Lieutenant Robert Melvin of the Concord Militia arrived in Chester on 8-4-1761 with four motherless (Sarah) children. A veteran of the French and Indian War, Melvin was one of Rev. Secombe's "First Class of Settlers". Once settled he and 2nd wife Phebe Wilson (married 1762) had 8 more children. Melvin’s father was recorded as being a cooper, so Robert has been presumed to have been apprenticed by him or an uncle in one of the wood-working trades. Most references to him in Chester are as a “gentleman” meaning, he no longer worked with his hands… but apparently, we know little about his business practices. Melvin’s oldest son Eleazer, born in Concord 1743, was recorded as being a housewright by trade and son Nathaniel has also been recorded as being a carpenter as well as a “Master of a Vessel.” We know Robert Sr. built his own “dwelling house” in Chester, but do we know who apprenticed his son Nathaniel?
Melvin was granted a farm and town lot in Chester and other than 46-acre Lot 66 purchased from Bruin Comingo, his only other apparent land holdings are those on Oak Island. By his death before 1787, he had purchased at least 9 lots totaling 36 acres, with Lots 6 & 7 being held by him for 20 years. These two lots were finally sold by Nathaniel in 1812 to Samuel Ball for 60 pounds and included buildings and improvements. What were the improvements? Could a carpentry shop (Pic 2) have existed on Lots 6 & 7, preparing wood for export in the early days of Chester? Between Robert Sr. and Nathaniel, twelve Oak Island lots were held by the Melvin Family between 1767-1790 (Pic 1). Were they holding the lots as an investment or was the wood on the island - inventory? Could Oak Island have been actively harvested for building timber as early as 1767?
If we look at the Lunenburg Co. Deed Index (Pic 3) of Robert Melvin, we see his town, farm lots and the lots on Oak Island, were his only registered land holdings. We also find son Nathaniel’s land holdings. Like his father before him we are not sure exactly how he put food on the table, but we do know he provided for his family well. At the time of the Probate of his fathers will in 1787, Nathaniel Melvin was barely a journeyman carpenter at 22 years of age and yet by the 1793 Poll Tax, he had become a “Master of a Vessel.”
In 1802 at Chester, he purchased a dwelling (on two lots) for 60 pounds, from new provincial treasurer Michael Wallace, Esquire. This sale included 3 town lots and 2 water lots with a wharf. Nathaniel paid as much for this town property as Sam Ball would pay him for lots 6 & 7 in 1812. The Melvin Family began letting loose of long held O.I. properties in 1796, with Robert Melvin Jr. selling Lot 22. By 1813, “Gentleman” Nathaniel Melvin had liquidated most of his Chester holdings and moved his family to a large farm in the Hammond Plains area of Halifax County to finish out his days. His will was filed in 1844.
What was Robert and Nathaniel Melvin doing on Oak Island? Anyone else have an opinion on the Melvin Family or have any additional research on their business activities?
- C. Boze
Sources:
Lunenburg Co. Land Deeds / Chester Township Papers / Palmer Family Papers / Secombe’s Journal / Vol. 2. Oak Island Mystery Trees and Other Forensic Answers: Compendium, Appendix D – Obscure Lot Owners of Oak Island