THE MONEY PIT
1795
|
It is believed that Anthony Vaughn Jr. told a version of original discovery story to his cousins and prospective investors. Over time, dramatized versions of the following events became local folklore.
While roaming Oak Island, Donal Daniel McInnis discovered an area on Lot 18 that appeared to have been worked in the past. An old oak tree had a block and tackle suspended over a depression in the ground. Stories and speculation of Captain William Kidd's (1645-1701) treasure were popular at the time. McInnis returned with John Smith and Anthony Vaughn Jr. The three dugout could not get past 30 ft. Alternate versions of the story suggest that the three friends were young and the island uninhabited. Research shows that Donald Daniel McInnis was 38, John Smith was 19 and Anthony Vaughn Jr. was 13 in 1795. The Poll Tax Records show that people were living and farming on the island, including Daniel McInnis and Samuel Ball. John Smith purchased Lot 18, where the Money Pit is located, in 1795. 1870 Mather Desbrisay's book "The History of Lunenburg County", also included Samuel Ball, a Black Loyalist, Oak Island resident and farmer, as a co-discover of the Money Pit. |
Artist Interpretation of the Money Pit - Mikayla Halliday
|