Whaling with David O’Sheal and Benjamin O’Sheal
Researched, Compiled, and Written by Connie Chumley Stringer
Copyright 2006
During the winter, spring, and summer of 2003, my cousin, J.V. Michael Motes, and I researched, compiled, and published the Colonial history of the O’Sheal family. J.V. Michael Motes compiled the law cases of David O’Sheal, who was an attorney in Virginia and North Carolina. One of those cases from the O’Sheal book:
“in the said Court was brought by Sir Richd. Everard against Mr. David O’Sheal on a Bond Entered into at Edenton as security for the Faithfull Discharge of a Naval Office…And the said David was fined 50 pounds, and immediately by the Judges order drag’d away to the common Goal in a very rough manner which was broke open on the occasion and with the Judges assistance the said David was thrust into it and another Lock ut on, and he lockt up and kept ’till weary of so Noisome a place the Gentleman was compelled to pay the money to be discharged compelled to pay the money to be discharged which the judge also received himself” (p. 24, O’Sheal and Chumley, 2003; This case was copied from the Colonial Records of North Carolina.)
After publishing the 2003 book, I continued my research into the O’Sheal family. In 2006, while researching in the Emory University Library, Atlanta, Georgia, I uncovered O’Sheal family news (previously unknown to anyone in our family) concerning Benjamin O’Sheal and David O’Sheal. A short, fantastic book, Whaling on the North Carolina Coast, 1990, written and published by Marcus B. Simpson, Jr. and Sallie W. Simpson, revealed what was long forgotten by the descendants of David O’Sheal and partially described in one record from the Colonial Records of North Carolina which my cousin quoted and included in the O’Sheal book of 2003, on page 24.
According to (Simpson and Simpson), in 1723, Governor Richard Everard of the Provence of North Carolina, was granted by the proprietors “the power and Liberty of Fishing and takeing (sic) all sorts of Whales” on the Northern coast of what is now the state of North Carolina. (p.12)
Simpson and Simpson (1990) gave a full account of serious theft committed by David O’Sheal’s brother, Benjamin O’sheal:
“Everard requested that the Court of Vice-Admiralty issue a warrant for the arrest of David O’Sheal, originally from Virginia but then practicing law in the North Carolina courts. David O’Sheal had induced Everard to appoint his brother Ben O’Sheal as naval officer in charge of Port Beaufort in November, 1728, in which capacity he was empowered to “receive the Tenths of Whale Oyl & Bone Catched on the Sea Coast of the Said Port.” During his appointment, Ben O’Sheal had reportedly collected eighty barrels of oil and half a ton of bone, a total value of 500 pound sterling; but after converting the duty to his own use, he fled to Gambia. David O’Sheal was arrested and ordered to pay the amount owed by his brother, for whom he had earlier posted a bond.” (Simpson and Simpson cited Vice-Admiralty Papers, CCR 191, Court Order for David O’Sheal, 3 August 1730.)