Historical documents link Onslow, Truro to Oak Island

TRURO - A historian is hoping people in Colchester County can help unearth the history of Oak Island.
Danny Hennigar, an executive member for the Oak Island Tourism Society, a volunteer group dedicated to re-invigorating this history, said historical documents, such as books and property records, connect the island to Onslow. and Truro.
The famed island rests 600 feet off the mainland between Mahone Bay and Chester. Historians have traced its history back to about 1795 when one man, Donald Daniel McInnis, from Chester, and two teenage boys undertook the first treasure hunt there. It's believed a man, Simeon Lynds, reportedly from Onslow, spoke with the treasure hunters and formed a company called the Onslow Company. They sailed 300 miles from Onslow to Oak Island and spent 1804 - 1805 searching for treasure. When their attempt failed, the next group that came along was The Truro Company of 1849.
From that point, numerous people became interested and the treasure hunt evolved. Some of the surnames attached to the earliest operations are Harris, Lynds and Archibald.
Hennigar hopes residents of Colchester County will help find missing pieces of the story, especially with the Onslow and Truro
connections.
He asks residents to search their scrapbooks, historical files, photos and other memorabilia that could contain long-lost information on Oak Island.
"The first 40 years of its history is murky ... the $64,000 question is if there's treasure buried there. There have been a few obscure coins found there," said Hennigar. "There's something deep underground no doubt about that ..."
Hennigar said if a connection can be proven to Truro-Onslow, it would bring notoriety to the local area.
"Somewhere someone has the information. It's a part of Colchester and we should know it as accurate as possible. There's an interest in Oak Island around the world; it's one of the most common treasure hunts."
Hennigar said an Italian documentary crew plans to visit the South Shore site in another week or so and any new historical information would be appreciated.
Hennigar can be contacted at 902-275-3718 or flhs@eastlink.ca

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