What occurred next has been the stuff of myth, legend, and speculation for the past 220 years- the trio allegedly discovered Oak Island's fabled Money Pit. The aim here is not to tell any one version of what we call The Discovery Legend, and we could fill volumes discussing the many variations and discrepancies found in the multitude of versions that have appeared in print. But we will point out, that the story was not actually put in writing until a full 62 years after the event took place. So the reader can likely see how easily the facts and circumstances of the tale could be confused in the re-telling. From the best information available, it seems that the discovery took place sometime in June of 1795 on land owned by John Smith, recently purchased from the German Protestant merchant, Caspar Wollenhaupt. And we can tell you that the discovery was made by two men and a teenager, not by three "boys", as the most popular versions of the tale tend to state. McGinnis and Smith were both grown men and Anthony Vaughan was in his teens.
As we have previously pointed out, Daniel McGinnis was properly named, Donald MacInnes, and in 1795 another significant event occurred in his life when he married Maria Barbara Seiler, the daughter of a German Protestant. The Seilers, also known as Siler and Sawler, lived adjacent to Oak Island in Western Shore and their descendants still live there to this day. The couple continued to live on Oak Island and had a typical family of the period consisting of nine children:
Accounts vary as to how long Daniel McGinnis remained involved in the Oak Island Treasure Hunt. We do know, however, that he died in 1827, in his 69th year, and his estate was modestly typical of a yeoman of the time. Daniel left half of his estate to his first son, John who had earlier struck out on his own on the mainland, eventually settling in Greenfield, Kings County. To Catherine, Mary, Margaret, and Nancy, he left the other half. The remainder of his estate was left to second-born Donald, with provisions for daughters still living at home. Henry is not mentioned in the will and it's presumed that he died prior to 1827, possibly killed in a pit collapse during the treasure hunt. McGinnis was also predeceased by his wife.
This brings us to the end of the life of Oak Island's legendary Daniel McGinnis. Please check in on our Compendium page where we'll soon have a more detailed section devoted to him. It's hoped that present-day descendants of McGinnis may see this article and have information to help us fill in the missing pieces of the life and times of this fascinating man.
Good day from the Blockhouse!
From The Blockhouse
is published by Blockhouse Investigations and oakislandcompendium.ca
in Nova Scotia, Canada
Editors and Chief Correspondents
Kelly W. Hancock, CD
John Wonnacott, P. Eng.
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