Thanks to hardluck for posting some of my research found on my Oak Island website.
The story of tales and legends that we have come to know are mostly without merit; however, there are a few elements of truth to be found.
One such element of truth in the legend was for a very large mature tree (oak or pine) adjacent to the pit having been marked with strange characters carved into the trunk. During 1770 a very large fire consumed most of the mainland forest between Chester and Lunenburg. Later in 1788 the Vaughn brothers petitioned the government to cut down about 900 acres of sundry trees for the purpose of farming and milling. The Vaughn brothers owned and operated a mill directly opposite Oak Island, they also owned the second largest number of Oak Island lots.
In reply to the Vaughn brothers petition,
John Wentworth Esq. Surveyor General of Woods in the Province of Nova Scotia and all other His Majesty's Territories in America, etc.
WHEREAS it hath been represented to me by Daniel Vaughan, Anthony Vaughan and James McLeod that they are possessed of a Tract of Land situated, laying and being in the Township of Chester & County of Lunenburg, being the Lotts No 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 &6 containing nine hundred Acres and are commonly known by the name of the Western Shore Lotts, second division, letter B and that Sundry Pine Trees are standing on said Lotts which prove detrimental to the culture and improvement of the same.
Having caused the aforesaid Lotts of Land and Pine Trees standing thereon to be inspected and surveyed, I do, inconformity to His Majesty's instructions, hereby grant lycense to the aforementioned Daniel Vaughan, Anthony Vaughan and James McLeod to cut and take away the Pine Trees growing thereon; Save and except thirty eight trees, being from Sixteen inches and upwards in diameter and from Twenty Six feet and upwards in length, which are marked *W being fit and are to remain for his Majesty's service; and are thetfore wholly excepted ut of this lycense accordingly.
Given under my hand at Halifax
this 25th day of January , 1788
J.W. Wentworth"* represents an unreadable character, thus the mark on the trees consisted of two characters with the second being a W
An original copy of this document can be found at Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management microfiche reel 15684. As you can clearly see, the element of truth was for trees to have been marked for use by the crown. One can easily understand that being embellished to strange markings.
The crown reserved these large trees for use by the Navy.
Considering the large fire in 1770, many of the large trees were burned. In the letter above, one can clearly read the surveyor was only able to identify 38 trees in all of 900 acres that were larger than 16? in diameter and taller than 26 feet.
Once can easily understand the surveyor glancing over at Oak Island and seeing the large trees which were unaffected by the fire of 1770. It sounds to me the surveyor visited the island and marked some of those trees too.
Unfortunately folks, there was no treasure to begin with. This was nothing more that a story used to cover-up the revolutionary activities of some Chester folks who were in support of the American cause.
They used several pits on the island to operate an export smuggling operation. Even our folks from Truro were in support of the American cause with Col Archibald and crew all named in documents refusing to take the oath of allegiance. There can be no doubts they visited Oak Island in an effort to recover buried materials which remained after the war, or even to partake in furthering the story about a pirate treasure. It was these Truro folks who found and handed John Smith the famous inscribed stone.
When the Loyalists started to arrive and settle the island, they quickly found the pits and were either bribed with land or blackmailed the traitorous bastards to keep quiet. McGinnis was a 30 year old disbanded British soldier, Neal McMullin a Loyalist, John Smith the son of a loyalist blacksmith who made handcuffs for the British Army, Samuel Ball the negro slave who cut wood for the British in New York and Martin Marshall a loyalist from Georgia. These were the men who first settled Oak Island and all were as you can read Loyalists. I can easily show numerous property deeds with irregularities for all of these men, except John Smith.
The whole story is much too complicated for a single post or even thread, but I do have most of it posted at my website. For those wanting the truth I invite you to visit my site.
Now what about a treasure?
While investigating Oak Island and through sheer coincidence, I have identified a possible treasure dating to 1583 and from the Azores might be hidden in Mahone Bay or along the south shore of Nova Scotia. I'll post more on that later.
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