense, and the militias listed in "The Commonwealth of Onslow County"(American) never stirred from North Carolina? Or maybe they did.

What I'm guessing I'm looking for is a British or Loyalist militia, and the most likely place to find that information would be in Britain with some military historian.

Or maybe its just a company of onslowians.

 

[n2mini]

The Onslow Company may or may not have anything or any ties to North Carolina but I got a chuckle when I first read someone on here throw that connection out there. Not because it's an outlandish thought but it made me remember some posts on here from years ago when there was a "team" of "nay sayers" who always said nothing was written about OI MP till 80-100 years or more later or something like that. I always said then how did others hear about it to want to take their shot at finding it. Let along anyone in NC hearing about, if they did...

 

[Red-Coat]

Because the Onslow Company can't be verified AS A BUSINESS (so it is said), perhaps it was really a military operation to try and recover whatever was in the MP.
It would explain why S Ball got that last lot in 1809 "for services to the king".

For fun I examined Onslow county North Carolina to see if this was the origin story for the Onslow company. Didn't find it or any Archibalds, but did find land grants for a number of Wards (commander of S Ball's company?) Still looking.

Think I'm running down the wrong track.
My thinking is militias were evolved for local defense, and the militias listed in "The Commonwealth of Onslow County"(American) never stirred from North Carolina? Or maybe they did.

What I'm guessing I'm looking for is a British or Loyalist militia, and the most likely place to find that information would be in Britain with some military historian.

Or maybe its just a company of onslowians.

The Colonel Robert Archibald referred to as Director of Operations for the Onslow Company (also known as the Onslow Syndicate) was born on 22 January 1745 in Maghera, County Londonderry, Ireland. The ‘Onslow’ connection is to Canada and nothing to do with North Carolina. He married Hannah Blair on 2 April 1767, in Onslow, Colchester, Nova Scotia and by 1789 was living in Middle Musquodoboit, Halifax, Nova Scotia. His occupation is listed as ‘land surveyor’ and, in this capacity, he surveyed and divided a large part of Truro and all of the Township of Onslow. He died in Musquodoboit in October 1812 and was buried in Iceland.

Archibald had been the Town Clerk of Truro, Nova Scotia for a number of years and on 16 September 1780 was appointed Justice of the Peace for Colchester and Pictou Counties as well as being a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Although he was a Colonel of the Militia, the Onslow company itself was not a militia, but a partnership of investors formed in 1802 by Dr. Simeon Lynds, a young physician from Onslow, Nova Scotia (referred to in some accounts as Dr. David Barren Lynds) that was active util 1805.

 

[Armchair detective]

Thanks for your information. It fills in some blanks.

One thing I am on a quest for is evidence that the Onslow Company actually existed. Do you have any? It's hard to find.

The picture is still fuzzy with colonel Robert archibald, colonel Richard archibald, Captain Richard archibald in the mix.
And sheriff Harris - does he fit into the Onslow Company somehow? (He's on the sawpit thread).

Right now trying to get a general history of the area between 1780 and 1810. American Revolution winding down, war of 1812 around the corner.

 

[Red-Coat]

Thanks for your information. It fills in some blanks.

One thing I am on a quest for is evidence that the Onslow Company actually existed. Do you have any? It's hard to find.

The picture is still fuzzy with colonel Robert archibald, colonel Richard archibald, Captain Richard archibald in the mix.
And sheriff Harris - does he fit into the Onslow Company somehow? (He's on the sawpit thread).

Right now trying to get a general history of the area between 1780 and 1810. American Revolution winding down, war of 1812 around the corner.

You're welcome. Although the records are patchy, the company certainly existed with around 25-30 financial backers from Onslow and Truro, Nova Scotia. Colonel Robert Archibald's personal history is fairly well-documented. The known members of the company are listed at the link below.

The Onslow Company

No original documents relating to the Onslow Company have been found to date, but the following accounts were told by John Smith and Anthony Vaughn Jr. in 1848 to Robert Creelman of the Truro...

www.oakislandlegend.com

No mention of a Richard Archibald which is likely a mistaken name for Robert, but there was also a Captain David Archibald (probably Robert's brother). Thomas Harris is also listed as Sheriff of Pictou, but I believe he was actually Deputy Sheriff (he may have been promoted later). He jointly owned a saw mill on Little Cariboo River with his brother John.